Police Clearance Certificate Attestation in Dubai (PCC)
Get your Police Clearance Certificate attested correctly for UAE visa and immigration purposes including full support for the new 2026 mandatory PCC rule, which now applies to Indian nationals.
What is PCC attestation in the UAE?
A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is an official certificate from a police authority stating whether the applicant has a criminal record. UAE authorities also call it a Good Conduct Certificate, Character Certificate or Criminal Clearance Certificate. All of these need the same attestation.
PCC attestation is the chain of government verification that makes a PCC acceptable in the UAE. A PCC on its own, even a valid one, is not accepted for UAE visa purposes until it has passed through the correct chain.
The UAE does not accept an apostille in place of attestation, which is the core difference between attestation and apostille for the UAE.
Is a PCC mandatory for a UAE visa ?
Yes, for the nationalities covered by the rule. From 16 June 2026, the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) made the Good Conduct Certificate, commonly called a PCC, mandatory for new visa applications from specific nationalities. The rule rolls out in three phases through November 2026. India is in Phase 1, along with Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Egypt and several others.
This reverses earlier 2026 guidance that excluded India. If you are an Indian national applying for a new UAE visa, an attested PCC is part of your application file.
The nationalities and visa categories affected are set out in the April PCC rule update, and the document conditions for Indian applicants are in the original, RPO-issued PCC rule for Indian nationals.
Which PCC attestation route applies to you?
Your PCC | Route | Notes | Â |
|---|---|---|---|
Issued in India, for a UAE visa permit | Passport Seva Kendra or Regional Passport Office, then MEA attestation, then single attestation by the UAE Embassy in India | AED 150. No MOFA step | Â |
Issued in another country, for a UAE visa | That country’s authentication, then the UAE Embassy or Consulate there | The single attestation change is confirmed for India only. Ask us to confirm your country’s route | Â |
Issued in the UAE, for use abroad | MOFA digital attestation, then the destination country’s embassy if it asks | The PCC must be within 3 months of issue. Details in digital attestation for UAE-issued PCCs. If it will be used in India, the Indian Embassy or Consulate in the UAE attests it after MOFA | Â |
Update: an India-issued PCC needs only UAE Embassy attestation, not MOFA
A Police Clearance Certificate issued in India for visa permit purposes now gets single attestation on the UAE attestation portal. Only the UAE Embassy in India attests it, for AED 150, and no separate UAE MOFA attestation is needed. Other documents, such as degree and marriage certificates, still go through the Embassy and MOFA stages.
How does PCC attestation work (Process) for an India-issued PCC in Dubai,UAE?
An India-issued PCC is attested in three steps: the original PCC from the Passport Seva Kendra or Regional Passport Office, MEA attestation, then single attestation by the UAE Embassy in India. No MOFA step follows.
- Obtain the original PCC from the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Regional Passport Office, issued for visa permit purposes.
- MEA attestation (India): the Ministry of External Affairs authenticates the certificate. The portal asks whether this is done before it accepts the application.
- UAE Embassy attestation (single attestation, AED 150): the UAE Embassy in India attests the MEA-attested PCC through the UAE attestation portal. This is the final step for an India-issued PCC.
If your PCC is not in English or Arabic, it must be translated before this chain begins. Translating after attestation invalidates the attestation seal on the translated copy, and it will be rejected.
Before step 3, our team runs the pre-submission document checks so a PCC is not classified Red. The other documents in your visa file, such as degree and marriage certificates, still finish with MOFA attestation in Dubai.
What documents are required for PCC attestation?
- Original Police Clearance Certificate, issued for visa permit purposes (not a photocopy)
- Passport copy (relevant pages)
- Visa copy or offer letter (if applicable, to confirm purpose)
- Certified translation (only if the PCC is not in English or Arabic)
If you are already in the UAE, we tell you exactly which extra papers apply before you send anything.
How much does PCC attestation cost?
For an India-issued PCC, the UAE government fee is AED 150 under single attestation. The standard Embassy plus MOFA route for other documents costs AED 300.
Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
UAE Embassy single attestation (India-issued PCC) | AED 150 |
Standard route for other documents (Embassy AED 150 plus MOFA AED 150) | AED 300 |
MEA attestation, courier and service charge | Vary by case. We confirm the total before you hand over your PCC |
The rupee value of AED 150 moves with the exchange rate, so our breakdown of UAE Embassy attestation fees in India is where to check the current figure.
How long does PCC attestation take?
For an India-issued PCC, the timeline depends on MEA processing and the UAE Embassy’s turnaround. We have quoted 5 to 8 working days for the full multi-stage route, and single attestation removes one stage.Â
Green Line can expedite this with priority processing.
A newly issued digital UAE PCC is typically attested in minutes to about two hours during working hours.
How is a UAE-issued PCC attested?
Since 13 July 2026, MOFA attests UAE-issued PCCs, birth certificates and death certificates through its Digital Attestation Service. A newly issued digital PCC can carry the attestation at issuance. A previously issued PCC is submitted through MOFA’s website or Smart App.
The PCC must be within 3 months of its issue date at submission. Some destination countries still ask for embassy legalization after MOFA, so confirm before relying on the digital certificate abroad. This service covers UAE-issued documents only, not foreign-issued certificates. The full details are in digital attestation for UAE-issued PCCs.
Already in the UAE? Attest your Indian PCC without travelling
If your PCC was issued in India before you travelled, Green Line manages the MEA and UAE Embassy stages on your behalf, with doorstep collection and delivery, so you do not need to travel back. Tell us your situation and we confirm the route before you send anything.
Why is a PCC rejected, and how do we prevent it?
Cause of rejection | What we check before submission |
|---|---|
Name, passport number or date of birth does not match your other documents | Every detail is compared with your passport |
Translation done after attestation | Translation is completed first |
PCC outside the accepted validity window | The issue date is checked against the requesting authority’s rule |
PCC not issued for visa permit purposes | The purpose is confirmed before the application |
MEA attestation missing before the UAE Embassy stage | The MEA stamp is confirmed |
A photocopy submitted instead of the original | Only the original goes forward |
Why choose Green Line for PCC attestation in Dubai?
- 35 years of experience and 100,000+ documents attested, ISO 9001:2015 certified.
- We track UAE regulatory changes, including the June 2026 Phase 1 rollout, the single attestation change for Indian PCCs and the digital attestation of UAE-issued PCCs.
- Checks before submission, so errors are fixed while they are still fixable.
- End-to-end handling: MEA and single UAE Embassy attestation for Indian PCCs, plus MOFA for the other documents in your visa file.
- Doorstep collection and delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is PCC mandatory for Indian nationals applying for a UAE visa in 2026?
Yes. As of the Phase 1 rollout starting 16 June 2026, India is included in the list of nationalities required to submit an attested Police Clearance Certificate for new UAE visa applications.
2. What’s the difference between a PCC and a Good Conduct Certificate?
They refer to the same type of document. “Good Conduct Certificate” is the term UAE authorities commonly use, while “Police Clearance Certificate” is the standard term used in India and most other countries.
3. Do I need to translate my PCC before attestation?
Yes, if it’s not already in English or Arabic. Translation must happen before the attestation chain begins — translating after attestation invalidates the seal on the translated copy.
4. How long is an attested PCC valid in the UAE?
Most authorities require a recent certificate, generally accepted within a few months of issuance. Always confirm the specific validity window with the authority requesting it, since this can vary by visa category.
5. Can I get my PCC attested if I’m already in the UAE?
Yes. If your PCC was issued in India before you travelled, Green Line can manage the MEA, UAE Embassy, and MOFA stages on your behalf without you needing to travel back.
6. What happens after MOFA attestation is complete?
Once your PCC completes MOFA attestation, it’s accepted as part of your UAE visa application file, satisfying the mandatory requirement for applicable nationalities.