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Version 2019 - Guide to Police Clearance Certificate from the UAE

ah284

Newbie
Oct 13, 2019
7
1
Aloha everyone,

So Am making this thread for anyone who have got a relation to the UAE and need to get the PCC issued to comply with IRCC regulation 10 regarding proving personal criminality record.

I will be show casing this topic from a personal experience, as being a resident of the UAE for all my life (meaning I been living in this hot spot of the global since birth). To make it easier for everyone , I have decided to make this thread format in FAQ so it would be easier for everyone to follow up.

Q1. DO I NEED A PCC FROM THE UAE ANYWAY ?
simply answer is : it depends! According to section 10 of the Immigration and Refuge protection Act, you need to submit a PCC document for any country you been living in for a period of six months or more in a ROW for the past ten years. If this applies to you ,then yes go get a PCC from any country including but not limited to the UAE.

Examples for people who don't need it. (assuming they all fill their eAPR on 9th March 2019):
Person A , lived in UAE from 1-1-2007 to 28-2-2009 - He/she doesn't need to get it as he missed the 10 years mark and thus he doesn't need to get it.
Person B, lived in UAE from 1-1-2007 to 28-2-2009 and left but came back again from 1-1-2010 till 15-5-2010 - He/she doesn't need to get it as he/she missed the six months in row ruling by only 15 days and thus do not require getting a PCC from the UAE.

Q2. WHO PROVIDE/ISSUE PCC IN THE UAE AND WHICH ONE IS ACCEPTED BY IRCC?
According to the IRCC, they accept any PCC issued by any of the seven emirates local police departments in addition the Ministry of the interior, meaning getting yours from emirate or the federal agency such MOI would be deemed sufficient to prove your case. As long as the details mentioned on the PCC itself is current and valid up to the date of issuance, you are all good for that matter.

Q3. NOW THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS ON THE TABLE , WHICH ONE SHOULD I GET IT FROM?
Now we are getting into the topic! You can opt for any of the acceptable issuers by IRCC but I will be making a comparison of the two of the most popular choices for many. Dubai Police and Ministry of Interior, I will be show casing the process itself.

Dubai Police
To get your PCC , visit this web page to read more about the process itself: https://www.dubaipolice.gov.ae/wps/portal/home/services/individualservicescontent/goodconductcertificatecatalog

Few things to note here:
  • Dubai police do not require you to sign up for any online account and thus you can get it as guest user.
  • If you are currently living in the UAE, you will need only to fill in your EmiratesID number by choosing Inside UAE option
  • If you are currently living outside the UAE, you will need to fill in your Emirates ID number by choosing Outside UAE option and only if you had it before leaving the UAE (this greatly affect how fast will they get back to you) . You will also be required to upload a copy of your passport , last residency visa in the UAE and a personal picture.
  • Make sure you select purpose as '' Immigration '' , as to stay honest and truthful to both them and IRCC.
  • When selecting "Type Of Requested Party", only select private, as it will allow you to type in the desired party name and not have to choose from a predefined list If you had selected Government.
  • When typing the Requested party name , AVOID typing IRCC or PR visa or anything beside the correct party name. As per the Dubai Police policy, they can only issue it to business/Government entities currently enlisted in the country. In our case, you can only go as far as the Canadian embassy or else you might run into a risk of rejection. So , you can type ''Embassy of Canada In Abu Dhabi"

Ministry Of Interior Of the UAE
Getting this PCC is kinda awkward, you can get it through their website and pay 150 AED for English certificate but if you used their official app you only need to pay 50 AED. So in this guide, I will only describe their app and not their website. Am not sure if this is something that will be fixed, but that's how I got my PCC earlier this year. When running the app ,select the ''Criminal Status'' button.

Few things to note here:
  • In the latest update of their Mobile App, they have started offering PCC service for guest users. But I highly recommend you sign up so you can follow up on your application status.
  • Similar to Dubai police, If you were living in the UAE you only need to fill in your Emirates ID and it will prefill all your personal details for you.
  • After doing so, you will then need to select the purpose as '' For outside country purpose'', as nothing is mentioned about immigration if the application is selected as English, which is surprisingly not the case if you run the app in Arabic.
  • You need to type in the organization name just as mentioned above.
  • Now what makes MOI service special to Dubai Police, is that they offer eDelivery but they also offer physical delivery of the PCC which will be manually signed and stamped. Not that it will matter to IRCC as they accept both methods, it's always nice having it this way just to better make your case. BUT Don't worry if you didn't, it won't matter it's just a bonus.

Q4. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
On average, it takes both of them about 1-3 hours to approve your PCC if you are currently living in the UAE and do have an active EmiratesID. However, if you are living outside the UAE, it can range from 5-15 days as per past trends.

Q5. OKEY HOW MUCH DOES IT COST AND WHICH ONE DO YOU RECOMMEND ?
To answer this question , I will list pros and cons of each of these two services so you can make a decision based on what matters to you.

Dubai Police
Pros:
1- Their service is extremely well organized and their website/mobile app are better designed and laid out.
2- They offer better customer service through call center (901) and live chat
3- Their certificates are easily verified online through their online e-Document inquiry tool which will make it easier for IRCC to verify your PCC without needing to call them on the official channels.
Cons:
1- They are extremely expensive. They charge 200 AED for residents of the UAE and 300 AED for those living outside UAE (excluding 20 AED admin charges).
2- They only will send your PCC as in PDF format which again can be worrying to some who might feel more relaxed having an actual original PCC on their hand.

Ministory Of Interior
Pros:
1- They are waay cheaper, only for 50 AED for the actual PCC and another 50 AED if you need attestation and if you opt for delivery option , it will cost you 15 AED for 2-3 days service
2- They offer delivery of the original certificate which is hand signed and stamped and are printed on special form.
Cons:
1- Their service overall unpolished compared to Dubai Police. There is conflict between website and mobile app when it comes to how they offer the service and how instructions are displayed.
2- Their call center isn't as responsive as Dubai Police and chances you will get help isn't as good as with Dubai police.


Am done with this. Let me know if you guys need any help. Thanks for reading.

Regards,,,

Hi.This is definitely an informative post. I was born and raised in UAE as well. Im currently applying for PCC from Canada, I do have my Emirates ID (expired in 2018), my current passport was renewed in November 2019. So my UAE residence visa which is expired now is on my old passport.
What should I fill in the section "Certificate required by" ??

Thank you
 

yiso91

Hero Member
Aug 19, 2017
954
481
NOC Code......
1111
AOR Received.
27-01-2019
Passport Req..
29-11-2019
Hi.This is definitely an informative post. I was born and raised in UAE as well. Im currently applying for PCC from Canada, I do have my Emirates ID (expired in 2018), my current passport was renewed in November 2019. So my UAE residence visa which is expired now is on my old passport.
What should I fill in the section "Certificate required by" ??

Thank you
Write ''Embassy of Canada in the UAE'' .. as they do not issue any certificates to agencies/bodies outside the UAE without special clearance which is a manual process outside the scope of their mobileApp/Website.
 

yiso91

Hero Member
Aug 19, 2017
954
481
NOC Code......
1111
AOR Received.
27-01-2019
Passport Req..
29-11-2019
Hi i have a question and really confuse about pcc. So it stay in abu dhabi from april 2016 to june 2018. Before i leave UAE i get a copy of my Pcc dated jan.17,2018 and i left UAE june.3,2018.since then i never go back to uae and then leave the Philippines last nov.27 to come here in canada. My question do i need to get a new PCC for my PR application as i have here the original pcc that i get the last time.coz my PR is on process now.
I really need help.thanks in advance
Yes you need to apply for a new one ,as the old one was obtained before your last exit out of the UAE
 

batosai

Full Member
Nov 9, 2019
29
1
Tnx yiso i have one more question i apply already the pcc last week and the DP email me that my pcc was rejected due to financial due in abu dhabi now i try to communicate to the financial institution they are not answering my call nor email.is there any chance to get a pcc?
 

yiso91

Hero Member
Aug 19, 2017
954
481
NOC Code......
1111
AOR Received.
27-01-2019
Passport Req..
29-11-2019
Tnx yiso i have one more question i apply already the pcc last week and the DP email me that my pcc was rejected due to financial due in abu dhabi now i try to communicate to the financial institution they are not answering my call nor email.is there any chance to get a pcc?
You have to fix your issue with your previous lender in the UAE before a PCC can be issued, as the only standard format for the PCC is that you are 100% clear legally speaking.
 

aiqbal96

Star Member
Feb 25, 2020
138
58
Category........
CEC
NOC Code......
2174
AOR Received.
27-04-2020
Med's Done....
18-02-2020
Sorry if this was already answered but I just got my PCC in email from MOI. The problem is that there a big red stamp on it saying "Please refer to the UAE Diplomatic Missions Abroad or Customer Happiness Centers of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation." Do I have to do anything with it? I don't see any signature or anything on it. Just the MOI logo, serial number, issue date, my information, and there's a remark saying its valid for 3 months and their contact info at the bottom with a QR code. I'm not a citizen there and my UAE visa is expired if that matters. Also, in my emirates ID my name was written as my full name + my father's full name so it shows up like that on the PCC. Is that an issue?
 

yiso91

Hero Member
Aug 19, 2017
954
481
NOC Code......
1111
AOR Received.
27-01-2019
Passport Req..
29-11-2019
Sorry if this was already answered but I just got my PCC in email from MOI. The problem is that there a big red stamp on it saying "Please refer to the UAE Diplomatic Missions Abroad or Customer Happiness Centers of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation." Do I have to do anything with it? I don't see any signature or anything on it. Just the MOI logo, serial number, issue date, my information, and there's a remark saying its valid for 3 months and their contact info at the bottom with a QR code. I'm not a citizen there and my UAE visa is expired if that matters. Also, in my emirates ID my name was written as my full name + my father's full name so it shows up like that on the PCC. Is that an issue?
If you are still residing in the UAE, do visit their customer service desks to clear it up or visit the nearest embassy to do the same. It might have to do with your visa being cancelled or expired while still being in the UAE.

You can also try to have it issued by Dubai Police, it may also be issued and cleared by them, if you are lucky since Dubai Police doesn't issue any PCC unless your criminal records is 100% clean and I haven't heard about cases were they would ask you to visit their office after issuing your PCC, so it can be a good option to try out before following on with MOI instructions.

Regards
 

aiqbal96

Star Member
Feb 25, 2020
138
58
Category........
CEC
NOC Code......
2174
AOR Received.
27-04-2020
Med's Done....
18-02-2020
If you are still residing in the UAE, do visit their customer service desks to clear it up or visit the nearest embassy to do the same. It might have to do with your visa being cancelled or expired while still being in the UAE.

You can also try to have it issued by Dubai Police, it may also be issued and cleared by them, if you are lucky since Dubai Police doesn't issue any PCC unless your criminal records is 100% clean and I haven't heard about cases were they would ask you to visit their office after issuing your PCC, so it can be a good option to try out before following on with MOI instructions.

Regards
Just to be clear, I already got the PCC from MOI and it says i don't have any criminal records. I live in Canada, I left UAE in 2014 and my UAE visa expired in 2016 so I can't go back anymore.
 

yiso91

Hero Member
Aug 19, 2017
954
481
NOC Code......
1111
AOR Received.
27-01-2019
Passport Req..
29-11-2019
Just to be clear, I already got the PCC from MOI and it says i don't have any criminal records. I live in Canada, I left UAE in 2014 and my UAE visa expired in 2016 so I can't go back anymore.
Then try out the second option as I explained
 

batosai

Full Member
Nov 9, 2019
29
1
I have been asked to submit Original PCC by IRCC for PR from countries I lived for more than six months. Do Dubai police send original by mail if I apply online? If they send it by email, is this considered as original since I have been asked to submit in original.

The same rules apply for Abu Dhabi PCC? If they send it by Email can we print it and submit it? Is it considered original?
Hi..is the copy of pcc accept by the ircc?even its not orig8nal? Coz they asked me also tos3nd orig8nal..
 

Barkook

Star Member
Mar 15, 2017
56
41
With regards to PCC from country of residence being different than country of citizenship, am I able to get PCC done in Egypt (country of citizenship) while visiting next month? Would it be considered valid?
Would appreciate your input please, @yiso91.
 

yiso91

Hero Member
Aug 19, 2017
954
481
NOC Code......
1111
AOR Received.
27-01-2019
Passport Req..
29-11-2019
With regards to PCC from country of residence being different than country of citizenship, am I able to get PCC done in Egypt (country of citizenship) while visiting next month? Would it be considered valid?
Would appreciate your input please, @yiso91.
You can always get PCC in Egypt through heading to the right authority office. As for UAE PCC, you can apply for it while being outside or inside the UAE as long as you enter the correct details and submit the payments successfully.
 
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Jaz20k

Newbie
Mar 2, 2020
1
0
Hi,
My case is a bit complex and this happens in AFRICA, I lived in UAE between 2011 and 2012, but I didn’t get the Emirates ID before leaving UAE, so as per the requirements on the UAE Ministry of Interior website I got my fingerprints from police and legalized by the ministry of foreign affairs in my country and since there is no UAE embassy here so I went to the nearest UAE mission in another country and there I was requested to Legalized it by my country embassy then transalate it in Arabic and legalized it by the country ministry of foreign affairs then when I went back to the UAE consulate they requested now to have the fingerprint + its Arabic translation to be sealed by a notary (the document comes from my country but the Arabic Arabic translation is from the other country where the UAE mission is) I explained the case to several notaries but all of then refused to apply their seal saying that their ministry of foreign affairs stamp is already on the Arabic translation(I think the main reason is because I’m not a citizen of that country )I then went back to my country explained the case to a notary there who accept after verification now I went back again to the UAE consulate in the nearest country and now they refused to legalized saying that the seal is not visible or not correctly applied and sincerely I checked the seal and I don’t find any issue with it, I even showed them the notary business card for further verification...now I’m stuck and really don’t know what to do...I’m planning to go to Dubai to get it legalized by my country consulate then legalized it by UAE ministry of foreign affairs if that option is possible for countries where there are no UAE mission...I already reject an ITA in November due to delay and go another one in February so this time I really don’t want to reject again so if someone have some clues that might help. Thanks and sorry to be so long
 

rikman

Member
Oct 15, 2018
15
2
Tnx yiso i have one more question i apply already the pcc last week and the DP email me that my pcc was rejected due to financial due in abu dhabi now i try to communicate to the financial institution they are not answering my call nor email.is there any chance to get a pcc?
HOW DID YOU GET AN EMAIL FROM DP THAT YOU HAD FINANCIAL DUE, DID THEY REJECT ON EMAIL OR HOW DID THAT HAPPEN AS THEY GENERALLY DON'T REPLY?