UAE: Legalised Birth Certificates Required for Some Dubai International Financial Centre Applicants

Analysis

The Government Services Office at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is now requesting fully-legalised birth certificates to support employment residence permit applications for individuals of certain nationalities or background. In-country applicants must submit an original birth certificate counter-legalised by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Applicants being requested for the legalised birth certificate typically consist of those that may be subject to more detailed security screening, like nationals from the Middle East and North African countries (except Gulf Cooperation Council countries), or those holding a different or dual nationality but of a similar background.

Exemptions

For individuals outside of the UAE, a copy of the birth certificate legalised by the UAE Embassy in the country of issue will suffice.

DIFC internal transfer applications are exempt from the above requirement.

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals