What is DHA Good Standing Certificate (GSC) and Who Needs It? (2026 Guide)
DHA Good Standing Certificate Quick Summary
A Good Standing Certificate (GSC) is an official letter from the health regulator where you are licensed, confirming your registration status and any disciplinary history. DHA requires one from the regulator in your country of last employment, and it must be no older than 6 months when you submit your application. Professionals already licensed by DHA request their own GSC online through Sheryan.
A Certificate of Current Status or Good Standing Certificate (GSC) is requested by DHA (Dubai Health Authority), MOHAP (Ministry of Health & Prevention), DOH (Department of Health, Abu Dhabi), OMSB (Oman Medical Specialty Board) and other regulators from physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and many allied health professionals. It is how a new regulator checks your professional and ethical record with the one you worked under before.
There are two different situations, and people mix them up all the time. Most readers need a GSC for DHA, issued by their home council. Others are leaving Dubai and need a GSC from DHA. This page covers both.
Who needs a Good Standing Certificate for DHA?
Anyone applying for a DHA registration who has practised elsewhere. The Unified PQR asks for a GSC issued by the regulator in your country of last employment, and it should cover the experience you are claiming. If you have worked in two countries recently, DHA may ask for a certificate from each one. Fresh applicants with no licence anywhere are the rare exception, and they should check their title in the Sheryan self-assessment tool.
The GSC is one of the documents that DataFlow verifies, so it goes into your file together with your degree and experience letters. Our DHA DataFlow requirements page lists the rest.
How long is a DHA good standing certificate valid?
DHA's rule is simple: the certificate must be no older than 6 months on the date you submit your application. That rule appears in the Unified PQR, in DHA's licensing manual and on DHA's registration service page. Older versions of this page said "valid for 2 months". That was wrong.
Two practical points from experience. First, some councils print their own shorter validity on the certificate, and reviewers can follow that date. Second, DataFlow can take several weeks, so a GSC that was 5 months old when you uploaded it may look stale by the time your file is reviewed. Request it close to your submission date.
How to get Good Standing Certificate (GSC) from your home country?
You request it from the regulator that licenses your profession where you last worked. Doctors and dentists contact the medical or dental council, nurses contact the nursing council, and pharmacists contact the pharmacy council. Each council has its own form, fee and processing time.
How to apply for DHA GSC, step by step
If you hold or have held a DHA licence and another regulator asks for your good standing, you request it from DHA itself. DHA does not issue paper certificates any more. The GSC is an electronic certificate generated in your Sheryan account.
- Log in to your DHA Sheryan account.
- Choose the "Request Good Standing Certificate / License Details Verification" service.
- Upload the documents requested, pay the fee shown in Sheryan and submit.
- Once approved, the certificate appears in your Sheryan account. The receiving authority can check it through the "Verify Document" service on DHA's website.
A few rules are worth knowing before you apply. Under the PQR, a regulator will not issue a GSC until you have completed 3 months of clinical work from the date your licence was issued. Holders of a temporary permit to practise cannot request one at all. The certificate lists every disciplinary action in your DHA history, including warning letters, and DHA's manual says these records are permanent. It may also show open investigations. Fees and processing time are shown in Sheryan when you apply, so check there rather than relying on figures from forums.
Common GSC problems that delay DHA applications
- Expired certificate: older than 6 months on the submission date.
- Wrong issuer: a hospital or employer letter instead of the licensing authority's certificate.
- Wrong country: a GSC from your country of graduation when you last worked somewhere else.
- Name mismatch: a maiden name on the GSC and a married name on the passport, with no name change document.
- Gaps in coverage: a GSC that does not cover the period of experience you are claiming.
For other emirates the same idea applies. See our MOHAP good standing certificate guide, and if you are moving a licence between UAE regulators read how to transfer a DHA or MOHAP licence to DOH. The physician and dentist eligibility rules are on our DHA physician requirements and DHA dentist requirements pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a Good Standing Certificate valid for DHA?
DHA accepts a Good Standing Certificate that is no older than 6 months on the date you submit your application. If your council prints a shorter validity on the certificate, reviewers may follow that date, so request it close to your submission.
Who issues the Good Standing Certificate for a DHA application?
The official licensing authority for your profession in your country of last employment, such as the medical, dental, nursing or pharmacy council. A letter from a hospital or employer is not accepted as a GSC.
How do I get a Good Standing Certificate from DHA?
If you hold or have held a DHA licence, log in to Sheryan and use the Request Good Standing Certificate service. DHA issues it as an electronic certificate in your Sheryan account, and other regulators can verify it through the Verify Document service on DHA's website.
Can I get a DHA GSC soon after my licence is issued?
Not straight away. Under the Unified PQR, a regulator does not issue a GSC until you have completed 3 months of clinical work from the date your licence was issued. Holders of a temporary permit to practise cannot request one.
What does a DHA Good Standing Certificate show?
It shows your licence details and every disciplinary action in your DHA history, including warning letters, suspensions and revocations. DHA states that these records are permanent, and the certificate may also mention investigations that are still open.
Your Comments
Readers have asked us these questions over time. Tap any question to open it and read our reply.
Preethy mavar (Ernakulam, India): GNM nurse, which authority for Dubai?
"Ive completed GNM, ive 2 year experience as staff nurse...I want come to Dubai to work as nurse..can u tell moh or doh is needed for that? wat is the procedures, requirements, exam date is frequently or not,, how i can apply for it????"
Preethy mavar
Medical Qualification: GNM
City, Country: Ernakulam,India
samreen iqtaaar (Karachi, Pakistan): licence exam after FCPS Orthodontics
"Aoa, do i need to appear in liceance exam for practising in dubai after completing my FCPS (orthodontics). what are the job appourtunities after doing my specialization in orthodontics."
samreen iqtaaar
Medical Qualification: BDS FCPS
City, Country: karachi ,pakistan
smitha biju (Kuwait): DHA exam for physical therapists
"Good day! I wish to sit in for UAE DHA exam for Physical therapists. Can someone send me information about what the exam would be like and what are the best materials or topics to review in order to pass the exam. Thanks!"
smitha biju
Medical Qualification: GNM
City, Country: kuwait
shahanajmujeeeb (Guntur, India): pharmacist opportunities and the exam in Dubai
"i am a post graduate n pharmacy.my husband works in DUBAI.i want know the oppurtunities in dubai as phamacist and information regardng moh exam,its pattern and all other details like fees,how to apply?thank u"
shahanajmujeeeb
Medical Qualification: mpharmacy
City, Country: guntur,india
abuthakir (Deira, UAE): experience needed for biochemist candidates
"i want to know when will be the registration for next exam and examination date , i want to know that for biochemist specialty candidates how many years experience is required to write the exam in DHA."
abuthakir
Medical Qualification: B.sc.,(biochemistry)& diploma in medical lab assitance
City, Country: deira.uae
sohail ahmad khan (Najran, KSA): vascular surgery and teaching jobs in the UAE
"I have over 14 years of post fellowship experience of vascular surgery and teaching medical students looking for teaching or vascular surgery job in UAE."
sohail ahmad khan
Medical Qualification: FRCS Glasgow UK
City, Country: najran KSA
Dr. Wazed Hossan (Natore, Bangladesh): DHA licence with a BAMS degree
"I have completed my BAMS course from the Dhaka University. I am interested to get a DHA license in the UAE. Please mail me details about this license, registration, exam & syllabus."
Dr. Wazed Hossan
Medical Qualification: BAMS
City, Country: Natore,Bangladesh
raghu (Bangalore, India): diploma in nursing, how to apply in Dubai
"Hi i completed diploma in nursing in ndia now i like to work as nurse in dubai so please let me know how to apply and where to register my details and what are the exams i face to enter in job in dubai hospitals."
raghu
Medical Qualification: diploma in nursing
City, Country: BANGALORE,INDIA
sunu s rajan (Kerala, India): DHA exam for medical biochemist
"i would like to attend the exam of DHA for medical biochemist . kindly give the assistance to register the exam.i hope your valuable replay. thank you."
sunu s rajan
Medical Qualification: Msc medical biochemistry
City, Country: kerala , india
Abdul Gafoor (Vijayawada, India): pharmacist exam with M.Sc Biochemistry
"my qualification M.Sc(bio chemistry), could i write DHA pharmacist certificate exams in dubai and what is exams/course fee,i want to know when will be the registration for next exam and examination date."
Abdul Gafoor
Medical Qualification: M.Sc (Bio chemistry)
City, Country: Vijayawada,India
Bakht Aziz (Lahore, Pakistan): documents for the DHA exam and who the GSC is addressed to
"Hello, I dr.bakht Aziz have passed my fellowship exam 3 years back. Am working as an ENT specialist over here in lahore. I would like to apply for DHA exam. Could you please guide me about the documents required to sit in for the DHA prometric exam. And to which authority the good standing certificate may be addressed. Thankyou Waiting for your reply. ."
Bakht Aziz
Medical Qualification: MBBS, FCPS (ENT)
City, Country: Lahore, Pakistan
nisha ap (India): told my good standing is only valid for 3 months
"iam preparing for dha exam,I submitted my good standing also bt they are telling that its have only 3 month validity,iam so confused about the validity."
nisha ap
Medical Qualification: bsc (nurse)
City, Country: india
G.K.AARTHY (India): MBBS with 5.5 years of experience, guide me through the process
"I have done mbbs with 5 and half years of experience after my internship.in wish to appear for dha exam for general practitioner. Please guide me to throughout the process ."
G.K.AARTHY
Medical Qualification: MBBS
City, Country: INDIA
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