Last updated on 26-Oct-2026, by Dr. Muhammad

DHA DataFlow Requirements for Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses 2026

Doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and allied health professionals all go through Primary Source Verification (PSV) as part of DHA licensing. DHA delegates this check to a third-party verification agency, DataFlow Group. DataFlow contacts your university, hospitals and licensing council to confirm that each document is genuine. If you want the background first, read what DHA DataFlow PSV is.

This page is the practical part: what to upload, how to prepare it, how long it takes and what usually goes wrong. Eligibility for a title is a separate question. It is covered on our DHA physician requirements and DHA dentist requirements pages.

What are general required documents for DataFlow process?

DHA decides which documents need verification for your title. For most healthcare professionals the list looks like this:

• Primary degree (for example MBBS, BDS, BSN, BPharm or an allied health degree)
• Recognised specialty certificate or degree (MD, MS, MDS, MSc, PhD and so on), if you are applying for a specialist or consultant title
• Internship certificate
• Valid practice licence or registration from your country of graduation and/or country of last employment
• Experience certificates for all clinical work you are claiming, issued by the facility and signed by HR or the Medical Director
• A recent Good Standing Certificate (GSC) from the licensing body in your country of last employment, no older than 6 months when you apply
• Logbooks for surgical specialties (DHA's registration service asks for the last 2 years)
• Valid passport copy and a recent passport-size photograph with a white background

Older guides add a medical fitness test for professionals aged 65 or above. That report is real, but DHA asks for it at licence activation and renewal, not for DataFlow. The physician documents and dentist documents pages go into more detail by profession.

What is DataFlow process cost?

DataFlow does not publish one fixed price for DHA. The fee depends on the verification package and on how many documents need to be checked, and each additional document adds to the cost. Some universities and councils also charge their own release fee. You see the exact amount in the portal before you pay. Our advice: upload every document at the start. Documents added after payment cost extra and delay the report.

How to upload documents correctly?

Most delays we see come from the upload, not from the institutions. Before you submit, check that each file is:

• a clear, complete colour scan, with no cut edges, readable stamps and signatures (PDF is the safest format)
• the full document, including every page and the back side if it carries stamps
• in the same name as your passport, or backed by a name change document (such as a marriage certificate) if your name differs
• accompanied by a certified legal translation if it is not in English or Arabic, because DHA asks for one

DataFlow itself says that attestation or apostille is not needed for PSV. Your employer may still ask for attested copies later, so keep the originals safe.

How long does the DHA DataFlow process take?

DataFlow's standard timeframe is 15 to 25 working days from payment and submission of a complete set of documents. That is the best case. In practice, one slow university or a hospital that has closed can add weeks. You can follow each document's progress on DataFlow's status site (dataflowstatus.com) with your case number and passport number. Our guide on checking your DataFlow status walks through it.

Many candidates ask whether they should sit the exam or finish DataFlow first. Our page on DataFlow or Prometric exam first explains the order.

What are common discrepancy and delay issues in the DataFlow process?

• Poor scans or mismatches: blurry pages, or names and employment dates that differ between documents.
• Weak experience certificates: no letterhead, no official stamp, missing dates, or a timeline that conflicts with your licence.
• An old or wrong GSC: older than 6 months, or issued by a body that is not the official licensing authority.
• Silent institutions: a university or employer that does not answer DataFlow's request.
• Account problems: Sheryan and DataFlow not linked, or duplicate applications made with different email addresses.
• Logbooks: surgical logbooks without enough detail or signatures.
• Degree duration: a degree that is shorter than the PQR expects for your title. Pharmacists and nurses in particular should check the minimum course length for their title before paying.

If a document comes back as Unable to Verify or Discrepancy, it is not the end. DHA's licensing manual allows re-verification of the same document twice after an Unable to Verify result and once after a Discrepancy. DataFlow handles these as appeals with a deadline, so act quickly and send the supporting evidence they ask for. Our page on DataFlow missing information covers the usual fixes.

Can same DataFlow be used for DOH or MOHAP?

Often, yes. DHA accepts PSV reports transferred from DOH (Abu Dhabi), MOHAP and the Sharjah Health Authority, although it may ask for extra verification. In the other direction, DataFlow lets you transfer or reissue an existing report to another regulator through its portal, as long as the report covers what that regulator needs. A transfer fee applies. See DataFlow report transfer to DHA, DOH and MOH, and for the ministry's own list read MOHAP DataFlow requirements.

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