VoxxArrive · Origin country
Onboarding an employee from Syria in the UAE (2026 employer guide)
Syria is NOT a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so a Syrian hire's degree, marriage or police-clearance certificate cannot be apostilled - each document must run the full consular-legalisation chain (issuing authority → Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs → UAE Embassy in Damascus → UAE MOFAIC). The home-country police check is the "Extract of Judicial Record" (non-conviction certificate) issued by the Ministry of Interior's Criminal Security Department in Damascus, and from mid-2026 the UAE separately requires this certificate, pre-attested by a UAE mission, for Syrian visa applicants (reported effective 16 June 2026 per law-firm guidance; confirm the current rule on the ICP portal). Expect this attestation route to be the main timeline risk, made more variable by Syria's post-2024 political transition.
What's different
- Apostille does NOT apply. Syria is not a Hague Apostille Convention signatory, so every certificate needs traditional legalisation: attestation by the issuing body, then the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Damascus), then the UAE Embassy/Consulate, then final UAE MOFAIC attestation. There is no shortcut apostille route as there would be for, say, an Indian or UK degree.
- The police/good-conduct certificate is the 'Extract of Judicial Record' (non-conviction / criminal-record certificate), issued by the Ministry of Interior, Criminal Security Department - Criminal Records Branch, Judicial Records Division, Merjeh Square, Damascus. In-country it can be same-day; obtained from abroad via a Syrian embassy/consulate it typically takes ~4-6 weeks, so start it early.
- A Syrian hire already outside Syria does not have to travel home for the police certificate - applicants can apply through their nearest Syrian embassy/consulate by appointment. Eligibility is residence-based: it is available to Syrian citizens and to foreign nationals who legally resided in Syria; only non-residents with no Syrian residence history cannot obtain it. This matters for candidates already in the Gulf or Europe.
- Separately from attestation, the UAE now mandates a home-country police-clearance certificate for Syrian nationals applying for entry/residence visas: Syria falls in the first phase, reported effective from 16 June 2026, and the certificate must be attested by the relevant UAE Embassy/Consulate BEFORE the visa application is filed (per law-firm guidance - confirm current wording on ICP).
- Degree recognition: Syrian university qualifications carry no special exemption. For regulated/licensed roles (teaching, medical, engineering, government) the attested Syrian degree must additionally get a UAE MOHESR equivalency certificate; the underlying degree attestation runs Syrian university → Syrian MoFA → UAE Embassy Damascus → MOFAIC.
- Transition-era caveat: after the December 2024 change of government and the 2025 easing of Western sanctions, UAE-Syria links resumed (UAE Embassy in Damascus operating; Emirates flights restored). Practically this means document-issuance and legalisation turnaround can be inconsistent and rules can shift - verify the UAE Embassy Damascus attestation service status before committing to a start date.
Which onboarding steps this affects
This affects 21 of the 57 onboarding tasks, concentrated in the Pre-boarding, Day 1, Week 1, Month 1, Month 3+ phases. Work through them in the live demo to see the compliance-readiness score respond as each is ticked off.
Your task slice
21 of the 57 onboarding tasks apply here.
Verify MOHRE establishment card is active and labour quota is available for the role
Establishment card / labour quota confirmation
Issue MOHRE-standard job offer letter and obtain the employee's signed copy
MOHRE job offer letter (signed)
Apply for the MOHRE work permit (labour card) via Tasheel/MOHRE portal
Work permit approval
Apply for entry permit (e-visa) or initiate in-country status change
Entry permit (60-day validity)
Collect and attest pre-boarding documents (passport, photos, degree/qualification attestation)
Attested document pack
Prepare fixed-term employment contract aligned to the signed offer
Employment contract (draft)
Define working hours, overtime, and weekly rest-day terms in the contract
Employee signs the employment contract on Day 1
Signed employment contract
Collect original passport and entry permit for residence visa processing
Book and complete medical fitness test at an approved centre (communicable-disease screening)
Medical fitness certificate
Complete ICP Emirates ID biometrics (fingerprints, iris scan, photo)
Emirates ID application receipt
Submit residence visa application to GDRFA/ICP after medical and EID biometrics
Complete residence visa stamping / e-visa linking to the passport
Residence visa
Register the signed employment contract with MOHRE within the statutory deadline
MOHRE-registered labour contract
Confirm health insurance activation is linked to the residency file
Collect the issued Emirates ID card once produced by ICP
Emirates ID card
Verify residence visa and Emirates ID are fully issued (post-entry chain within 60 days)
Assemble audit-ready employee compliance file (contract, visa, EID, insurance)
Employee compliance file
File original Emirates ID and residence visa copies in the personnel record
Issue confirmation-of-employment letter on passing probation
Confirmation letter
Confirm health insurance validity aligns with residency expiry
Some figures on this page vary by jurisdiction, zone or nationality, or could not be independently confirmed from a public source at time of writing - confirm the current figure with the regulator before relying on it.
Sources
- ImmigrantPro - Syria is not a Hague Apostille signatory (consular legalisation required)
- Wikiprocedure - Syria: Obtain Police Clearance Certificate (Extract of Judicial Record), issuer and process
- GFLO Law - UAE mandatory police-clearance certificate for nationals of 45 countries (Syria in Phase 1)
- UAE MOFAIC - UAE Embassy in Damascus (attestation and consular services)
Frequently asked
Does a Syrian degree need an apostille to work in the UAE?
No - Syria is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille is not available and would be rejected. The degree must be legalised the traditional way: attested by the Syrian university, then the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the UAE Embassy/Consulate in Syria, and finally by the UAE MOFAIC.
What is the Syrian police-clearance certificate called and who issues it?
It is the 'Extract of Judicial Record' (a non-conviction / criminal-record certificate), issued by Syria's Ministry of Interior through the Criminal Security Department - Criminal Records Branch, Judicial Records Division, at Merjeh Square in Damascus.
Can a Syrian candidate get their police certificate without returning to Syria?
Yes. Applicants can apply through the nearest Syrian embassy or consulate by appointment, though the overseas route typically takes around four to six weeks versus potentially same-day in Damascus. Eligibility is residence-based: it is available to Syrian citizens and to foreign nationals who legally resided in Syria; only non-residents with no Syrian residence history cannot obtain it.
Does the UAE now require a police-clearance certificate specifically for Syrian nationals?
Yes. Syria is in the first phase of the UAE's police-clearance requirement for visa applicants (reported effective 16 June 2026 per law-firm guidance), and the home-country certificate must be attested by the relevant UAE Embassy or Consulate before the visa application is submitted. Confirm the current rule on the ICP portal.
Where does the UAE-side embassy attestation for Syrian documents happen?
At the UAE Embassy in Damascus, which lists attestation among its consular services. After UAE embassy legalisation abroad, the document still needs final attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) inside the UAE.