Dubai
The Indian missions here have sought clear instructions on the good conduct certificate that has been made mandatory for work permits of jobseekers in the UAE.
The missions have taken up the matter with the UAE authorities and requested for further details on the implementation of the new rule, Consul General of India in Dubai Vipul told Gulf News on Monday.
Senior diplomats said they assume that the Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) issued through the passport offices in India will be accepted by the UAE authorities.
“The PCC is issued to Indian passport holders in case they have applied for residential status, employment or long term visa or for immigration,” according to the website of the Consular, Passport and Visa Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
“PCC cannot be issued for persons going abroad on tourist visa,” it stated.
Applicants can register through the Passport Seva Online Portal to apply for PCC. After registering, they need to book an appointment online and visit the Passport Seva Kendra or Regional Passport Office in their locality with original documents.
Indians residing in the UAE wishing to seek the PCC from India can get it through the Indian missions here, official confirmed.
The applicants need to apply through BLS International, the agency processing Indian passport and visa applications.
“We send the details of the applicant to the police station in the area mentioned by the applicant in the form. Usually, the police visit the area where the applicant resides and verifies details about him or her. The certificate they send will be attested by us,” said one diplomat.
Indian expats, who have completed five years of residency in Dubai, like other expats, can get the PCC from Dubai Police as well.
The consulate has not received fresh applications for PCC, an official said.
Vipul said the mission is also looking into the concerns raised by the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) regarding the streamlining of procedures for issuance of PCC in India.
Anwar Naha, the president of KMCC, said the community organisation took up the matter with the mission as it was concerned that several jobseekers may not get their employment visas on time due to the introduction of the new rule.
Meanwhile, Tas’heel, which processes applications to the Ministry of Labour, stopped processing the applications that do not furnish the good conduct certificate from Sunday, a call centre executive said.
Without the work permit from the ministry, companies will not be able to process the employment visas.
When asked for the procedures for getting the good conduct certificate, the executive said: “If the applicant is here, they need to go to their consulate for advice on the procedures they need to follow. If they are back home, they need to get it from there.”
