How to convert your Residence Visa, driving licence and Emirates ID into 'trusted digital documents'

Dubai: Instead of having printouts of your Emirates ID, driving licence and other government documents, you can easily access and save its trusted digital copy on your laptop and mobile phone.

This new technology, called ‘UAE Verify’, was introduced by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) in January 2022. ‘UAE Verify’ allows government and private entities to verify the authenticity of digital documents without the need for requesting a hard copy.

What is it and how does it work? Here is all you need to know about UAE Verify.

What is ‘UAE Verify’?

According to its official website - uaeverify.gov.ae - UAE Verify is a blockchain-powered digital platform, launched by TDRA, where you can verify 'Digital Trusted Documents' attained from partnering government departments such as the Ministry of Education and Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP).

The ‘UAE Verify’ platform allows you to convert your documents into authenticated digital documents with a high level of privacy and security, as it uses blockchain technology.

These trusted digital copies contain a unique QR code, which the government entity then scans to verify the authenticity of your certificate or document.

What is Digital Trusted Document?

A Digital Trusted Document, issued by a ministry or a federal or local authority in the UAE, contains data digested into a 'hash' and recorded in the blockchain system and is then validated and verified by ‘UAE Verify.’

In every Digital Trusted Document, there is a hash, a unique digital code, that verifies that the document's contents have not been altered.

Which government departments provide Digital Trusted Documents?

These are the government departments that have so far partnered with UAe Verify to issue Digital Trusted Documents:

How do I access a Digital Trusted Document?

To access a Digital Trusted Document, it is important to download the UAE Pass app. UAE Pass is the easiest way to get all government work done through one mobile application. The app provides access to more than 5,000 government services. To know more about UAE Pass and how to create an account, read our guide here.

Once you have downloaded the app, log into UAE Pass and tap on ‘Add Documents’. You will then be presented with the list of government departments that have partnered with UAE Verify. Select the relevant department and then choose the document for which you require a Trusted Digital Document. Once you have put in the request, the app will process your request. You will receive a notification on your phone. The process typically takes a few minutes only.

You can then access the documents through the 'Documents' tab on the UAE Pass app.

Each document will also have the option to generate a QR code for verification purposes.

For some other documents you may need to contact the government department directly, instead. For example, to get a Trusted Digital Document of your marriage certificate or a Power of Attorney, you would need to contact the Ministry of Justice.

How do I verify a Digital Trusted Document?

As a recipient of a Digital Trusted Document, you can verify its authenticity, integrity and validity from the official issuing authority on the ‘UAE Verify’ platform, by uploading the document.

You can upload your document by visiting the ‘UAE Verify’ homepage: https://uaeverify.gov.ae/ and clicking on the green tab labelled, ‘Upload'.

The ‘UAE Verify’ platform will check the Digital Trusted Document hash uploaded through the blockchain system and verify that the document comes from the official source and has not been falsified.

It is important to note that your document will be invalid if the certificate or record was not issued by ‘UAE Verify’ official government partners. Likewise, your Digital Trusted Document verification will be denied if it is found to have been tampered with.

The second method to verify a Digital Trusted Document is through UAE Pass. For example, a government entity can verify the "Digital Trusted Document” by scanning the QR code presented by the document owner through their UAE Pass app.

What are the types of Digital Trusted Documents available?

Some examples of Digital Trusted Documents that can be validated through UAE VERIFY:

Why you should not print your Digital Trusted Document?

‘UAE Verify’ states that by “printing, it will discard all the advanced protections built to preserve the certificate in a secure format. Printed certificates cannot be verified.”