By document type
Sick leave certificate attestation in the UAE
Short answer
A UAE sick-leave certificate follows the responsible health authority’s route, not automatically MoFAIC. MOHAP says certificates already attested by DoH Abu Dhabi, DHA or Sharjah Health Authority do not need MOHAP re-attestation. A medical certificate issued outside the UAE must first be certified through the foreign-affairs route, then reviewed through the relevant UAE health process.
- Current MOHAP service fee
- Free on the live service page
- Five days or less
- Instant under the published MOHAP route
- More than five days
- Medical-committee decision published as 1 working day
- Application window
- Within one month of the leave issue date
- Handwritten leave
- Not approved by MOHAP
First identify the health authority
“Sick leave attestation” is not one national stamp applied in the same place to every certificate. The issuing facility and emirate determine the health-authority route. MOHAP expressly says that a sick leave, companion leave or medical report already attested by DoH Abu Dhabi, DHA or Sharjah Health Authority does not need to be attested again by MOHAP.
This distinction prevents an unnecessary second application. Start with the facility that issued the leave and ask which health system generated it. A certificate produced through the responsible authority’s electronic system may already carry the validation the employer needs.
Sick leave issued inside the UAE
MOHAP’s current service covers sick leaves and medical reports from licensed private or government health facilities. For leave of five days or less, it publishes instant attestation. For leave longer than five days, the certificate and related medical report are reviewed by a medical committee; the page publishes one working day for that decision.
The application must be submitted within one month of the leave issue date. MOHAP also states that handwritten sick leaves are not approved.
A stamp may be unnecessary
MOHAP’s FAQ says certificates issued by medical establishments through the MOHAP sick-leave system are certified and do not require further attestation.Sick leave issued outside the UAE
A foreign medical certificate has two different questions: whether its origin can be authenticated and whether the UAE health authority approves the leave. MOHAP says medical reports or sick leave issued outside the UAE must be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs route and then sent to the relevant medical committee for review and approval.
That sentence does not create one published end-to-end timeline. The home-country legalisation and UAE mission stages depend on where the document was issued. Check the foreign-document chain before relying on the health committee’s one-working-day figure.
Documents this service does not attest
MOHAP distinguishes a medical report or sick-leave certificate from the records around treatment.
Not covered by this MOHAP attestation service
- Attendance certificates
- Medical prescriptions
- Medical invoices
- Treatment-cost statements
- Medical laboratory test results
- Radiology images
Why applications fail
Why these applications get rejected
- The leave is handwritten Ask the licensed facility for the electronic certificate generated through the responsible health system.
- The request is filed more than one month after issue Apply within the period MOHAP publishes; ask the employer and health authority what can be done if it has already passed.
- A leave over five days has no related medical report Attach the report required for committee review.
- A foreign certificate has not completed the foreign-affairs chain Complete the country-of-issue and UAE legalisation stages before the UAE health review.
- The uploaded item is an invoice, prescription or test result Obtain the actual sick-leave certificate or medical report from the facility.
Use the attestation route if…
- Your employer asks for an attested sick-leave certificate
- The leave exceeds five days and needs the published committee review
- The certificate was issued abroad and must go through foreign-affairs and health review
Do not start another application if…
- The MOHAP system already issued a certified electronic leave
- DHA, DoH Abu Dhabi or Sharjah Health Authority has already attested it and MOHAP re-attestation is the only proposed next step
- You only have an invoice, prescription, laboratory result or radiology image
The process, step by step
Identify where the certificate was issued
A certificate issued in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or a northern emirate may sit with a different health authority. A certificate issued abroad has an additional foreign-affairs chain.
Use the responsible health-authority route
MOHAP says a leave already attested by DoH Abu Dhabi, DHA or Sharjah Health Authority does not need MOHAP re-attestation.
Attach the medical report when required
For leave exceeding five days, MOHAP lists the sick-leave certificate and related medical report. Companion leave also requires proof of relationship.
Submit within the published window
MOHAP states that the application must be made within one month of the medical facility’s issue date.
Wait for committee review where applicable
MOHAP publishes instant attestation for five days or less and a one-working-day committee decision for longer leave.
What it costs
| Item | Payable to | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Current service fee The live service page states no payment channel and that the service is free. An older downloadable PDF displayed AED 50, so check the live page before submitting. | MOHAP | Free |
Figures: MOHAP — Attestation of Medical Leaves and Reports, updated 10 July 2026 · Checked 29 August 2026. Government fees change — confirm with the issuing authority before you pay.
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Common questions
How much is sick leave attestation in the UAE?
Does a Dubai sick leave need MOHAP attestation?
How long does sick leave attestation take?
Can a handwritten medical certificate be attested?
What is needed for sick leave longer than five days?
Can I attest an overseas medical certificate?
Is a medical invoice the same as a medical report?
When must I apply?
Sources and last review
Reviewed 29 August 2026. Fees and procedures in this area change without notice — always confirm against the authority's own published information before paying. This page is general information, not legal advice.