Missions flooded with conduct proof queries
abu dhabi — Diplomatic missions of multiple countries in the UAE were flooded with calls from concerned job-seekers about the mandatory requirement to obtain a good conduct certificate for new work visas. The requirement for the certificate — issued by the applicant’s home country or the country of his/her residency for the last five years — came into effect on Sunday.
An Indian Embassy official said they had been receiving calls for a “few days now”.
“The callers have been asking about the procedures to follow with regard to the good conduct certificate. The verification procedures are being handled from the UAE missions in India.”
Pakistan Ambassador to the UAE Moazzam Khan said people should rely on the embassy for further updates. “We are waiting for the Ministry of Interior to give us more details,” Khan said.
abu dhabi — Confusion reigned on Sunday as the UAE made the ‘Good Conduct and Behaviour Certificate’ mandatory to get a work visa. Missions in the UAE received numerous phone calls from concerned job seekers asking about the procedures involved.
Indians constitute the largest expat workforce in the UAE. Unsurprisingly, the embassy has been flooded with calls for a few days now. “All the callers ask about the procedures to follow regarding the Good Conduct Certificate. The verification procedures will be handled from the UAE missions in India,” an embassy official said.
Pakistanis are the next biggest expatriate population in the UAE. The Pakistan Embassy is in contact with the UAE Ministry of Interior for further details on the language the certificate is to be issue in. Pakistan Ambassador to the UAE, Moazzam Khan, said people should rely on the embassy for further updates. “This is a sovereign decision and we respect it. We are waiting for the Ministry of Interior to give more details,” Khan said.
The common man, however, has many doubts. Someone like Safar Ahmed is on a job hunt here. “I am trying for a sales job here. I have searched online but couldn’t find anything conclusive about the certificate,” said Ahmed. Officials at both embassies said there will be more clarity in the coming days. The Philippine Consulate General Dubai has issued guidelines on how to acquire the Certificate of Good Conduct for new Filipino workers in the UAE. “The certificate, also known as ‘No Criminal Record’ in the Philippines, must be obtained from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI),” Philippine consul general Paul Raymund Cortes said. “The NBI Clearance must be authenticated by the (Philippine) Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and attested by the UAE Embassy in Manila.”
Philippine vice consul Elizabeth Ramos earlier told Khaleej Times that a “document similar to the Good Conduct Certificate is already being issued by the Philippines government to migrant Filipinos” so they see no problems in issuing the new certificate. “The NBI clearance is the Philippine police clearance. The Consulate provides a fingerprint card which serves as the application for NBI clearance and the applicant goes to the police station for fingerprinting and the document is then attested by the Consulate,” Ramos said. (With inputs from Angel Tesorero)
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com