How to get a medical license and open a clinic in Dubai?

Medical tourism in the UAE is gaining popularity every year thanks to the high standards of its clinics, reasonable prices compared to the US and Western Europe, and the Emirates' policy of encouraging this development at the government level. For example, the Dubai government even created a separate free zone for medical activities – Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) – to attract the best doctors and entrepreneurs in the medical field.

The international firm Antwort Law advises on company registration in the UAE and, most importantly, on developing effective legal, tax, accounting, and banking processes for businesses, including medical ones. If you're a doctor and plan to earn more, the UAE is the ideal place to realize your ambitions. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps required to obtain a medical license and open your own clinic in Dubai.

Step One: OBTAINING A PERSONAL LICENSE

Step 1: Check DHA compliance

Option A: Self-Assessment – ​​Free and Fast

This step of the self-assessment does not require any documents; simply provide the required information.

Simply follow the link and fill out the information: https://services.dha.gov.ae/sheryan/wps/portal/home/services-professional/verify-pqr

Option B: If you fail the self-assessment, submit your documents for a manual review by a licensing officer. Follow this link: https://services.dha.gov.ae/sheryan/wps/portal/home/services-professional/service-description?scode=PQR&CATALOGUE_TYPE=PROFESSIONAL

Documents you will need to submit for manual verification:

• Recent passport-sized photograph
• Copy of a valid passport
• Education/qualification document(s)
• Professional work experience certificate(s)
• License(s)/registration(s)
• Good Standing Certificate(s) (GSC) (valid and issued no more than six months prior to application)
• Logbook for the last two years - for surgical specialties

Processing time: up to 5 working days

According to the official DHA Manual for Licensing Healthcare Professionals, all documents not in English or Arabic are subject to verification. language, must be submitted along with an officially certified translation.

Step 2: If you successfully pass the self-assessment or manual verification, you proceed to registration, which includes two parallel steps:

• PSV via DataFlow – verification of your documents with sources.
• CBT exam via Prometric – if required by your specialty in PQR.

These two steps can be completed simultaneously and are independent of each other, but both are mandatory.

PSV via DataFlow: Complete document verification through Dataflow (an international system for verifying medical documents, used to verify diplomas, licenses, and work experience certificates directly with their source (university, employer, etc.) - https://support.dataflowgroup.com/

• Create an account at https://support.dataflowgroup.com
• Upload your diplomas, licenses, work experience certificates, and GSC
• DataFlow contacts the university, hospital, and/or Ministry of Health in your country for confirmation.

You will then receive a PSV Report (a report on the initial verification of your documents).

Duration: 7-20 business days

CBT exam via Prometric: This is an online exam taken by healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, lab technicians, etc.) to validate their professional knowledge and clinical skills as part of their licensing in the UAE (DHA, MOHAP, DOH). Passing this exam depends on your specialty and country of education, and these requirements must be verified. Individually.

How is the CBT conducted?

• Format: Computer-based test at a Prometric center or online
• Language: English
• Task type: Multiple-choice questions (MCQs)
• Topics: Depending on your specialty (e.g., internal medicine, general nursing, dental surgery, etc.)

Results review period: Typically 7-14 days

Cost: Approximately 300-350 AED (may vary depending on the center)

Registration via the website https://www.prometric.com

Select:

• "Test Sponsor" — Dubai Health Authority (DHA)
• "Program Name" — your profession

Only after successfully completing the PSV and CBT (if required for your specialty) will you receive an Eligibility Letter—this is permission to find work or open your own clinic as a medical specialist, officially authorizing you to proceed to the next stage of licensing in Dubai from the DHA.

STAGE 2. OPENING A CLINIC IN DUBAI

Opening a medical clinic in Dubai is a structured process that requires compliance with all DHA requirements and legal regulations. We support clients through every step, from company registration to obtaining an active facility license.

What this stage includes:

1. Company registration for a clinic
Clinic registration options in Dubai depend on the clinic's objectives, specialization, and other factors. We will individually select the best solution for your specific case.

Mainland:

• Suitable for any area of ​​Dubai (residential, commercial, mixed-use buildings).
• Does not require location in a designated zone.
• Clinic licenses are issued by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) directly through the Sheryan system.
• All medical facilities outside the Free Zone must register with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DED) and obtain a Mainland Trade License.
• This is the most flexible and scalable format—clinics can be opened near residential buildings, in shopping centers, towers, villas, etc.

Free Zone: Medical clinic registration is only possible in one zone—Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), where licensing is handled by the DHCA/DHCR. However, the clinic itself still requires a DHA Facility License.

• 100% foreign ownership—no local partner required
• Simplified registration—all through the DHCC Authority, no DED
• Premium image—DHCC's reputation as a medical cluster
• Ready-made infrastructure—the premises are already adapted for medical use
• Potential tax benefits—subject to compliance with the Free Zone regime
• Fast process—less approvals, everything is centralized

2. Selection and inspection of premises: consultation on DHA requirements for layout, area, and infrastructure
3. Submission of a clinic license application to the DHA (via Sheryan)

• Preparation and upload of documents
• After submission, the application receives "inactive" status for 1 year.

This means you can prepare the clinic (equipment, renovations, personnel), but are not yet authorized to operate. Patients prior to activation.

4. Preparation for the DHA inspection

• Consultations on premises and equipment requirements
• Checking compliance with safety, hygiene, and logistics standards
• Support in addressing any inspector's comments that may arise

After passing the inspection, the final package of documents is submitted, and the license is activated. As a result, you receive a Facility License – Active, meaning full authority to provide medical services, see patients, hire staff, and officially operate a clinic in Dubai.

Of course, obtaining a medical license and opening your own clinic in Dubai is a lengthy, multi-step process that is challenging to navigate on your own, easily and without errors. Contact Antwort Law, and we will help you quickly and efficiently open your medical practice in the UAE.

Lidia Ivanova

International lawyer
Antwort Law