The UAE has issued a warning that those caught forging academic qualifications could face up to three years in jail and fines of Dh30,000 ($8,170), as demand for the verification of documents increases.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research said on Monday that it has a system to monitor and verify the authenticity of qualifications issued by higher education institutions in the UAE and abroad. Those efforts help protect employers in the public and private sectors, it added.
The ministry said cases of forged qualifications were limited in the UAE compared with the large number of certificates processed by authorities.
"The ministry places the highest priority on safeguarding the credibility of academic qualifications, whether issued within the UAE or abroad," said Ahmed Al Hammadi, director of the legal affairs department at the ministry.
"Any case involving suspected forgery, manipulation or alteration of information contained in academic certificates is handled in accordance with approved legal procedures and referred to the competent judicial authorities whenever there is a suspected criminal offence."
Integrity and credibility
The ministry processed 178,600 qualification verification requests in 2025. That figure had risen to 253,000 by the beginning of September 2026.
The ministry warned against taking any steps that undermine the integrity and credibility of academic qualifications. Cases involving suspected criminal offences will be referred to the authorities, it said.
The verification and monitoring framework enables the early detection of suspected fraud. The ministry urged public and private sector entities and employers to verify the authenticity of academic qualifications.
Article 252 of Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 on Crimes and Penalties stipulates that anyone who forges an official document may be jailed for up to 10 years, while forgery of an unofficial document is punishable by detention.
The ministry works closely on suspected cases with the Ministry of Justice, the Federal Public Prosecution and local prosecution authorities.
