Definition and Requirements for Health Professionals
A Letter of Good Standing, or a certificate of good standing, shows that a professional has met certain standards and maintains a reputable status. In particular, for health practitioners such as doctors, dentists, nurses, and allied health professionals, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) mandates this certificate to ensure they are qualified to practice. It must be provided by the regulatory body in the individual’s home country, testifying to their successful practice there.
To be eligible for a license in Dubai, applicants must:
- Pass the DHA exam
- Submit required documents (e.g. photo, passport copy, qualifications, experience certificates)
- Pay associated fees
- Complete medical tests
- Possibly schedule an oral assessment
- Utilize the DHA Smart App to monitor application status
- Ultimately, activate the license upon approval
To obtain a certificate of good standing from the DHA, one must:
- Fill out and submit an online application
- Pay the fee of AED 500
- Include the application reference on the form
- Email the form to gsc [AT] dha.gov.ae
The certificate is valid for six months.
Business Compliance and Corporate Use
A Letter of Good Standing can also prove a company’s compliance with state regulations. This may be pivotal when:
- Opening a business bank account
- Establishing a foreign branch of your UK limited company
- Attracting investors and lenders
- Securing bank loans
To obtain such a letter, a business must be incorporated and request a Certificate of Good Standing from their state’s Secretary of State or the responsible business records office. Many states offer an online request form. The cost for acquiring this certificate ranges from $10 to $50, though additional charges may apply for expedited processing. Different states might exhibit variations in certificates based on local requirements.
Legal entities like LLCs, corporations, LLPs, LPs, and similar can obtain a Certificate if they are in good standing. However, sole proprietorships in the U.S. are ineligible since they do not register in the same manner.
For convenience and assurance in the process, businesses can engage services like CorpNet to facilitate obtaining their Letter of Good Standing.