New UAE draft law: Up to Dh1m fine for forging education certificates

Abu Dhabi - The law covers offences like submitting bogus education certificates to secure jobs in the UAE.

A new law is set to introduce stiffer penalties and jail terms for people who are caught using fake university degrees and academic certificates in the UAE.

The Federal National Council (FNC) on Tuesday passed the federal draft law, laying down the penalties that include: Fines ranging from Dh30,000 to Dh1 million and imprisonment from three months to two years.

Consisting of 11 articles, the law covers offences like submitting bogus education certificates to secure jobs in the country or for certification or approval by competent authorities.

It also prohibits the publication of an academic certificate issued by an unauthorised body in one of the media establishments in the UAE.

According to the new regulations, it is also a crime to participate in the issuance of an educational certificate from an unauthorised institution in any way.

The law prohibits advertising or promoting of any unauthorised institution that issues fake academic certificates from inside or outside the country.

FNC members approved the new law in the presence of the Minister of Education, Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi.

Shatha Saeed Al Naqbi, FNC member and member of the committee on education, culture, sports and information affairs, said the new law would address the trend of using fake certificates which had seen a spike in the country in recent years.