Who Needs DHA Registration?
Every nurse practising in Dubai — whether in government hospitals (DHCC, Rashid, Al Maktoum), private hospitals (Mediclinic, Aster, American Hospital), or clinics — must hold a valid DHA Licence.
Eligibility Requirements
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or equivalent recognised degree
- Active nursing licence/registration in your home country
- Minimum 2 years of post-graduation clinical experience
- Good Standing Certificate (no disciplinary action on record)
- English proficiency: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) or OET Grade B
- Completed DataFlow Primary Source Verification (PSV)
Full Registration Pathway
Step 1: Get Your Documents Ready
- Nursing degree certificate — original + notarised copy
- Official transcript — from your university
- Home country nursing licence — current, not expired
- Good Standing Certificate — must be within 6 months of application
- Employment letters — for each hospital/clinic you worked at (on letterhead, signed, dated)
- IELTS/OET certificate
- Passport (valid 6+ months)
- Passport-size photo (white background)
- All documents must be officially translated to English if not already in English
Step 2: Complete DataFlow PSV
Visit dataflowgroup.com and submit all documents for Primary Source Verification. Estimated time: 4–8 weeks. Cost: AED 750–1,500.
See our full DataFlow guide for details.
Step 3: Register on the DHA Licensing Portal
Create your account on the DHA Professionals Portal (professionals.dha.gov.ae). Select profession: Nursing. Upload your DataFlow PSV completion certificate and all supporting documents.
Step 4: Book the DHA Prometric Exam
Once documents are approved, you'll receive instructions to book your Prometric exam:
- Book at prometric.com/dha
- Exam format: 150 MCQs, 2.5 hours, computer-based
- Passing mark: 65%
- Available at Prometric centres in Dubai (DWTC, Academic City, Al Barsha)
- Exam fee: approximately AED 800
- You get 3 attempts; failing all 3 requires re-application after 12 months
Step 5: Sit and Pass the Exam
The DHA nursing exam covers:
- Medical-surgical nursing (largest section)
- Pharmacology and drug administration
- Maternal and child health
- Mental health nursing
- Community and public health
- Professional standards and ethics
- UAE health regulations and policies
Step 6: Submit Remaining Documents and Pay Licence Fee
After passing, log back into the DHA portal and complete the licence application:
- Upload exam pass certificate
- Health fitness certificate from a DHA-approved clinic
- Emirates ID (once visa is processed)
- Pay DHA licence fee: AED 500–1,000
Step 7: Receive Your DHA Licence
Your DHA licence is issued as a digital certificate and card. It is typically valid for 2 years. Renewal requires 20 CME (Continuing Medical Education) hours per year.
Typical Timeline
| Stage | Duration |
|---|---|
| Document preparation | 2–4 weeks |
| DataFlow PSV | 4–8 weeks |
| DHA portal review | 1–3 weeks |
| Exam booking and sitting | 2–4 weeks |
| Licence issuance | 1–2 weeks |
| Total (estimate) | 3–5 months |
Exam Preparation Resources
- Prometric Ready app — DHA nursing question bank, widely used
- Nurse Exam UAE — focuses on UAE-specific regulations
- Saunders NCLEX-RN — good foundation for MCQ-style questions
- WhatsApp/Facebook groups — "DHA Exam UAE" groups share recent questions and tips from candidates who just passed