Visiting Doctor Permits in the UAE: What Clinics Need to Know

What is a visiting doctor permit in the UAE?

A visiting doctor permit is typically a limited professional authorisation connected to a particular regulatory route, facility and period of practice. It is not a general licence allowing a physician to provide medical services anywhere in the UAE. The exact rights depend on the responsible healthcare authority and the professional arrangement being proposed.

MOHAP's current service allows a healthcare facility to apply for a permit for a visiting physician or surgeon to practise for a limited period at the applicant facility. The service is facility-led, which is an important practical distinction for overseas doctors considering temporary UAE work.

The underlying principle is straightforward: temporary practice still requires professional authorisation. A short assignment, consultancy agreement, invitation from a clinic or travel visa should not be treated as permission to provide clinical care.

A temporary medical engagement should be planned around the licence first, not around the doctor's travel date. — Consulting Journal consultant observation

Who should consider a visiting doctor arrangement?

Visiting arrangements are most relevant where the healthcare need is genuinely limited, specialist or facility-specific. They can be useful for hospitals and clinics seeking expertise for a defined period, but businesses should first establish whether the proposed activity qualifies for a visiting, temporary, part-time or standard professional licensing route.

Overseas specialists and consultants

A UAE healthcare facility may want to bring an overseas specialist or consultant for a limited clinical programme, complex case load or defined period of specialist availability.

Under MOHAP's service information updated on 10 July 2026, a visiting physician from outside the UAE is currently listed with a three-month licence period. MOHAP also lists separate categories for physicians within the UAE working part-time and visiting surgeons under hospital-service arrangements.

Example 1: A fictional hospital in Sharjah wants an overseas consultant to attend for several weeks and provide approved specialist services. Before advertising appointments, the hospital reviews the doctor's professional status, specialty, malpractice cover and MOHAP eligibility, then applies under the route appropriate to the proposed work.

Surgeons engaged for defined procedures

Visiting surgical arrangements require particular attention because patient care continues after the visiting surgeon leaves.

The original research brief supplied for this article identifies surgical logbook and follow-up considerations within MOHAP's visiting-doctor requirements. Applicants should confirm the latest specialty-specific conditions directly with the authority before arranging procedures.

For a facility, the commercial timetable should therefore follow the clinical and regulatory timetable. Theatre bookings, patient scheduling and marketing should not get ahead of professional approval and continuity-of-care planning.

UAE-based doctors working with another facility

Doctors already licensed in the UAE should also avoid assuming that one professional licence automatically allows them to work at unrelated healthcare facilities.

Different regulators provide routes for full-time, part-time or additional facility arrangements. In Dubai, for example, DHA states that healthcare facilities activate professional licences and that professionals may practise once the required licence has been issued.

How does the MOHAP visiting doctor route work?

For MOHAP-regulated arrangements, the licensed healthcare facility is central to the process. The service enables the facility to seek approval for a physician or surgeon to practise for a limited period at that facility rather than giving the doctor an unrestricted personal permission to practise across the UAE.

A sensible preparation sequence is:

1. Confirm which health authority regulates the intended facility.
2. Define exactly what the doctor will do clinically.
3. Identify the appropriate visiting, part-time, temporary or standard licensing category.
4. Check the professional's eligibility and existing UAE licence or evaluation status.
5. Review specialty-specific requirements.
6. Prepare insurance and supporting documentation.
7. Submit through the applicable facility or regulatory portal.
8. Do not begin clinical practice until the required approval is active.

MOHAP currently states that an active professional licence issued by MOHAP, DHA or DOH, or the applicable MOHAP professional evaluation route, forms part of its visiting-doctor eligibility framework. Its service page should be checked immediately before submission because professional licensing requirements can change.

What documents should facilities prepare?

The exact documentation depends on the regulator, professional category, specialty and circumstances. A facility should treat any general document list as a preparation guide rather than confirmation that the application is complete.

For MOHAP visiting-doctor applications, currently published requirements include supporting professional and identity documentation such as a passport and good standing evidence, with additional documents applying according to the doctor's circumstances and clinical work.

Documents and preparation checklist

• Valid passport copy
• Current professional licence or relevant professional evaluation
• Good standing documentation where required
• Medical malpractice insurance covering the intended practice
• Professional qualifications and specialty evidence
• Surgical logbook where applicable
• Health reports where required by the regulator
• No-objection documentation where applicable
• Valid healthcare facility licence
• Defined specialty and scope of clinical activity
• Proposed start and end dates
• Patient follow-up arrangements where relevant
• Consistent professional names, titles and licence details across documents

A common operational problem is inconsistency between records. A different spelling of a name, outdated professional title or expired document can create avoidable review questions.

What are the current MOHAP fees and validity periods?

MOHAP's published figures distinguish between different forms of temporary and part-time practice. As of its service update dated 10 July 2026, the application fee is AED 100 for health professionals, with separate licence fees depending on the category.

The currently listed figures are AED 4,000 for a physician within the UAE under the 12-month part-time category, AED 3,000 for a visiting physician from outside the UAE for three months, and AED 1,000 for a visiting surgeon hospital-service permit for 12 months. MOHAP publishes a service-completion duration of two working days.

That published processing period should be treated as the authority's stated service duration, not a guarantee for every application. Missing documentation, eligibility questions or case-specific regulatory review can affect planning.

Is a DHA temporary permit the same as a visiting doctor permit?

No. DHA's Temporary Permit to Practice is a specific time-limited route and should not be treated as a general visiting-doctor licence. DHA describes it as an authorisation granted to a healthcare facility for a professional who meets preliminary requirements but has not obtained full professional licensure, with practice subject to supervision and limitations.

The facility's medical director applies through Sheryan. DHA currently states that the permit is non-renewable and non-transferable, may be granted once, and has a maximum period of three months. The facility must also ensure that valid malpractice insurance covers the professional. DHA lists an average processing time of two working days.

Importantly, DHA's current FAQ separately states that visiting professionals who intend to practise their specialty clinically in Dubai need to apply for a full-time professional licence even where the intended period is limited. Facilities should therefore identify the exact clinical scenario instead of assuming the Temporary Permit to Practice is the appropriate visiting-doctor route.

Example 2: A fictional specialist clinic in Dubai plans a two-month engagement with an overseas physician. Rather than choosing a permit because its name sounds temporary, the medical director first checks whether the proposed clinical activity requires full professional licensing or qualifies for DHA's Temporary Permit to Practice.

What should businesses know about Dubai Healthcare City?

Dubai Healthcare City deserves separate verification because terminology found on different service pages can otherwise create confusion.

DHCC's current Professional License Services page states that all healthcare professional licensing in the Dubai Healthcare City free zone is managed by Dubai Health Authority.

A DHCC page titled “Apply For Visiting Doctor License” also remains available. That page describes a route for certain professionals holding an active Letter of Acceptance or deactivated DHCA professional licence, but explicitly states that the visiting-doctor licence holder cannot practise until the Letter of Acceptance is converted to a professional licence or the deactivated licence is activated.

The practical lesson is not to rely on the title of a service. Facilities should confirm which authority currently controls the professional licence and exactly what the resulting approval allows the doctor to do.

What common mistakes do healthcare businesses make?

Assuming one permit applies across the UAE. Licensing is jurisdiction- and facility-specific.

Booking patients before approval. Commercial scheduling should follow regulatory approval, not precede it.

Confusing a visa with a professional licence. Immigration permission and healthcare practice authorisation serve different purposes.

Choosing a temporary route for an ongoing role. The authorisation should reflect the substance of the working arrangement.

Ignoring malpractice insurance. DHA expressly places responsibility on the facility to ensure valid malpractice cover for professionals using its Temporary Permit to Practice.

Using an old checklist. Regulatory service requirements, fees and licensing processes can be updated. Facilities should verify the live authority page before filing.

Overlooking post-treatment care. A short visit does not shorten the facility's responsibility for safe patient management and appropriate follow-up.

How can KPM Global Services UAE assist?

KPM Global Services UAE can support healthcare businesses with the commercial and administrative preparation surrounding a visiting professional arrangement, particularly where facility owners need clarity on documentation, licensing coordination and broader UAE business compliance.

Depending on the engagement, support may include:

• Reviewing the proposed business and professional arrangement before the application process
• Helping organise corporate and facility documentation
• Coordinating document-readiness checklists
• Identifying issues that should be confirmed with the relevant healthcare regulator
• Supporting UAE company, licensing, Accounting, Tax and compliance requirements connected with the healthcare business
• Helping management teams structure internal documentation and approval workflows

Healthcare professional licensing decisions remain with the relevant authority, and businesses should obtain specialist regulatory or legal advice where the proposed clinical activity raises profession-specific questions. KPM Global Services UAE does not guarantee licence, permit or authority approval.

What should a clinic decide before engaging a visiting doctor?

The first decision should be the regulatory route, not the travel arrangements. Management should establish the facility jurisdiction, doctor's title, proposed clinical activities, length of engagement and required practice rights before agreeing patient dates or making financial commitments.

For a genuinely temporary assignment, a visiting or temporary route may be available. For ongoing clinical practice, standard professional licensing may be more appropriate. In Dubai, the distinction requires particular care because DHA's Temporary Permit to Practice and its licensing requirements for visiting professionals serve different circumstances.

A well-prepared facility will usually be in a stronger position when it treats professional licensing as part of operational planning rather than as paperwork to complete after the commercial arrangement has already been agreed.

This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice.