Fake Degree Penalties in UAE - ASK THE LAW

Author : ASK THE LAW DXB | Published On : 17 Aug 2026

Fake Degree Penalties in UAE may include imprisonment, substantial fines, dismissal from employment and the removal of benefits obtained through the qualification. UAE law also penalises employees who knowingly accept unauthorised certificates and persons who issue or promote them. If a degree document has itself been altered or fabricated, the conduct may also amount to document forgery and attract more severe punishment under the UAE Crimes and Penalties Law.

Is Using a Fake Degree a Crime in the UAE?

Yes. Using a bogus educational qualification to obtain employment, professional recognition, an academic title or another benefit can constitute a criminal offence in the UAE.

Two legal issues may arise:

1. The qualification was issued by an institution that did not legally exist or was not licensed to award it.
2. The certificate was fabricated, altered or falsely attributed to a genuine university.

The first situation is specifically regulated by Federal Law No. 9 of 2021 Concerning the Prohibition of Using Scientific Certificates Issued by Unlicensed Entities. The second may also fall under the forgery provisions of Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law, as amended.

A certificate may be legally unacceptable even if the paper itself has not been physically altered.

Key Takeaways

• Certificates from unlicensed institutions cannot be used for employment or another purpose in the UAE.
• The law applies to government bodies, private employers and organisations operating in free zones.
• Intentional use of an unauthorised certificate can lead to imprisonment and a fine of up to AED 500,000.
• An employee who knowingly accepts such a certificate may face a fine of up to AED 1 million.
• Issuing or promoting unauthorised qualifications carries separate criminal penalties.
• Forging an official degree document can result in imprisonment for up to ten years.
• A private-sector employer may dismiss an employee without notice for submitting forged certificates or documents.
• Courts can remove benefits gained through the unlawful qualification.

Fake Degree Penalties in UAE Under Federal Law No. 9 of 2021

Federal Law No. 9 of 2021 applies throughout the UAE, including free zones. Article 4 requires the information in a scientific certificate to be valid and correct. The competent authority must also determine that the issuing institution legally exists and is licensed to award the qualification.

Article 5 prohibits the recognition, acceptance or use of a certificate issued by an unlicensed entity.

Unintentional Submission

Under Article 6, a person who submits a certificate from an unlicensed entity without deliberate intent may face:

• Imprisonment for up to three months;
• A fine of up to AED 30,000; or
• Either punishment.

The court will examine the evidence rather than accept a simple claim that the applicant did not know. Relevant facts may include how the degree was obtained, whether the person attended classes, correspondence with the institution and warnings about its licensing status.

Intentional Use of an Unauthorised Degree

A person who deliberately presents an unauthorised qualification for a job, approval, title or other benefit may face:

• Imprisonment for up to one year;
• A fine of up to AED 500,000; or
• Either penalty.

The law may also apply when a person publishes the qualification or uses it to claim an academic title. Therefore, the risk is not limited to submitting a certificate during recruitment.

Penalties for Issuers, Promoters and Knowing Acceptance

An employee who knowingly accepts an unauthorised scientific certificate in a transaction connected with an employer may face imprisonment for up to two years and a fine between AED 100,000 and AED 1 million, or either punishment.

A person who deliberately issues, participates in issuing, advertises or promotes such certificates may face imprisonment for up to two years and a fine between AED 500,000 and AED 1 million, or either penalty.

These provisions are particularly relevant to recruiters, HR personnel, training providers and operators promoting “instant degrees” based only on payment or unverifiable experience.

When a Fake Degree Also Becomes Document Forgery

Federal Law No. 9 of 2021 mainly addresses qualifications issued by unlicensed entities. However, a falsified degree document creates an additional legal issue.

Article 251 of the UAE Crimes and Penalties Law broadly covers conduct that changes the truth of a document with the intention of using it as genuine in a manner capable of causing harm. Examples include:

• Changing a name, grade, date or qualification;
• Adding a false signature or university seal;
• Replacing a photograph;
• Creating an entirely counterfeit certificate;
• Falsifying a transcript or verification letter; or
• Using a forged document while knowing that it is false.

Article 252 provides that forgery of an official document may be punished by imprisonment for up to ten years. Forgery of a non-official document is also punishable by incarceration. The exact classification depends on the nature of the certificate, its issuer and how it was used.

Employment Consequences of a Forged Educational Certificate in the UAE

Article 44 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relationships permits a private-sector employer to dismiss a worker without notice if the worker impersonated another person or submitted forged certificates or documents.

Dismissal Is Separate from Criminal Liability

Termination does not prevent the employer from making a police complaint. Likewise, a criminal investigation does not automatically resolve contractual questions such as outstanding salary, accrued leave or other lawful employment entitlements.

The employer should preserve evidence, conduct a fair internal investigation and document the reason for dismissal. A worker should receive an opportunity to respond to the allegation before the company makes a final decision.

Recovery of Benefits

Article 7 of Federal Law No. 9 of 2021 requires the court to remove the benefits obtained through the prohibited certificate. The affected organisation may also claim repayment of benefits unlawfully acquired.

For example, an employer may seek recovery of a qualification allowance or another payment directly linked to the fake credential. However, recovery of the employee’s entire salary is not automatic merely because the certificate was false. Courts may consider the contractual basis of each payment and the work actually performed.

How a Fake Degree Case Usually Proceeds

Step 1: Verification of the Qualification

An employer or authority may contact the awarding institution or use an official verification channel. The UAE Ministry of Education provides a service for confirming the authenticity of certificate equivalency and attestation documents.

Attestation alone should not be confused with recognition. A stamp may authenticate a signature or document chain, while recognition assesses whether the institution and qualification satisfy the applicable academic requirements.

Step 2: Internal Review

The employer normally secures the submitted document, job application, emails, offer letter and any professional licensing records. HR should avoid accusing the employee publicly before completing the review.

Step 3: Police Complaint

If there is credible evidence of a counterfeit university certificate or deliberate deception, the employer or affected authority may report the matter to the police. The police can obtain statements and refer the file to the Public Prosecution.

Step 4: Public Prosecution Investigation

The Public Prosecution may examine intent, knowledge, electronic communications, payments and verification evidence. It may also order technical examination of the disputed document.

Step 5: Criminal Court Proceedings

If sufficient evidence exists, the prosecution may refer the accused to the competent UAE criminal court. The accused has the right to know the accusation, appoint legal representation, challenge the evidence and submit a defence.

Real-World Scenarios

A Genuine Degree with an Altered Grade

A candidate holds a real degree but changes the classification from “pass” to “distinction.” This can amount to forgery because the contents of a genuine document were deliberately altered.

A Degree from a Diploma Mill

A person pays an online provider for a master’s degree without completing genuine study. Even if the certificate looks authentic, it may fall under Federal Law No. 9 of 2021 if the provider was not licensed to award the qualification.

An Employee Deceived by an Education Agent

A worker may argue that an agent falsely represented the institution as accredited. That evidence may affect the assessment of intent. Nevertheless, the certificate cannot be used once its invalidity becomes known.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming notarisation automatically proves academic recognition;
• Relying only on a certificate’s seal or visual appearance;
• Paying an agent who promises a degree without genuine study;
• Continuing to use a qualification after receiving an accreditation warning;
• Deleting emails or payment records after an investigation begins;
• Allowing HR staff to make unsupported public accusations; and
• Dismissing an employee without preserving evidence or following a documented process.

Expert Insight from a UAE Legal Perspective

The distinction between an unrecognised qualification and a forged document is legally important. A genuine certificate from an unlicensed institution is not necessarily a physically forged document. However, UAE law can still prohibit its use and impose penalties.

Intent is equally important. Prosecutors and courts may consider whether the accused attended the programme, knew the institution was unlicensed, altered the document or used it to secure a regulated position. Employers should therefore investigate the facts instead of treating every recognition problem as intentional forgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I lose my UAE job for submitting a fake degree?

Yes. A private-sector employer may dismiss a worker without notice for submitting forged certificates or documents, subject to the applicable legal and procedural requirements.

2. Is an unattested degree automatically fake?

No. Lack of attestation does not automatically mean that a degree is forged. It may simply be incomplete for official use. Its authenticity and recognition must be checked separately.

3. Can an employer report a former employee?

Yes. Ending employment does not prevent the employer from reporting suspected forgery or unlawful use of a certificate to the police.

4. Can someone be prosecuted if an agent supplied the certificate?

Possibly. Liability depends on knowledge, intent and participation. Evidence showing deception by the agent may be relevant to the defence but does not make the certificate valid.

5. Are fake degrees obtained outside the UAE covered?

Yes. Federal Law No. 9 of 2021 covers relevant certificates issued inside or outside the UAE and applies across the country, including free zones.

Summary

The Fake Degree Penalties in UAE depend on what happened, whether the person acted knowingly and whether the document was merely unauthorised or actually forged. Consequences can include imprisonment, fines of up to AED 1 million in specified cases, dismissal and removal of unlawfully obtained benefits. Anyone facing an allegation should preserve all records, avoid further use of the qualification and obtain advice from a UAE criminal or employment lawyer before giving a detailed statement or taking disciplinary action.