If you have previously received a conviction in the UAE, you may encounter legal obstacles that prevent you from obtaining a job, a professional license, or a visa, or may restrict your civil rights. The legal solution to these obstacles is judicial rehabilitation — a legal procedure that erases the effects of the conviction and restores the individual's legal status to what it was before the judgment.

In this context, Cabinet Decision No. (214) of 2025 was issued to define the crimes that are concerning or dishonorable related to judicial rehabilitation, making it essential to understand this decision for anyone who has received a criminal judgment or works in a field that requires a clean criminal record.

Our office team reviews in this article everything you need to know about judicial rehabilitation and the impact of a criminal record on your life.

Judicial rehabilitation in the UAE:
What is it and how can you obtain it? What crimes require it?

First: What is judicial rehabilitation?

Judicial rehabilitation is a decision issued by the judiciary that restores the legal status of the convicted person and erases the effects resulting from the criminal judgment against them. It differs from a pardon in that it does not annul the judgment but removes its future legal, social, and professional effects.

Secondly: What is Cabinet Decision No. (214) of 2025?

This decision was issued on December 31, 2025, based on Federal Law No. (5) of 2022 regarding the restoration of honor. The decision specifies lists of crimes that are alarming or undermine honor or trust in 33 federal laws, which require a judicial restoration of honor, not just an automatic legal restoration.

Third: What crimes require judicial restoration of honor?

The decision included a wide range of crimes in various fields. Below are the main categories:

Financial and commercial crimes

• Providing false information in company contracts or prospectuses.
• Valuing in-kind shares at more than their true value.
• Concealing the true financial position of the company.
• Disclosing company secrets or unlawfully influencing the prices of securities.
• Commercial fraud and forgery of certificates of origin and industrial property rights.
• Fraudulent bankruptcy crimes and embezzlement of bankruptcy funds.

Professional and health crimes

• Practicing medical, pharmaceutical, or accounting professions without a license.
• Submitting forged documents to obtain a professional license.
• Certifying reports that are contrary to the truth by accountants and auditors.
• Drug and medical product fraud.
• Deliberate mistreatment of mental health patients or senior citizens.

Moral and social crimes

• Crimes of discrimination, hatred, and extremism in all its forms.
• Deliberate domestic violence.
• Embezzlement of endowment funds or minors' funds.
• Manipulating the results of sporting events (sports bribery).

Serious crimes

• Crimes related to chemical weapons and nuclear energy.
• Crimes of civil aviation that affect state security.
• Unlawful control of ships and sinking them.
• Crimes related to the human genome and cloning.

Fourth: How does a criminal record affect your life in the UAE?

A conviction for a crime that undermines honor or trust before obtaining rehabilitation may lead to:

Fifth: How do you obtain judicial rehabilitation?

The procedures for obtaining judicial rehabilitation in the UAE include the following stages:

• Meeting the time conditions:The legally prescribed period has passed after serving the sentence without committing a new crime.
• Submitting the application:Filing a request for rehabilitation before the competent court with the necessary documents.
• Court's study of the application:The court verifies compliance with legal conditions and good conduct.
• Issuance of the decision:If the decision to accept the application is issued, the consequences of the conviction are removed.

Do not assume that time is sufficient:

• Many crimes require explicit judicial rehabilitation, not just the passage of time.Check the classification of the crime:
• Not all crimes require judicial rehabilitation — the decision specifies the crimes by name.Do not apply for a job or license before consulting:
• Do not apply for a job or license before consulting:Incorrect disclosure may worsen your legal situation.
• Document your good behavior:The court considers good conduct in the period following the execution of the judgment.
• Consult a specialized lawyer:Restoration of honor is a precise procedure that requires rigorous legal preparation.

The role of the lawyer in requests for restoration of honor

• Determine whether the crime requires judicial restoration or if legal restoration is sufficient.
• Prepare the request for restoration of honor and gather supporting documents.
• Represent the client before the competent court.
• Provide advice on the optimal timing for submitting the request.
• Follow up on the implementation of the restoration of honor decision and its impact on the criminal record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

• Judicial rehabilitation removes the legal effects of a conviction and restores a person's civil and professional status.
• Cabinet Decision No. (214) of 2025 specifies the crimes that require an explicit judicial rehabilitation in 33 federal laws.
• Crimes that undermine honor and trust include: commercial fraud, corporate crimes, health professions, discrimination, domestic violence, and bankruptcy by deception, among others.
• The criminal record affects employment, licensing, residency, and company establishment.
• The judicial application for rehabilitation requires precise legal preparation and specialized consultation.