DHA Licence for Nurses from India: The Five Steps

A DHA licence lets a nurse work in Dubai. From India, it is five steps on DHA's Sheryan portal, and two of them can run at the same time. This guide sets them out in order, with what each step gives you.

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The five steps

1. Sheryan account and self-assessment

   Create your account on Sheryan and do the free self-assessment for your title. An eligible result opens the "Get Registered" application.

2. Dataflow (PSV)

   DataFlow verifies your degree, registration and experience at their source. DHA needs a positive report.

3. The DHA exam

   A computer-based test at Prometric for most titles. You can do Dataflow and the exam in parallel.

4. DHA registration

   With a positive report and a pass, DHA issues your Professional Registration Certificate. It is valid for one year.

5. Licence activation by your employer

   A DHA-licensed hospital or clinic activates your registration into a licence, with malpractice insurance. Only then can you start work.

Who can apply as a registered nurse

Your qualification	DHA title	Experience
BSc Nursing (at least 3 years, full time)	Registered Nurse	None required
Nursing diploma of at least 18 months (GNM)	Assistant Nurse	None required
BSc Nursing, licensed as Assistant Nurse	Upgrade to Registered Nurse	Within 5 years as an assistant nurse

An assistant nurse works under a registered nurse, not on her own. A gap in practice of more than three years asks for CME credits and supervised training before the exam (the 2025 rules; older rules said two years).

The exam

• Registered nurse: 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, pass mark 50%.
• The result shows pass or fail only; DHA does not share the score.
• Three attempts in total, across DHA, DOH and MOHAP.
• A pass is valid for one year.

See DHA exam booking and DHA exam coaching.

Dataflow for DHA

A new report usually takes 30 to 35 working days, counted from payment and a complete set of documents; Dataflow Express is faster, usually about 15 working days. Reports do not expire: new documents are added to the same report. See DHA Dataflow and Dataflow for nurses.

DHA does not call the registration an "eligibility letter". The Professional Registration Certificate is the proof of eligibility you use to look for a job in Dubai. It is not a licence until an employer activates it.

Where Trueway helps

• Dataflow: your documents checked and submitted, the case followed.
• Good standing for DHA from your council.
• Exam booking and coaching.

Frequently asked questions

Can a GNM nurse get a DHA licence?

As an Assistant Nurse: a nursing diploma of at least 18 months qualifies for that title under the unified rules. The Registered Nurse title needs a bachelor's degree of at least three years.

Do I need experience for a DHA nursing licence?

No, for a registered nurse with a BSc of at least three years, as long as there is no long gap in practice.

Which comes first, Dataflow or the DHA exam?

Either. DHA lets you do Dataflow and the exam in parallel. In our cases, the Sheryan account comes first, then Dataflow or the exam, whichever suits you. The eligibility certificate (the registration) is issued once both are done; then you find a job, and your employer's HR activates the licence.

How long is DHA registration valid?

One year. A DHA-licensed employer must activate it into a licence within that time.

Can I work in Dubai with the registration certificate?

No. It lets you look for a job. You start work once your employer activates it into a licence.