United Arab Emirates
Selling supplements in the UAE.
MoHAP, Halal, and everything in between.
The UAE is a high-value wellness market with a well-established supplement channel. Registration with MoHAP is required before products can be imported and sold. Halal certification is strongly expected by buyers and consumers. Here's what you need.
Registration required before import
Unlike the US (where post-market notification is typical), the UAE requires product registration with the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) before the product can be legally imported and sold. Registration typically takes 4–8 weeks. Plan this into your launch timeline.
UAE regulatory overview.
MoHAP: Ministry of Health and Prevention
The primary regulator for health supplements in the UAE. Products must be registered in the MoHAP system before being imported. The registration process requires product documentation, ingredient specifications, and label review.
ESMA: Emirates Authority for Standardisation
ESMA issues product conformity requirements and technical standards for food supplements. Some categories require ESMA conformity marking in addition to MoHAP registration.
Halal Certification
While not legally mandated at the federal level for all supplements, Halal certification is commercially essential for the UAE market. Gelatin capsules must use Halal-certified gelatin, or use veg capsule alternative. We can supply veg caps as standard, and Halal certification for gelatin-based products on request.
Dubai Health Authority (DHA)
For products distributed in Dubai specifically, additional DHA guidelines may apply — particularly for products making therapeutic or disease claims. Structure/function claims only are recommended for initial market entry.
MoHAP and ESMA registration — step by step.
Registration is filed by your UAE importer or distributor under their trade licence. Anarvah's manufacturing partners supply the documentation package. Allow 6–10 weeks from dossier submission to approval.
Appoint a UAE-licensed importer
Your responsibilityMoHAP registration is filed by a UAE entity holding a valid trade licence for health supplements. You will need to appoint a licensed importer or distributor before registration can begin. We supply documentation to any licensed importer you nominate.
Prepare the product dossier
We supply thisThe MoHAP dossier requires: NABL-accredited CoA (identity, potency, heavy metals, microbial, pesticides); GMP Certificate; product composition and ingredient specifications; MSDS; Certificate of Indian Origin; and proposed bilingual label artwork. We provide all documentation except the label artwork, which is customised per buyer.
Draft bilingual label artwork
Buyer + AnarvahAll mandatory label elements must appear in Arabic and English. The Nutrition Information panel must follow the GCC GSO 9/2013 format. We provide a bilingual template; your designer adapts it to your brand. Halal mark placement (if certified) must comply with the approved UAE Halal body's guidelines.
Submit via MoHAP portal + ESMA review
Importer filesYour UAE importer submits the dossier through the MoHAP online registration system under the food supplement category. ESMA (Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology) may run a parallel conformity review against relevant GSO standards — particularly GSO 9/2013 for nutritional labelling format.
Technical review and queries
4–8 weeksMoHAP reviews ingredient specifications, CoA parameters, label text, and claim language. Queries are common on potency declarations and health claims. Botanical extracts (ashwagandha, curcumin) may draw questions on standardisation; our CoA is structured to answer these proactively — declaring withanolide % or curcuminoid % alongside full heavy metal and microbial panels.
Registration approval and labelling
Live ✓MoHAP issues a registration certificate and registration number. This number must appear on every label — typically as a printed element or applied sticker in the first batch. Registration is valid for a defined period (typically three years) and must be renewed before expiry.
Permitted, in demand, and well-established in the market.
Unlike the EU, the UAE does not apply Novel Food restrictions to traditional herbal ingredients. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera root extract) can be registered and sold in the UAE as a food supplement subject to standard MoHAP registration — the same pathway as any other supplement.
The UAE supplement market has strong consumer demand for Ayurvedic botanicals, particularly among South Asian and wellness-oriented consumers. Ashwagandha is one of the most-recognised herbal ingredients in the region — typically positioned for stress, sleep quality, energy, and male vitality.
UAE registration pathway: standard MoHAP food supplement — no Novel Food filing required
No maximum dose restriction on ashwagandha under current UAE food supplement regulations
Vegetarian (HPMC) capsule form supplied as standard — Halal-compatible, no gelatin compliance issue
What your UAE label must include.
Arabic and English
The UAE requires bilingual labelling — Arabic and English. All mandatory label elements must appear in both languages. We provide translated label templates for standard formulations.
Nutrition Information Table
Per serving and per 100g format. UAE follows the GCC standard nutritional labelling format (ESMA GSO 9/2013).
Manufacturer Name & Address
Full manufacturer details including country of origin. Our manufacturing partner's facility name and address are included in the documentation we supply.
Registration Number
Once MoHAP registration is approved, the registration number must appear on the label. This is typically added as a sticker or in your label print run after approval.
Halal Mark (if certified)
The Halal certification mark from an approved UAE Halal certifying body must appear if the product carries a Halal claim.
Directions and Precautions
Usage instructions and any precautionary statements must appear in both Arabic and English.
What ships with every UAE order.
| Document | Purpose | Included |
|---|---|---|
| NABL-accredited CoA | Required for MoHAP registration | ✓ Standard |
| GMP Certificate | Manufacturing compliance evidence for MoHAP | ✓ Standard |
| MSDS | Customs / import clearance | ✓ Standard |
| Certificate of Indian Origin | Customs declaration | ✓ Standard |
| Nutrition Info panel template | UAE-format bilingual label (GCC standard) | ✓ Standard |
| Halal Certificate | Halal claim / veg cap declaration | On request |
Ready to register for the UAE market?
We handle the export documentation. Your UAE importer handles MoHAP registration. Book a call and we'll walk through the full process together.