Insights
Sanctions screening and AML compliance in the UAE
Practical guides based on the official rules, with every requirement linked to its source.
PEP screening in the UAE: who counts, what you must do, and how to do it
Who is a politically exposed person under UAE law, the extra measures for foreign and domestic PEPs, family and close associates, and how to screen for them.
Updated 18 September 2026 · 7 min read
goAML registration in the UAE: who must register, and what to do once you are in
Who must register on goAML, why the compliance officer is the user, the separate EOCN registration most firms miss, and the reports you file once registered.
Updated 18 September 2026 · 6 min read
UAE sanctions screening checklist for 2026
A practical checklist for UAE sanctions screening: registration, who and when to screen, handling matches, freezing within 24 hours, goAML reports and records.
Updated 17 September 2026 · 6 min read
Transaction monitoring in the UAE: what the rules require
What ongoing monitoring means under UAE AML rules, the four monitoring methods, enhanced monitoring for high risk customers, STRs, and REAR and DPMSR triggers.
Updated 17 September 2026 · 7 min read
UBO requirements in the UAE: identifying and screening beneficial owners
The UAE 25% beneficial owner test, what to do when no one qualifies, trusts, listed companies, and why every UBO must be screened for sanctions.
Updated 17 September 2026 · 7 min read
Owned or controlled: when to freeze a company linked to a designated person in the UAE
The UAE 50% rule for targeted financial sanctions, what control means, acting on behalf of a designated person, and why freezing needs evidence, not suspicion.
Updated 17 September 2026 · 7 min read
Best AML screening software in the UAE: how to choose, and 8 tools compared
What UAE rules require from an AML screening tool, and a side by side comparison of 8 tools based on what each vendor states on its own website.
Updated 17 September 2026 · 9 min read
CNMR and PNMR in goAML: how to report sanctions matches in the UAE
When to file a Confirmed Name Match Report or Partial Name Match Report in goAML, the five business day deadline, what to attach, and how it differs from an STR.
Updated 17 September 2026 · 7 min read
How to screen against the UAE Local Terrorist List and UN Consolidated List
The four steps UAE regulated businesses must follow for targeted financial sanctions: register, screen, freeze within 24 hours, and report CNMR or PNMR in goAML.
Updated 17 September 2026 · 8 min read
Confirmed match, partial match or false positive: handling sanctions screening results in the UAE
What to do with each sanctions screening result under UAE rules: when to freeze, suspend or reject, when to file a CNMR or PNMR, and how to document false positives.
Updated 17 September 2026 · 7 min read
Who must do sanctions screening in the UAE?
Which UAE businesses must screen customers against sanctions lists: financial institutions, DNFBPs with their thresholds, and VASPs, plus what applies in free zones.
Updated 17 September 2026 · 6 min read