Certificate of Good Standing
A Certificate of Good Standing (CGS) is issued to a doctor by their local medical body on demand and on payment of the prescribed fee, provided they have at least six months of financial good standing with the said body and have not been indicted on any professional misconduct.
When is a CGS Needed?
A CGS is needed while applying for GMC registration.
For How Long is a CGS Valid?
Regardless of how long is your CGS valid according to your local medical council, the GMC only accepts CGS issued within the last 3 months.
When to Apply for CGS?
For everyone who is planning on appearing in PLAB 2, it is best to keep your documents ready for your CGS.
It’s ideal to apply for your CGS even before you take your PLAB 2 exam, as your local medical body might take a few weeks before they issue your CGS.
Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) takes 4-8 weeks to issue your CGS. If you go to the PMDC, Islamabad in-person, they might hand you your CGS on the same day. But it is not possible for everyone to go the PMDC in-person.
You can check My Timeline for PLAB 2 Planning to see how I planned my schedule.
The Form
If you are applying from Pakistan, you can find PMDC’s form V at their official website. You can also access the form, directly from here.
It is a two-page form. The first page consists of the main form. The second page only holds instructions and a sample of the affidavit to be attached.
Documents Needed
These are the documents that you need to send to the PMDC to get them to issue your CGS:
- An affidavit.
- A copy of MBBS degree (attested).
- A copy of MBBS detailed mark sheet (attested).
- A copy of PMDC registration certificate (attested).
- Two passport size photographs.
- A copy of CNIC.
- Bank draft.
The Affidavit
A sample of the affidavit is provided on the second page of PMDC’s CGS form. This should be printed out on a stamp paper from the local district council or the local court.
The form has 7 blank spaces, which should be filled like this:
- Your name.
- Father’s name.
- PMDC registration number.
- Permanent address.
- Current address.
- “registration with the General Medical Council, UK”.
- “General Medical Council, UK”.
Attestation
The documents should be attested by the following:
1. Principal or Professor/Associate Professor of any medical/dental school in Pakistan or abroad.
2 (A). Medical Superintendent (MS) of the district headquarters hospital (level).
Or
2 (B). District Health Officer.
Or
2 (C). Authorized officer of Pakistan Embassy abroad.
I got my documents attested by a professor, who was also the MS of my university hospital. So, to keep things simple, you can do the same as well.
Fee
| Fee for Certificate of Good Standing | Rs. 4,000 |
| Urgent Fee | Rs. 1,000 |
| Courier Fee (within Pakistan) | Rs. 150 |
| Courier Fee (outside Pakistan) | Rs. 1,500* |
Courier Fee (outside Pakistan) is subject to change in rates.
Bank Draft
For doctors who are in Pakistan, a bank draft should be made in the name of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.
Submitting Fee from Abroad
Foreign Nationals and Pakistani doctors applying from foreign countries can pay their fee online to the PMDC via the account details mentioned in the CGS form.
Submitting the Form
The fully completed Good Standing Form along with all the attached documents should be mailed to the PMDC at G-IO/4 Mauve Area, Islamabad.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does it take the PMDC to issue Certificate of Good Standing?
If you go to the PMDC in-person or if you send someone to the PMDC and you pay the urgent fee, you can get the Certificate of Good Standing on the same day.
However, if you send your documents by mail and pay the standard fee, it can take from 4 to 8 weeks. In my case, it took 43 days.
2. For how long is the Certificate of Good Standing valid?
According to the PMDC, it is valid for 6 months. However, the GMC does not accept CGS issued more than 3 months ago. Therefore, for the GMC, it is only valid for 3 months.
3. When will I need a Certificate of Good Standing?
You will need it immediately after your PLAB 2 result. Unless you want to delay your GMC registration for personal reasons, it’s best to apply for GMC registration the day after your PLAB 2 result. So you will need you CGS exactly a day after your PLAB 2 result.
4. Can I apply for GMC registration without my Certificate of Good Standing?
Unfortunately, you can not apply for GMC registration without your CGS. Therefore, unless you want to delay your GMC registration for personal reasons, it is best to have applied for your CGS before you take PLAB 2 exam.
5. When should I apply for my Certificate of Good Standing?
Since the PMDC can take 4 to 8 weeks in issuing the CGS. It’s best to apply for it 8 weeks before your PLAB 2 result; which would mean applying for your CGS roughly a month before you take your PLAB 2 exam.
6. I would be in the UK a month before my PLAB 2 exam, so how would I apply for my Certificate of Good Standing from the UK?
You can complete all of your documentation for your CGS from your home country and leave your documents at home. Your family can mail them to the PMDC or your local medical body in your country a month before your PLAB 2 exam.
7. While filling the form, what should I write in box number 4 “For Provision to”?
“General Medical Council, UK. 3 Hardman Street, Manchester, M3 3AW, United Kingdom.”
8. While filling the form, what should I write in box number 5 “To be mailed at”?
Here you should write your home address or wherever you want to receive the CGS. Do not mention the GMC’s address here; you should receive the certificate yourself. You only need to send a scanned copy of the certificate to the GMC. And you will show the certificate to the GMC in-person during your ID check appointment.
9. I have a Certificate of Good Standing for another country’s medical council; can I use that for my GMC registration?
Unfortunately, no, you can not. One certificate of good standing is issued for one authority only.
10. From which authorities do I require to submit a Certificate of Good Standing?
A CGS is required from the medical regulatory authority in any countries where you’ve held registration during the last five years.
I feel they ask you for certificate of good standing if you have worked somewhere in the last five years,if someone hasn’t then they don’t need it.
That’s correct. You’re right.
i didn’t understand this thing..can u please elaborate the above statement?
What exactly is it that if unclear?
So for house job of 1 year i ll need cgs?
Yes, you will.
Im registered in Saudi Arabia but i haven’t worked in KSA, so will i be needing Good Standing from Saudi Medical Council as well?
I think so. This is what the GMC’s email says, “A CGS from the medical regulatory authority in any countries where you’ve held registration during the last five years”.
What if someone has done hj 6 yrs ago??I guess in that case he won’t need Any cgs right???
This is what the GMC’s email says, “A CGS from the medical regulatory authority in any countries where you’ve held registration during the last five years”. So it has nothing to do with House Job.
Is certificate of good standing and education clearance the same?
I’m not really sure what education clearance is. So I’m not sure. CGS is your clearance for the duration of your work and not education, though.
Hi, I did my house job after a gap of 4 years, however since then I have been working. Would that make a difference in terms of getting GMC registration. Please reply? Also I have few more questions is it possible that I could email you? Thanks
Hello,
As long as you can explain what you did in that gap and as long as you never worked without registration, you’ll be fine.
I received your email. You can, of course, email me again. 🙂
Hey.. I am from India. I am currently working in a private hospital for 6 months now after my house job. Do I have to get CGS from MCI india or from this hospital?
Thanks in advance
CGS is issued by the local medical council (MCI) and not the hospital. I hope this helps. Thank you for visiting the blog! 🙂
How can I get my documents attested in UK to apply for Good Standing Certificate from PMDC. Can I get this affidavit in UK as well. I am already living in UK & not very keen to travel to Pakistan for this. Please advise.
You can get it attested in the UK as mentioned on the CGS application form.
Hi naseer
by detailed marksheet (attested) do you mean transcript? the marksheets which i have are separate for all five years and i dont have cumulative marksheet. Although i do have detailed transcript but it mentions only my GPA and credit hours. Thanks alot for creating this forum. Its very helpful.
Regards
Bilal
I am not sure. But I submitted a marksheet containing my scores from all five years. You can confirm this by calling the PMDC.
The form says that we can apply for it after 6 months from the date of registration. Does that mean provisional registration or full registration? Because i recently applied for full registration with pmdc and i have booked my plab for november. PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY! Thank you so m
I am not sure about this. It would be best to call the PMDC to confirm this.
Hello Alina,
I noticed the same clause in the form and am confused about booking my PLAB 2 date. Did you confirm about this clause from PMDC? Was it provisional registration or permanent one they were talking about?
Should the CSC be valid at the time of ID check as well, As in the GCS may be valid when uploaded to the GMC portal but by the time one goes for the ID check it might have expired the three month cut off, does it stay valid for them?
I think it must be valid by the time your GMC registration application is approved (that is after you submit them and before your ID check).
But it’s best to check this with the GMC.
It should be valid when you application is approved (after submission and before ID check). Get this information verified by emailing the GMC.
Hi Naseer,
As mentioned in the GMC website, we have to submit CGS of the countries we have worked in the last 5 years. I have my medical degree from India, but have been working in Kuwait for the past 5 years. So do I need to submit CGS of Kuwait only or both India and Kuwait?
You have to submit CGS of any countries where you’ve held registration during the last five years.
If you’ve held registration in India in the last five years, you have to submit a CGS from India as well.
Thanks Naseer for being a guiding hand to us. I haven’t worked in India since 5 years, though I have permanent registration. Do I still need CGS from there? The reason I’m asking this is for CGS in India, they ask for the places worked in India in the past 5 years which I haven’t.
If you have held registration in India any time during the last five years, you will need a CGS from India.
Hi, for document attesting, can it be done by notary public or local lawyer? For affidavit, how can I obtain that stamp paper as I don’t live in Pakistan. Thanks for your guidance.
1. I got them attested a local notary.
2. I honestly don’t know how you will get the stamp paper.
Hi Naseer,
Does Pmdc issue the certificate of good standing to people with provisional registration with the council?
My housejob finishes end of november and i’v cleared plab, so willi be able to get the cgs before my hj finishes?
And does your pmdc provisional reg certficate need to be valid before you apply for it?
Thanks
I’m not sure about that. But even if you go ahead with this plan, you’ll only get provisional GMC registration and you’ll have to apply for FY1 jobs, which is not ideal.
No, provisional GMC registration does not need to be valid for GMC registration.
Hi, Great information:
I am doing a 6 year course with one year ‘Internship’ which is basically a full year of working, which I am doing now, after this I will get my medical degree, do I need a CGS?
If you are registered to practice with the medical council, you will need CGS.
Thanks a lot Naseer Khan for your tremendous efforts.
Do I need CGS for the internship year? Putting in consideration i’ve done it in KSA in which the internship year is done without any medical authority registration .
In that case you might not need it, since you were not registered with any medical body. But it might be best to check with others from KSA.
All the best! 🙂
Ok. Thanks
Regarding GMC registration, after clearing my plab 2 do I need to register in the GMC in person or I can go back to my country and do it online after the release of my result?
For the final step of registration, you will have to present yourself in person.
Hi. I’m looking to join an internship in KSA after graduating in 2020. Could you please email me on sam.eman94@gmail.com so I could ask some questions?
hi..i have worked in Pakistan for 6 months as a medical officer.then i was selected in saudi a with this experience.but when i came here and the time came for registration,they told me that the minimum requirement is 1 year to be registered in the saudi medical council.since then i have been working in saudia for 1.5 years without any registration.
so my question is that whether only CGS from pmdc will be enough or they will need explaination from saudi authorities as well?
They’ll probably need an explanation from the Saudi authorities. But I can’t be sure. People who’ve gone through this can advise better.
Hello sir! If somebody applies for plab 2 in the next year of completion of his mbbs including internship and is just working at a local hospital for a couple of months, does he still need to get a cgs?
Yes. Kindly check the final FAQ.
A CGS is required from the medical regulatory authority in any countries where you’ve held registration during the last five years.
Thank you Dr. Naseer for this information. I need clarification, however. Is the cgs sent directly to GMC by my country regulatoty authority or will I have to personally upload it on the GMC website.
Thank you DR. Naseer. I have a question. I live in England now so I will tell my father to pmdc for CGS. But one thing is unclear for column 5 shall my father give my U.K address or his Pakistan’s address ?