ISO 27701 CERTIFICATION IN UAE

What Is ISO 27701?

ISO/IEC 27701 is the international standard for a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS), setting requirements and controls for the processing of personally identifiable information (PII). The current edition, ISO/IEC 27701:2025, was published on 14 October 2025 as a standalone management system standard, so a PIMS can be certified without an accompanying ISO/IEC 27001 certificate. The first edition, ISO/IEC 27701:2019, was an extension of ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27002 and was structured around:

• Clause 5: PIMS-specific requirements related to ISO/IEC 27001.
• Clause 6: PIMS-specific guidance related to ISO/IEC 27002 controls.
• Clause 7: additional guidance and controls for PII controllers (Annex A).
• Clause 8: additional guidance and controls for PII processors (Annex B).

An accredited certification body audits the PIMS in Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits. The certificate is valid for three years with annual surveillance audits, and helps demonstrate accountability under privacy laws such as the GDPR.

ISO 27701 Requirements in UAE

In the UAE, personal data is regulated by Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL), overseen by the UAE Data Office, alongside the data protection regimes of the DIFC and ADGM free zones. ISO 27701 helps organisations operationalise these obligations. Key requirements include:

• An established ISO/IEC 27001 ISMS as the foundation for the PIMS.
• Defined roles as PII controller or PII processor with documented responsibilities.
• A privacy policy, records of processing and a lawful basis for each processing activity.
• Privacy risk assessments and Data Privacy Impact Assessments (DPIAs).
• Data subject rights, consent and breach notification procedures aligned to the PDPL.
• Contracts and controls governing processors and cross-border data transfers.

Certification is issued by a certification body accredited by the Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC) or another IAF-recognised accreditation body. Univate maps your processes to ISO 27701 and identifies gaps before implementation begins.

Ready to achieve ISO 27701 certification in UAE? Book your free consultation with Univate today. No commitment required.

Benefits of ISO 27701 Certification

ISO 27701 certification delivers measurable privacy and commercial benefits in UAE:

• Demonstrates accountability under UAE data protection law and the GDPR.
• Builds customer and partner trust in how you handle personal data.
• Extends your existing ISO 27001 ISMS to cover privacy within a single audit cycle.
• Reduces the risk of data breaches, regulatory penalties and reputational damage.
• Provides auditable evidence of privacy controls for enterprise procurement.
• Streamlines responses to data subject requests and privacy due diligence.

ISO 27701 Implementation Process in UAE

Univate follows a structured ISO 27701 implementation process in UAE:

1. Free gap analysis of your ISMS and privacy controls against ISO 27701.
2. Confirm your role as PII controller or processor and define the PIMS scope.
3. Map personal data flows and maintain records of processing activities.
4. Conduct privacy risk assessments and Data Privacy Impact Assessments.
5. Develop privacy policies, controls and procedures for data subject rights.
6. Train staff and run an internal audit and management review.
7. Support the Stage 1 and Stage 2 certification audit with an accredited body.

ISO 27701 Certification Cost in UAE

The cost of ISO 27701 certification in UAE depends on several factors:

• Organisation size, measured by number of employees and sites in scope.
• The maturity of your existing ISO 27001 ISMS and privacy controls.
• Volume and sensitivity of the personal data you process.
• The accredited certification body selected for the audit.
• Number of sites requiring multi-site assessment.

Univate provides a fixed-fee consultancy quote plus a certification body fee estimate, structured in milestones. Book a free call to receive your scoped quote in AED.

Get your ISO 27701 cost estimate for UAE. Univate provides fixed-fee quotes with no hidden costs. Speak to a consultant today.

Why Univate Global?

Univate Global is a governance, risk and compliance consultancy led by CEO Bansi Mohan Rath, delivering ISO 27701 and privacy management support. Our team includes ISO Lead Auditors, Certified Information Security Managers (CISM) and data privacy practitioners with domain-specific expertise. Univate has a local office in UAE. Address: AMC Boulevard-A Building, BLA-SP1-130, Ajman Media City, Ajman, UAE. All engagements are fixed-fee with documented milestones, and we provide post-certification surveillance support to help maintain your certificate.

Univate Global delivers ISO certifications, data privacy compliance, and cybersecurity frameworks across 9 markets.