Advisory & Legal Support
Document Attestation & Legalisation in the UAE
Document attestation is the official verification that a certificate or contract is genuine so UAE authorities accept it. The chain usually runs from notarisation in the country of origin, through that country’s foreign ministry, to the UAE embassy, and finally UAE ministry attestation.
Last reviewed · Reviewed by Mahmoud Mansour, Founder & Managing Director (lawyer in the UAE since 2006) · EH Management Consultancy LLC, Dubai
At a glance
Key facts about document Attestation
- Typical chain
- Notary → foreign ministry → UAE embassy → UAE MOFA
- Common documents
- Degrees, marriage and birth certificates, board resolutions, POAs
- Apostille
- The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not accepted
- Used for
- Visas, licensing, banking, court and trade
- Authority
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Who it is for
Is this the right service for you?
- Foreign shareholders and directors
- Employees with overseas degrees
- Families applying for visas
- Companies signing cross-border agreements
Process
How it works, step by step
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01
Classify the document
Confirm country of origin and required chain.
-
02
Notarise and legalise at origin
Complete notarisation and the origin country’s foreign ministry step.
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03
Embassy legalisation
Legalise at the UAE embassy where required.
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04
UAE ministry attestation
Complete attestation inside the UAE.
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05
Delivery
Return attested originals.
Documents
What you typically need
- Original document
- Passport copy
- Translation if not Arabic or English
- Cover letter or authorisation
Cost
What drives the price
Fees depend on your situation, so we quote after a short consultation with no hidden extras. The main factors are:
- Document type and country
- Number of steps
- Urgent handling
- Courier
Frequently asked
Questions about document Attestation
What is attestation?
It is a chain of official verifications confirming a document is genuine so it is accepted by UAE authorities.
Is an apostille accepted?
Not on its own. The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so foreign documents usually still need UAE embassy legalisation and UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation. Confirm the route for your country on mofa.gov.ae.
How long does attestation take?
It varies by country and number of steps; some chains finish in days, others take weeks.
Which documents need attestation?
Educational certificates, civil documents and corporate documents used for visas, licences or contracts.
Official sources
Verify it yourself
Rules and fees change. These government and regulator pages are the authoritative references behind this page.
Related services
Often needed together
Talk to an EHMC consultant
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