Document attestation is how the UAE confirms that a certificate or official paper is genuine, so a government department, employer, school or bank here will accept it. Whether you need a degree for a work visa, a marriage certificate for a family visa, or company papers for a trade licence, the route depends on one question: was the document issued in the UAE or abroad?
This guide walks through both routes, the official MoFA fees, and the mistakes that most often cause rejections.
Which documents need attestation?
Documents are usually grouped into two types, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) charges them differently:
- Personal documents — degree and school certificates, marriage and birth certificates, police clearance, medical reports.
- Commercial documents — company registration papers, powers of attorney, board resolutions, commercial invoices and agreements.
Typical reasons you will be asked for attested documents include employment visas, family sponsorship, school admissions, professional licensing, opening or amending a company, and court or bank procedures.
Route 1: documents issued outside the UAE
A certificate from another country has to be verified in that country first, then recognised by the UAE. The usual sequence is:
- Home-country verification. Depending on the country and document, this can include a notary, the issuing body (for example the university or education ministry), and then that country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- UAE embassy or consulate in the issuing country attests the document. If there is no UAE mission there, MoFA advises contacting its call centre for the alternative route.
- MoFA attestation in the UAE, applied for online through the MoFA website or the UAE MoFA smart app.
- Legal translation into Arabic by a Ministry of Justice–approved translator, if the receiving authority asks for it.
Recent change: some UAE consulates abroad now issue the legalisation page electronically with MoFA attestation included, which can remove the separate MoFA step in the UAE. Check what your consulate issued before applying again.
Route 2: documents issued inside the UAE
For documents issued here — for example a UAE birth certificate, school certificate or company document going abroad — the steps are:
- Attestation by the issuing entity (for example the health authority for a birth certificate). Digital documents issued by a government entity with a QR code may skip this step.
- Apply on the MoFA website or app. Individuals sign in with UAE PASS; companies sign in through the MoFA website.
- Upload the document with its QR code or verification link, and pay online.
- Courier collection and delivery of the original, if a physical stamp is needed.
- UAE embassy of the destination country, if the document will be used abroad.
Birth, death and school certificates can now be attested digitally at the time they are issued, so there is no separate MoFA visit for those.
Official MoFA attestation fees
| Item | MoFA fee |
|---|---|
| Personal document (per document) | AED 150 |
| Commercial document (per document) | AED 2,000 |
| Courier inside the UAE — normal (about 3 working days) | AED 40 |
| Courier inside the UAE — express (about 1 working day) | AED 150 + VAT |
Fees in the home country (notary, education ministry, foreign ministry, UAE embassy) are separate and vary by country. Translation and service charges are also separate.
Common reasons applications are rejected
- Laminated originals — MoFA does not accept laminated documents.
- Steps done out of order — for foreign documents, the home-country foreign ministry and UAE embassy stamps must come before the UAE step.
- Unclear stamps or signatures on the original.
- Documents not in Arabic or English without an approved legal translation.
- Missing supporting papers — for example the spouse’s passport copy for a marriage certificate, or company registration documents for commercial papers.
How long does attestation take?
The UAE MoFA step itself is usually quick once the document is ready — online processing plus courier delivery in about one to three working days, and digital birth, death and school attestations can complete within minutes of issuance. The home-country steps for foreign documents usually take the longest, so start early if your visa or job offer has a deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Can I attest a document without travelling to my home country?
Often yes. The home-country steps can be handled through an authorised representative or attestation service in that country, and the UAE steps are online. Requirements vary by country, so confirm before you send originals.
Do I need a translation?
If the document is not in Arabic or English, MoFA requires a translation by a Ministry of Justice–approved translator. Some UAE authorities also ask for an Arabic translation of English documents.
How do I check whether a document is already attested?
Digitally attested documents can be verified with UAE PASS through MoFA’s document verification service.
Get help with attestation in Dubai and across the UAE
Bin Gohar PRO Services handles attestation, legal translation and government submissions for individuals and companies across all seven Emirates. Send us a photo of your document on WhatsApp and we will tell you exactly which steps it needs, the cost and the timeline — before you pay anything.
Sources: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs — FAQs.
