Foreign-issued documents — degrees, marriage certificates, birth certificates, commercial contracts — are only legally valid in the UAE after attestation. The process differs depending on the country of origin.
Two main tracks
- Non-Hague countries (e.g. India, Pakistan, Philippines, Egypt): Notary → Home ministry (e.g. HRD/MEA) → UAE Embassy → UAE MOFA.
- Hague Apostille countries (e.g. UK, USA, most EU): Notary → Apostille → UAE MOFA attestation.
Fees (2026, MOFA step only)
- MOFA attestation per document: AED 150
- Express MOFA: AED 300
- Translation (EN ↔ AR, sworn): AED 80 – 200 per page
What needs attestation
- Degrees / transcripts (for employment + family visa)
- Marriage certificate (for spouse sponsorship)
- Birth certificate (for children sponsorship)
- Divorce decree
- Commercial invoices, power of attorney, company incorporation docs
Timeline
From country of origin to UAE MOFA: typically 2–6 weeks. Express channels in India (e.g. through attestation agents) can complete it in 7–14 working days.
Common pitfalls
- Skipping the home-country steps (UAE MOFA won't attest an unsealed document).
- Degree not in the Ministry of Education's verified-university list.
- Name mismatch between passport and certificate — needs a name-equivalence affidavit.
#Attestation#MOFA#Apostille#Documents
Need help with this?
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