MOFA & embassy chain
Document attestation Dubai
Degrees, marriage and birth certificates and commercial documents legalised through the full chain: origin country, UAE embassy and MOFA UAE, with translation where required.
Official fees fromAED 150at cost, line by line- 7Government authorities we file with
- 0%Mark-up on government fees
- 24hTarget to submit an urgent, complete file
- 200+Guides, updated as rules change
- 1Named officer on your file, start to finish
The government entities your application is processed through
We prepare and submit applications on your written authorisation. MIRDXB PRO is a private service provider and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official agent of any authority shown. Names and logos belong to their owners and are shown for identification only.
Official fees
What the authorities charge, line by line
Official fees for Document Attestation start from
AED 150
One UAE-issued digital personal document attested by MOFA online
- Official fee cards, linked line by line
- Paid at cost, receipts handed over
- Your total confirmed in writing first
UAE document, digital route
UAE-issued digital certificate with QR code · personal · MOFA online
OfficialAED 150
Get this quotedSee all 1 fee lines and sources
UAE document, digital route: official fees MOFA digital attestation, UAE-issued personal document (AED 150) MOFA AED 150 Official fees AED 150 Foreign degree and transcript, UAE stage
Home-country and UAE Embassy stamps done · 2 personal documents
OfficialAED 300
Get this quotedSee all 1 fee lines and sources
Foreign degree and transcript, UAE stage: official fees MOFA attestation, personal document issued outside the UAE x 2 (AED 150 each) MOFA AED 300 Official fees AED 300 Family visa set, UAE stage
Marriage certificate + 2 children's birth certificates · issued abroad
OfficialAED 450
Get this quotedSee all 1 fee lines and sources
Family visa set, UAE stage: official fees MOFA attestation, personal document issued outside the UAE x 3 (AED 150 each) MOFA AED 450 Official fees AED 450 Company document, UAE stage
Foreign board resolution or company POA · embassy stamp done
OfficialAED 2,000
Get this quotedSee all 1 fee lines and sources
Company document, UAE stage: official fees MOFA attestation, commercial document issued outside the UAE (AED 2,000) MOFA AED 2,000 Official fees AED 2,000
Home-country stages (issuing body, notary or state authentication, foreign ministry or apostille) and the UAE Embassy or Consulate stamp abroad are set by each country or mission, not by a UAE fee schedule, so we quote them per document. Legal translation, the provider fee on digital mission applications, MoHESR degree recognition and our own service fee are quoted separately. Fees are set by each authority and can change without notice; we confirm the current figure on your quote.
Work out a visa total in the fee calculator or see how we price our own fee.
Overview
What is document attestation in the UAE?
In short: Document attestation is the chain of official stamps that makes a certificate issued abroad legally valid in Dubai and the rest of the UAE. The document is certified in the issuing country (by the issuing body or a notary, then that country's foreign ministry, which in some countries issues an apostille), legalised by the UAE embassy or consulate there, and finally attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). MOFA charges AED 150 per personal document, such as a degree or marriage certificate, and AED 2,000 per commercial document, paid on the MOFA website or app. The UAE has not joined the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not enough.
Attestation is the process of making a document issued in one country legally recognisable in another. For the UAE that normally means a sequence: authentication in the country that issued the document, then legalisation by the UAE embassy or consulate there, then attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE. Each step will only accept a document that already carries the previous one.
That sequence is why attestation cannot be rushed at the end of a process. If a degree certificate needs attesting for an employment visa, or a marriage certificate for a family visa, the chain has to start well before the visa application. It runs partly in another country and on that country’s timeline, not on ours.
MIRDXB PRO is a private PRO and visa services company in Al Barsha 1, Dubai. We file the UAE-side steps through the official MOFA channels, coordinate the origin-country steps, and arrange legal translation into Arabic where the receiving authority requires it. Most importantly, we tell you at the outset what the realistic timeline looks like for your specific country and document type.
Scope of work
Which documents need attestation in the UAE?
- 01
Educational certificates
Degrees, diplomas and transcripts attested for employment visas, regulated professions and further study.
- 02
Marriage certificates
Legalisation for spouse sponsorship, including translation into Arabic where the certificate is issued in another language.
- 03
Birth certificates
Attestation for child sponsorship and school enrolment, showing parentage as the authority requires it.
- 04
Commercial documents
Powers of attorney, board resolutions, incorporation documents and commercial agreements for corporate use.
- 05
Embassy legalisation
Coordination of the UAE embassy or consulate step in the issuing country, and the reverse where a UAE document is going abroad.
- 06
Legal translation
Certified translation into Arabic where the receiving authority will not accept the document in its original language.
What to prepare
What we need to start
We work from the original wherever the chain requires it. Copies are enough to assess the route and quote a timeline.
To assess your case
- Clear scan or photograph of the document
- Country and year of issue
- The authority or institution that issued it
- What the attested document is needed for
- Any deadline you are working to
- Details of any attestation already completed
To proceed
- Original document where the chain requires it
- Passport copy of the document holder
- UAE residence visa copy, where applicable
- Signed authorisation for us to act on your behalf
- Existing translation, if one has already been prepared
How it works
How does document attestation work, step by step?
- 01
Origin authentication
The document is authenticated by the relevant authority in the country that issued it, typically an education ministry, notary or foreign affairs department.
- 02
Embassy legalisation
The UAE embassy or consulate in that country legalises the authenticated document. This step will not accept a document missing step one.
- 03
MOFA UAE
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE attests the document once it arrives carrying the embassy legalisation.
- 04
Translation & submission
Where required, certified translation into Arabic is prepared, and the completed set is submitted to whichever authority needed it.
From our case desk
Where attestation goes wrong
Nearly every delay we inherit comes from one of these, and most of them are irreversible without starting again.
- 01
Started too late
Attestation begun after a visa application is already running will hold that application up, because part of the chain runs abroad on someone else’s timeline.
- 02
Steps taken out of order
A document taken to MOFA without embassy legalisation will simply be refused. The chain cannot be shortened or rearranged.
- 03
Translated before attesting
Translating too early frequently means paying for it twice, because the translation must usually reflect the attested document including its stamps.
- 04
Name does not match the passport
Where the certificate spells the holder’s name differently from the passport, the receiving authority may not accept that they refer to the same person.
- 05
Original not available
Some steps require the original document. If it is lost or held by an institution, a replacement has to be obtained first, which adds substantial time.
- 06
Wrong document attested
Attesting a provisional certificate or a transcript when the authority wanted the final degree means doing the whole chain again.
Why MIRDXB PRO
Checked first. Filed right. Priced in writing.
We check before we quote
ILOE, WPS, company category, card validity, overstay and attestation, all checked on day one.
Government fees at cost
Published fees passed through unchanged. Our fee is separate, fixed and in writing before you commit.
Filed at the right counter
Amer, Tasheel, MOHRE, ICP or the owning authority, in the order the authorities need it.
We tell you when the answer is no
We would rather lose the work than lodge something that fails.
The complete guide
Document Attestation: fees, documents and what to check
Written from the counter, not a marketing desk. Last updated 13 October 2026, written and reviewed by Mir Ali.
How long does document attestation take?
Most of the time is spent in the country that issued the document. The UAE end is quick: MOFA attests an eligible UAE-issued digital document within 2 hours in working hours, and a courier application inside the UAE takes 1 to 3 business days (MOFA). The stages abroad run on that country's timetable, which is where plans break.
| Stage | Typical duration | Main variable |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing authority verification | 1 – 4 weeks | University or registry responsiveness |
| Home country notary / state authentication | 3 days – 2 weeks | Jurisdiction; HRD step for Indian degrees |
| Home country Ministry of Foreign Affairs (or apostille) | 3 days – 2 weeks | Country and city |
| UAE Embassy in that country | 3 days – 2 weeks | Mission workload; some missions offer a digital application |
| UAE MOFA attestation | 2 hours – 3 working days | Digital route or approved courier |
| Legal translation | 1 – 3 working days | Document length |
| MoHESR degree recognition (only if asked for) | 18 working days | Starts after the partner confirms the degree with the university |
| Realistic end to end, foreign degree | 4 – 10 weeks | Anyone quoting three days means the UAE MOFA link only |
What MOFA charges, and where you pay
MOFA charges AED 150 per personal document (degrees, transcripts, birth, marriage and death certificates, police certificates, medical reports) and AED 2,000 per commercial document such as a power of attorney for a company, a board resolution or a commercial agreement. These fees are set by Cabinet Resolution No. 38 of 2022. A degree and its transcript are two documents, so they cost AED 300 at MOFA. You apply and pay on the MOFA website or the UAE MOFA app, signed in with UAE PASS, and the original travels through a MOFA-approved courier. Where the UAE mission abroad offers digital attestation, its fee is paid through the same MOFA system. Every fee line, from the home country to MOFA, is set out in our attestation cost guide.
Our service charge for the UAE MOFA step is AED 250 per attestation, plus MOFA's own fee of AED 150 per personal document or AED 2,000 per commercial document, so one personal document costs AED 400 in total. The stages abroad differ by country and document, so we quote them per document after seeing what stamps are already on it. Government and embassy fees pass through at cost, with our handling fee stated separately.
Why the order of the stamps matters
Attestation is a sequence, not a set of tasks. Each authority verifies the signature of the one before it. Skip a link and every later authority refuses. Our attestation process guide explains what each authority checks.
Issuing authority
University, hospital, court or civil registry confirms the document is genuine.
Home country notary or state authentication
Required in many jurisdictions before the foreign ministry will act, for example state-level authentication or HRD attestation for educational documents.
Home country Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Attests the preceding seals and signatures. In some apostille countries, such as the Philippines and the United Kingdom, this stage is the apostille.
UAE Embassy in the issuing country
The link that connects the foreign chain to the UAE system. It is done by the UAE mission in that country, by courier or a representative if you are not there; it cannot be done at a counter in Dubai.
UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Completed here. Only after this is the document usable for a visa, licence or employment file.
Legal translation, if required
For a document already in English, translation into Arabic comes after attestation, never before: a translation prepared first will not carry the stamps and must be redone. A document in another language needs its official translation planned into the chain, because MOFA accepts documents only in Arabic or English or with an official translation.
Bringing an unattested original to the UAE and expecting to finish the chain from here. You cannot. The document must go back for the first links, adding weeks plus courier risk. If you are relocating, attest everything before you fly.
An apostille alone is not enough for the UAE
The UAE is not a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. The HCCH status table (130 Contracting Parties, last updated 30 June 2026) does not list it, and we found no accession announcement when we re-checked on 10 October 2026. So an apostille on its own does not make a foreign document usable here: the UAE Embassy or Consulate in the issuing country and MOFA UAE must still attest it.
What has changed is the first stamp. As more countries joined the Convention, their foreign ministries replaced embassy legalisation with the apostille, and some UAE missions now ask for it: the UAE Embassy in London wants the FCDO certificate. For Philippine documents, check the current requirement with the UAE Embassy in Manila before you start. India's MEA still issues normal attestation for the UAE route. Several missions, including New Delhi, Islamabad and London, also offer one digital application that covers the embassy and MOFA stages together. Our apostille vs attestation guide sets out the rule country by country.
Degree recognition: the step people discover too late
For some jobs an attested degree is still not enough. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) issues a degree recognition report, often still called an "equivalency certificate" or wrongly a "MOHRE equivalency", confirming that a foreign qualification is genuine and comes from an accredited university. MOHRE asks for it for skilled work permits, and it is also used for the Golden Visa, teacher licensing and many employers. It is a separate application with a published service time of 18 working days after an approved partner has verified the degree. Recognition is not attestation, and many files need both; our degree recognition guide covers fees and steps.
The usual pattern: attestation completes, everyone assumes the job is done, and recognition surfaces weeks later when the work permit is held up. We flag it at the outset so it runs in parallel rather than sequentially.
What we need to give you a real answer
Send us photographs showing
- The front of each document
- The reverse, including any stamps already applied
- Any attestation stickers or seals, legible
- The passport page of the person named on the document
- What the document is for: visa, licence, employment or professional registration
From that we map the exact remaining sequence, the cost, and a realistic date. Before anything is couriered anywhere.
Which document is needed for which application
| Document | Used for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Degree certificate (degree attestation) | Skilled employment visa, professional licensing, Golden Visa | MoHESR recognition often also required; attest the final degree, not the provisional certificate |
| Marriage certificate (marriage attestation) | Spouse sponsorship on a family visa | Names must match passports exactly |
| Birth certificate | Child sponsorship, school enrolment | Both parents' names must appear |
| Police clearance | Certain visas and professions | Short validity, so time it carefully |
| Commercial documents | Company formation, branch registration | Board resolutions, MoA, powers of attorney; charged at AED 2,000 each at MOFA |
| Death certificate | Estate and dependant matters | |
| Experience certificates | Professional registration | Issuer must be verifiable |
Documents issued in the UAE and used here do not need this chain. For the final UAE stamp on its own, including UAE documents going abroad, see our MOFA attestation service.
More attestation questions
How long does UAE attestation take?
Four to ten weeks end to end for a foreign degree, longer if MoHESR recognition is also needed. The UAE MOFA link itself takes 2 hours for an eligible digital document or 1 to 3 business days by courier, which is why quoted timelines vary so wildly: many quotes describe that final step alone.
Can you attest my documents if I am already in the UAE?
Yes, but only the MOFA stage happens here. The earlier stages are done in the issuing country, so the original usually has to be couriered back or handled by a representative there. Attest before relocating wherever possible.
Why does attestation cost differ so much between countries?
Because each country's own authentication and foreign ministry fees differ, as do UAE mission charges. The UAE-side fee is fixed: AED 150 per personal document and AED 2,000 per commercial document at MOFA. Our attestation cost guide lists each country's published fees.
Is an apostille enough for the UAE?
No. The UAE has not joined the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostilled document still needs the UAE Embassy and MOFA stages. In the UK, for example, the FCDO certificate is the stamp the UAE Embassy in London certifies next; for Philippine documents, check the current requirement with the UAE Embassy in Manila before you start.
Do I need an equivalency certificate as well?
For many skilled jobs, yes. It is the MoHESR degree recognition report, not a MOHRE document, and it is a separate application from attestation with a published service time of 18 working days after the degree has been verified.
- MOFA UAE: Attestation services (channels, digital attestation, processing times)
- MOFA UAE: FAQs (AED 150 personal and AED 2,000 commercial documents)
- MOFA UAE: Attestation guide
- UAE Legislation: Cabinet Resolution No. 38 of 2022 on MOFA service fees
- UAE Embassy London: Attestation service
- UAE Embassy New Delhi: Digital attestation
- HCCH: Apostille Convention status table
- u.ae: Student admission and qualification recognition
- MOFA UAE: Verify an attested document
MOFA attestation fees, payment channels and processing times, the UAE's apostille status and the MoHESR degree recognition rule re-checked against mofa.gov.ae, UAE mission pages, the HCCH status table and u.ae on 10 October 2026. Government fees can change; the MOFA payment screen is final.
Deadlines
The dates that cost money if you miss them
120 days
From birth to finish a UAE-born baby's papers
The attested birth certificate, passport, Emirates ID and residence visa must be done within 120 days of birth; u.ae states AED 100 a day after that and the baby cannot leave the UAE. u.ae
30 days
To register a birth in the UAE
Residents have a maximum of 30 days to register a birth, and the hospital or health authority asks for an attested marriage certificate, in Arabic or with an Arabic translation. u.ae
14 days
To pay for import invoice attestation
Commercial invoices go through MOFA's eDAS; pay within 14 days of the bill of entry or MOFA adds AED 500 per invoice on top of the attestation fee. mofa.gov.ae
Questions
Attestation questions
Short answers to what clients ask first. Anything else, ask us directly.
Ask on WhatsAppWhich documents need attestation for a family visa?
The marriage certificate for a spouse and the birth certificate for each child, where they were issued outside the UAE. GDRFA Dubai relies on them to prove the relationship, so attest them through the full chain before you apply, with a legal translation where the receiving authority asks for one.
Do you need my original certificate?
Usually yes at some point in the chain, though we can assess the route and quote from a clear scan. We will tell you exactly when the original is required and how it is handled.
Can I attest a document while I am outside the UAE?
The origin-country steps happen there in any case. We coordinate those and complete the MOFA step here once the document arrives legalised.
Does my degree need attesting for a work visa?
Only if the job needs it. MOHRE asks for an attested degree, and often MoHESR degree recognition, when the work permit is for a skilled job title, and professional licences and degree-based Golden Visa routes ask for it too. Many other roles need no degree at all. We check against the specific job title rather than assuming.
Should I translate before or after attestation?
After, for a document already in English: a translation into Arabic prepared first will not show the attestation stamps and usually has to be redone. A document in another language is different, because MOFA needs it in Arabic or English or with an official translation, so we plan that translation into the chain.
What if my document is not in English or Arabic?
MOFA accepts documents only in Arabic or English or with an official translation. We confirm with the UAE mission whether the translation should be attested with the original abroad or prepared in the UAE by a translator licensed by the Ministry of Justice.
Can you attest a UAE document for use abroad?
Yes. The chain runs the other way: MOFA UAE first, then the destination country’s embassy in the UAE or the UAE embassy there, depending on that country’s rules. Eligible UAE-issued digital documents can be attested by MOFA online within 2 hours in working hours.
Knowledge Hub
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45 min readSpecific services and related services
- MOFA AttestationThe final UAE stamp that completes an overseas document.Official fees from AED 150
- Degree Certificate AttestationThe full chain plus MOHRE equivalency — sequenced so nothing is wasted.Official fees from AED 150
- Marriage Certificate AttestationRequired before any spouse sponsorship. Start it before you fly.Official fees from AED 150
- Birth Certificate AttestationRequired for child sponsorship — and both parents must be named on it.Official fees from AED 150
- Legal TranslationMOJ-certified Arabic translation — after attestation, never before.
- Business SetupMainland, free zone and offshore company formation, planned around your visas.
- Employment VisaWork permits, entry permits, medical, Emirates ID and stamping.Fees at the counter from AED 2,837.93
- Family & Residence VisaSponsor a spouse, children or parents — assessed before you apply.Fees at the counter from AED 1,955
- Golden & Investor VisaLong-term residence, assessed against the right category.Fees at the counter from AED 3,820
- Emirates ID & TypingApplications, renewals, corrections and Amer typing.Fees at the counter from AED 385
- Fines & AbscondingOverstay fines, absconding cases, bans — checked and cleared.Official fees from AED 172.20
Fixed quote
Get your attestation sequenced properly
Send us a scan of the document and tell us what it is needed for. We will map the exact chain for your issuing country and give you a realistic timeline before you commit.
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- Call+971 56 897 4054
- Emailinfo@mirdxbpro.com
- HoursWhatsApp us any time, 24 hours; office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00 (Dubai time)
- OfficeAl Barsha 1, Dubai, UAE
MIRDXB PRO is a private PRO services and document-typing company acting solely on the written authorisation of its clients. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official agent of MOHRE, ICP, GDRFA Dubai, Amer, Tasheel, Dubai DET, Dubai Police, RTA or the Dubai Land Department. Government fees, eligibility rules and processing times are set by the relevant authority and can change without notice. Confirm current requirements for your case during your consultation.