Fees and steps checked on
We take your certificate through every attestation stamp it needs for the UAE, so you do not have to chase notaries, ministries or embassies yourself. A degree, marriage or birth certificate from abroad is stamped by its home foreign ministry, then the UAE embassy in that country, then the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA attestation). We are a private document service: you send a photo on WhatsApp, we confirm the route and one total price before any work starts, then we handle and follow up every step.
Total: from AED 250 per document, VAT and all official fees included.
This covers:
- for a document from abroad, every stamp in the issuing country and the UAE embassy step
- the MOFA UAE fee (AED 150 per personal document, AED 2,000 per commercial document, paid to the UAE government)
- our service, courier and VAT
No other charges. UAE documents needing only MOFA: personal from AED 250, commercial from AED 2,600 (2 to 3 working days). UK personal from AED 985 (22 to 24 working days), USA personal from AED 1,025 (about 7 weeks), Canada AED 1,900 all included (4 to 6 weeks). Other countries are quoted from a copy. We confirm your exact total from a copy of your document before you pay. See attestation fees.
How does certificate attestation work in the UAE?
Document attestation in Dubai and the rest of the UAE works the same way for every document from abroad: each stamp confirms the one before it, ending with the UAE authority your employer, school or visa office trusts.
- Certify or notarise the document in the issuing country where needed. A UK degree, for example, is first certified by a UK solicitor or notary.
- Home foreign ministry. The country's foreign ministry legalises it or adds an apostille, such as the FCDO in the UK or the State Department in the USA.
- UAE embassy in that country attests the document.
- MOFA in the UAE adds the final attestation, which UAE authorities check.
For many countries, including the UK, the USA, Jordan and Nigeria, steps 3 and 4 are now done together. You apply on the MOFA portal, a courier collects the original, and the document comes back digitally attested by both the UAE embassy and MOFA, usually 2 to 3 working days for that stage. Some countries still use the older paper route with a separate MOFA step inside the UAE.
The UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. An apostille on its own is not accepted, even from a member country. See attestation vs apostille.
How much does certificate attestation cost in Dubai?
From AED 250 for a UAE document and from AED 985 for a UK one. These are our total prices. Every ministry fee, the courier and VAT are already included.
The price depends on the country that issued the document. A UAE document that needs only MOFA starts from AED 250. A UK personal document starts from AED 985 and a USA one from AED 1,025. The price band above shows the main routes, and the full fees page lists every country we price.
For any other country, send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price, all fees included, before any work starts.
| Document | Route | Typical time | From price (VAT included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE personal document | MOFA only | 2 to 3 working days | AED 250 |
| UAE commercial document | MOFA only | 2 to 3 working days | AED 2,600 |
| UK personal document, standard | Solicitor or notary, FCDO, UAE Embassy London with MOFA | 22 to 24 working days | AED 985 |
| UK personal document, premium | Same chain, faster handling | 12 to 14 working days | AED 1,600 |
| USA personal document | Notary, Secretary of State, US Department of State, UAE Embassy with MOFA | about 7 weeks | AED 1,025 |
| Canada personal or educational document | Notary, Global Affairs Canada, UAE Embassy Ottawa, MOFA | 4 to 6 weeks | AED 1,900 |
| Any other country | Quoted after you share a copy | depends on the country | quoted before work starts |
Which documents can you attest in Dubai?
Personal, educational and commercial documents all follow the same chain, but each has its own first step.
- Degree certificate attestation: degrees, diplomas and transcripts for a work visa, golden visa or recognition
- Marriage certificate attestation: for a spouse visa, which needs an attested marriage contract
- Birth certificate attestation: for a child's residence visa and school admission
- Divorce and death certificates, and the full list of personal documents we attest
- Experience and salary certificates and medical certificates
- Power of attorney attestation, and any POA prepared for you: personal, property, car, court, bank and company
- Commercial documents and company documents: board resolutions, incorporation certificates, invoices (eDAS invoice attestation, incorporation and MOA)
- KHDA and school certificates
Related services: equivalency certificates, legal translation and notary public services in Dubai.
How does attestation work for my country?
Each country has its own first steps, authorities and fees. Common paths:
- UK certificate attestation: solicitor or notary, FCDO legalisation, UAE Embassy London, MOFA
- USA certificate attestation: notary and Secretary of State where needed, US State Department, UAE Embassy, MOFA
- Canada certificate attestation: Global Affairs Canada or the province, UAE Embassy Ottawa, MOFA
- Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa
- Philippines, Egypt, Jordan, Nigeria and Kenya
- Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands
The full list, with the steps for each country, is on attestation by country.
What does a UAE-issued document need?
A document issued in the UAE, such as a UAE degree, a birth certificate from a UAE hospital or a company document, needs only MOFA attestation for use inside the UAE. That costs from AED 250 for a personal document and from AED 2,600 for a commercial one with us, usually 2 to 3 working days. If the UAE document is going abroad, it usually then needs the destination country's embassy. See UAE documents for use abroad.
Do your prices include the government fees?
Yes. We publish total prices with every official fee and the courier already included: from AED 250 for a UAE personal document (MOFA only), from AED 985 for a UK personal document on the standard route and from AED 1,025 for a USA one. Other countries are quoted after you share a copy.
MOFA's own fee is already inside our prices, not added later. See the full attestation fees in the UAE.
Do you cover Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the northern emirates?
Yes, every emirate. MOFA Customer Happiness Centres are closed, so there is no counter to queue at. MOFA attestation is applied for online with UAE PASS or through a service provider, and anyone may apply on someone else's behalf. The same service therefore covers Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and the other northern emirates.
Where can I read more about attestation?
- The complete MOFA attestation guide: fees, couriers, times and refusals
- Common MOFA attestation mistakes to avoid before you start
- Does MOFA attestation expire?
- Can you attest a photocopy, or only the original?
- Translate before or after attestation?
- Name on the certificate does not match the passport
- How to spot a fake attestation
- How to choose an attestation company in Dubai
More articles are on the attestation blog, and short answers are on the attestation FAQ.
What mistakes should I avoid?
- Laminated documents are not accepted by MOFA. Do not laminate a certificate you may need attested.
- Wrong language. Documents must be in Arabic or English, or carry a certified translation.
- Skipped home step. MOFA only attests documents already attested by the issuing side.
- Apostille only. It is not enough for the UAE on its own.
More on refusals in why attestation gets rejected. Once a document is attested, you can check it on verify.mofa.gov.ae with the reference number and issue date.
