Fees and steps checked on
The UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not accepted in Dubai, and no UAE authority can issue one. A document from abroad that carries an apostille still needs the UAE embassy attestation and MOFA attestation. A UAE document going to another country is attested by MOFA and then legalised by that country's embassy in the UAE.
Price: apostille plus UAE attestation for UK personal documents from AED 985 plus VAT, USA personal documents from AED 1,025 plus VAT and Canada personal documents from AED 1,900 plus VAT, all official fees included. For UAE documents going abroad, MOFA attestation starts from AED 250 plus VAT, all official fees included. See attestation fees.
Is the UAE in the Apostille Convention?
No. The Hague Conference status table for the Apostille Convention, last updated 30 June 2026, does not list the UAE. Some websites and even a 2026 podcast claim the UAE joined in 2021. That is false, and documents prepared on that assumption get refused.
| Country | Apostille Convention |
|---|---|
| UAE | Not a member |
| Saudi Arabia | Member, in force 7 December 2022 |
| Bahrain | Member, in force 31 December 2013 |
| Oman | Member, in force 30 January 2012 |
| Qatar, Kuwait | Not listed |
| UK, USA, Australia, South Africa, Philippines | Members |
| Canada | Member, in force 11 January 2024 |
Direction 1: documents from abroad for use in the UAE
An apostille replaces embassy legalisation only between member countries. Because the UAE is not one, your apostille counts as just one link in the chain:
- Notary or issuing authority in the home country, where the document type needs it.
- Apostille or authentication by the home foreign ministry, for example the UK FCDO or the US Department of State.
- UAE embassy attestation in that country. See embassy attestation.
- MOFA attestation, now included in the digital embassy route for the UK, the USA and several other countries. See MOFA attestation.
Some countries issue a different certificate for the UAE. Australia's DFAT, for example, issues an authentication certificate rather than an apostille for non-member countries. Canada's Global Affairs issues apostilles even for documents going to non-member countries, after which the UAE embassy step follows.
Direction 2: UAE documents for use abroad
The UAE cannot apostille its own documents. If you need a UAE marriage certificate, degree, police certificate or company document accepted in another country, even an apostille country, the route is legalisation:
- Issuing authority, for example the court, the university or the health authority.
- MOFA attestation online, with UAE PASS.
- The destination country's embassy or consulate in the UAE, if that country requires it.
Ask the receiving office abroad what it accepts. Our page on UAE documents for use abroad explains each step.
Apostille and attestation: the difference
| Apostille | Attestation for the UAE | |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues it | The home country's competent authority | A chain: home ministry, UAE embassy, MOFA |
| Works between | Convention members only | Any country and the UAE |
| Final step | One certificate | MOFA stamp, often digital |
| Accepted in Dubai alone | No | Yes |
For a longer comparison with notarisation, read attestation vs apostille.
Apostille services in Dubai and Abu Dhabi: what we actually do
You cannot get a foreign apostille at a counter in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, because the apostille is issued in the country that made the document. What we do from the UAE:
- Arrange the apostille in the home country through partners, for example the FCDO step for UK certificate attestation
- Submit the UAE embassy and MOFA application
- Check apostilled documents you already have and tell you exactly what is missing
- Handle MOFA and embassy legalisation for UAE documents going abroad
The authorities issue every apostille and stamp; our job is to prepare, submit and follow up.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Stopping at the apostille. The most common mistake. Without the UAE embassy and MOFA, the document is refused.
- Bundled apostilles from the USA. The UAE mission does not accept them; each document needs its own apostille.
- E-apostilles on a printout. Check that the UAE embassy route accepts the digital format your country issued before you rely on it.
- Asking for a "MOFA apostille". MOFA issues attestations, not apostilles. Ask for MOFA attestation and name the destination country.
What to send us
Send a photo of the document, including the apostille page, plus the passport page of the holder. We tell you whether the apostille is in a format the UAE embassy accepts, what is still missing, and the total price. Keep the apostille attached to the document: separating it can make it unusable.
How to check the finished result
After MOFA, enter the reference number and issue date printed on the attestation at verify.mofa.gov.ae. See MOFA attestation verification for the steps.
