Fees and steps checked on
Australia marriage certificate attestation is the step that lets you sponsor a husband or wife on a UAE family visa. Order the official certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) in the state or territory where you married, have it authenticated by DFAT, attested by the UAE Embassy in Canberra, then complete it with MOFA attestation.
Price: send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price, all official fees included, before any work starts. See attestation fees.
The certificate that counts
Australian couples often hold two documents. The decorative certificate signed by the celebrant on the day is a keepsake. The registry certificate is issued later by the BDM of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland or whichever state or territory recorded the marriage. Only the registry version can be authenticated.
Did your wedding take place overseas, for example in Bali or Fiji? Then the certificate belongs to that country, and the Australian chain does not apply.
Why the UAE asks for it
A spouse residence visa in Dubai is issued by the GDRFA, which lists an attested marriage certificate. Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the northern emirates follow the federal ICP, with the same requirement. The sponsor also has to show income of about AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus housing.
Families moving together normally attest this certificate alongside each child's Australian birth certificate. The whole list is on documents to attest for a UAE family visa.
The route, stage by stage
- Registry certificate. Ordered from the BDM where the marriage was registered.
- Notary, where needed. Some certificates pass through an Australian notary before DFAT. We confirm this from your copy.
- DFAT. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issues an authentication certificate, since the UAE does not accept apostilles.
- UAE Embassy Canberra. The embassy attests the DFAT-authenticated certificate.
- MOFA. Filed online in the UAE, because MOFA counters are closed. The finished certificate is delivered to you.
| Who | What they add |
|---|---|
| State or territory BDM | Registry certificate |
| DFAT | Authentication certificate |
| UAE Embassy Canberra | Embassy attestation |
| MOFA | Final UAE attestation |
Our quote already covers these official fees and courier. The chain for degrees and other Australian papers is on Australia certificate attestation.
What usually goes wrong
The celebrant's certificate is sent. It cannot be authenticated, and the time spent posting it is lost. Order the BDM certificate first.
An apostille is requested by mistake. If the request to DFAT does not say the UAE, you may receive an apostille, which the UAE does not accept.
Names differ between documents. If either spouse's passport spelling differs from the registry entry, the visa officer may query it. Check both before the certificate leaves Australia.
Laminated certificates. MOFA rejects laminated documents, so keep the certificate flat and unlaminated.
The general picture for marriage certificates from every country is on marriage certificate attestation.
