An authorisation letter lets a named person, such as an agent or a relative, submit or collect your documents. Inside the UAE you often do not need one, because MOFA lets anyone apply on someone else's behalf. You need one when a registry, university, ministry or embassy releases documents only to the owner or a named representative.
When do you need an authorisation letter?
The rule depends on the office, not on attestation in general. These are the common cases.
| Situation | Letter needed? | What the office asks for |
|---|---|---|
| MOFA attestation applied for in the UAE | Usually no | MOFA says anyone may apply for someone else |
| Philippine DFA apostille through a representative | Yes | Signed authorisation letter, copy of the owner's ID with signature, the representative's ID; a special power of attorney for a minor's documents |
| Collecting a duplicate degree or transcript | Often | Set by the university; many ask for a letter and ID copies |
| Moroccan documents filed from abroad | Yes | A passport copy certified by a Moroccan mission and an authorisation letter witnessed by a Moroccan consulate |
| A company sending a staff member to an embassy in the UAE | Often | Letter on company letterhead naming the representative, with their passport and Emirates ID |
| Signing, swearing or deciding anything for you | A letter is not enough | Power of attorney |
The Philippine route is explained on Philippines certificate attestation, and the Moroccan one on Morocco certificate attestation.
Authorisation letter or power of attorney?
A letter covers paperwork: handing in, paying for and picking up documents. It does not let anyone sign or swear in your name.
If your representative has to sign an application as you, swear an affidavit, deal with property, or represent you in a court or bank, you need a power of attorney. A power of attorney is notarised, and when it is used in another country it goes through the attestation chain. See power of attorney attestation and power of attorney in Dubai.
What should the letter contain?
Keep it specific. Offices refuse vague letters more often than short ones.
- Your full name exactly as in your passport, with the passport number
- The representative's full name and passport, Emirates ID or national ID number
- The exact documents, for example "my bachelor's degree certificate issued by the University of X in 2015"
- The office and the tasks: submit, pay fees, collect
- The date and how long the authority lasts
- Your signature, matching the signature on your ID
- Copies of your ID and the representative's ID, attached
Write the names the same way as on the documents. A different spelling on the letter is a common reason for a refusal at the counter. See name mismatch on your certificate.
Sample authorisation letter
Adapt the details to your case and check the office's own wording first.
Date: 17 October 2026
To: The Attestation Section, [name of office]
Subject: Authorisation to submit and collect documents
I, [full name as in passport], holder of passport number [number], authorise [representative's full name], holder of [passport, Emirates ID or national ID] number [number], to submit, pay the fees for and collect the following documents on my behalf:
- [Document, issuing authority and year]
- [Document, issuing authority and year]
This authorisation is valid from [date] to [date] and covers only the documents listed above.
Copies of my passport and of my representative's identity document are attached.
Signature: ____________
Name: [full name]
Contact: [your contact details]
Does the letter need to be notarised or attested?
Only when the office asks. A plain signed letter is enough for many counters, including the Philippine DFA for representatives. Some offices want the signature notarised, and some, such as Moroccan authorities for filings from abroad, want it witnessed by their own consulate. If the office mentions a notary or a consulate, follow that exactly.
Why do authorisation letters get refused?
- The documents are not named. "All my documents" is too vague for most counters.
- The signature does not match the ID. Sign the way you sign your passport.
- The letter has expired or has no date at all.
- The task needs a power of attorney, such as signing a form as you or swearing a statement.
- No ID copies attached for you and for your representative.
If you live in the UAE and your documents are in your home country, see attesting documents without travelling home for how the whole chain can run without you.
Example: a marriage certificate when one spouse is abroad
Married couples often split the work. One spouse is in Dubai, the other is at home near the registry.
- The spouse at home orders the marriage certificate from the registry, with a letter from the absent spouse if the registry asks for one.
- The home country steps follow: notary where needed and the foreign ministry, with a representative letter where that office requires it.
- The spouse in the UAE applies on the MOFA portal for the UAE embassy and MOFA attestation, which needs no letter because anyone may apply.
- The courier collects the original, and the attested document comes back for the family visa file.
See marriage certificate attestation for the full route.
How we help
We are a private document service in Bur Dubai, not MOFA and not a government office. Because MOFA allows another person to apply for you, we can handle the UAE side without your UAE PASS login. Send a photo of your documents on WhatsApp and tell us where they are. We tell you whether any office in your chain needs a signed letter or a power of attorney, and the total price, all official fees included, before any work starts. See attestation fees.
