Fees and steps checked on
British Virgin Islands certificate attestation is mainly a company matter. BVI business companies are widely used as holding vehicles, and when one becomes a shareholder in a UAE free zone company, opens a UAE bank account or appoints a manager in Dubai, its documents must be attested for the UAE. The published route is a BVI apostille, then FCDO legalisation in the UK, then the UAE Embassy in London, and finally MOFA attestation at the commercial rate.
Price: Send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price plus VAT, all official fees included, before any work starts. Company files are priced by the number of documents. See attestation fees.
The BVI route, as the UAE Embassy in London sets it
- BVI notary, unless the document already carries the original signature of a BVI official such as the Registrar of Companies.
- BVI apostille from the territory's government. The Governor, the Deputy Governor, the Registrar of the High Court, the Registrar of Companies or the Director of Financial Services can affix it. Delivered in the morning, a document can often be apostilled the same day.
- FCDO legalisation in the UK. The UAE Embassy in London requires documents from British Overseas Territories to be legalised by the FCDO after the territory's apostille.
- UAE Embassy in London, which attests documents from the UK and the overseas territories.
- MOFA in the UAE, unless the embassy issues a digital attestation that already includes MOFA. That is confirmed for your file.
BVI company documents we attest
| Document | Usual UAE use | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of incorporation | Free zone shareholder file, bank account | Its own apostille |
| Memorandum and articles of association | Free zone registration | Must be attested separately, not bundled |
| Register of directors and members | Proof of who controls the company | Usually certified by the registered agent first |
| Certificate of incumbency | Bank KYC, free zone file | Issued by the registered agent, so notarised before the apostille |
| Certificate of good standing | Free zone and bank files | Confirm with the registry which version you need |
| Board resolution | Appointing a manager or signatory in the UAE | Commercial at the UAE stage |
| Power of attorney | Acting for the company in the UAE | Commercial content means the commercial fee |
For the general process across countries, see company documents attestation and power of attorney attestation.
Why the order matters
The UAE Embassy in London does not accept documents apostilled in a bundle, and it will not attest the memorandum and articles as one item with other papers. Each document needs its own apostille and its own FCDO legalisation. Planning this at the BVI stage avoids sending documents back across the Atlantic.
Personal documents from the BVI
Birth and marriage certificates from the BVI civil registry follow the same apostille, FCDO and London route, at the personal rate in the UAE. Official personal documents must be originals; laminated ones are refused.
Fees we can state
Every official fee and the courier are included in the total price you get before any work starts. That covers MOFA, the UAE mission, the BVI apostille and the FCDO.
Common BVI problems
- One apostille over a stapled pack. Refused in London. Split the documents.
- Agent-issued documents without a notary. A certificate of incumbency signed by a registered agent needs notarisation before the apostille.
- Skipping the FCDO. The BVI apostille alone is not enough for the UAE Embassy in London.
- Commercial power of attorney priced as personal. It is charged at the commercial rate.
UK-registered companies follow a shorter route: see UK company documents attestation. For Caribbean states, see Caribbean certificate attestation.
