Fees and steps checked on
Canadian birth certificate attestation is required to sponsor a child on a UAE residence visa, and schools may ask for it at enrolment. The long-form certificate from the provincial vital statistics office is apostilled by the province or Global Affairs Canada, attested by the UAE Embassy in Ottawa, and completed with MOFA in the UAE. Our service takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Price: from AED 1,900 plus VAT, 4 to 6 weeks, all official fees and courier included. See attestation fees.
Which Canadian birth certificate to use
Births are registered by each province and territory, so the certificate comes from the vital statistics office where the child was born. Most provinces issue a short-form and a long-form version. Use the long form that lists the parents: the UAE uses it to prove that the sponsor is the parent.
If you only have a short form, order the long form first. It saves a second round through the whole chain.
What it is used for in the UAE
- Sponsoring a child. Dubai's GDRFA lists an attested birth certificate for a child's residence visa, and the federal ICP applies the same in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the northern emirates.
- School admission. Schools may ask for it when a child enrols. See attestation for school admission.
- Family file. It is normally attested together with the Canadian marriage certificate.
The full list is on documents to attest for a UAE family visa.
Where your child's certificate gets its apostille
The province of birth decides who signs the Canadian half of the chain.
| Province or territory of birth | Apostille issued by | Government charge |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan | that province's own competent authority | set by the province |
| Every other province and territory | Global Affairs Canada | none at present |
Global Affairs Canada is currently working on files received about 25 business days earlier, with 5 to 10 business days of mailing on top and no express lane. That queue is the main reason to start early.
From long form to UAE visa file
- Order the long-form certificate from the vital statistics office in the province or territory of birth.
- We check whether a notary needs to certify it before the apostille, based on the copy you send.
- The competent authority from the table above issues the apostille.
- The UAE Embassy in Ottawa attests it, with online payment only and at least 3 to 5 business days allowed.
- MOFA attestation follows online in the UAE, and the certificate is delivered to you in Dubai or any other emirate.
Our AED 1,900 plus VAT from-price covers every one of these official fees and courier. Other Canadian documents are on Canada certificate attestation.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Short form sent. It may be attested and then rejected at the visa stage. Check for the parents' names first.
- French certificates. Quebec certificates can be in French. MOFA accepts Arabic or English, so add a legal translation.
- Child born in the UAE. A UAE-issued certificate has its own route, explained under birth certificate attestation.
- Name spelling. The child's and parents' names should match their passports.
- Several children. Each certificate carries its own fees. Send them together so they finish together.
