Fees and steps checked on
Canadian company documents attestation lets a Canadian parent company open a branch, a subsidiary or a free zone entity in the UAE, or a bank account here. Registry certificates and notarised resolutions are apostilled by the province or Global Affairs Canada, then attested by the UAE Embassy in Ottawa and by MOFA as commercial documents.
Price: commercial documents are quoted after you send a copy. Our quote is a total price with every official fee and courier included. See attestation fees.
Which registry issues your documents
A Canadian company is incorporated either federally or under a province. The registry that holds the file is the one that issues its certificates.
| Where the company is incorporated | Registry | Proof that it is active |
|---|---|---|
| Federal | Corporations Canada | Certificate of compliance, or certificate of existence |
| Ontario | Ontario Business Registry | Certificate of status |
| British Columbia | BC Registries | Certificate of good standing |
| Other provinces | That province's corporate registry | Its own status certificate |
A certificate of existence shows the company exists on a date, but not that its filings and fees are up to date. A certificate of compliance shows both. If a UAE office asks for proof of good standing for a federal company, this is the one that shows it.
What the UAE uses them for
- Branch or subsidiary licence. The licensing authority wants proof the parent exists and has approved the new entity.
- Free zone setup. Free zones ask for the parent's incorporation papers and a resolution naming the manager.
- Bank accounts. UAE banks check who owns and runs the parent company.
- Tenders and contracts. Some buyers ask for attested proof that the bidder is a real company.
The general rules for any country are on company documents attestation.
The Canadian chain for corporate papers
- Notary public in Canada. Board resolutions, a director's certificate or articles certified as a copy are notarised first. A registry certificate may not need this. In BC, a registry document without a raised seal must come with proof of online payment or be notarised.
- Apostille. Federal certificates go to Global Affairs Canada. Documents issued or notarised in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec or Saskatchewan go to that province's competent authority.
- UAE Embassy in Ottawa. The embassy attests the apostilled document after a booking on the MOFA portal and VFS Global. Payment is online, and it needs at least 3 to 5 business days.
- MOFA. MOFA attestation completes the chain. MOFA charges more for a commercial document than for a personal one, and our quote already includes it.
Canada joined the Apostille Convention on 11 January 2024. The UAE is not a member, so the embassy and MOFA steps cannot be skipped.
What to send
- The registry certificates, or recent certified copies of them.
- The signed board resolution and any power of attorney for the UAE manager.
- A passport copy for each signatory.
- The document list from the UAE authority, free zone or bank.
Powers of attorney signed in Canada have their own page at Canada power of attorney attestation.
Common problems with Canadian company files
- Old status certificate. Order it close to your filing date. UAE offices may refuse one that is no longer recent.
- Company name mismatch. The name on the resolution must match the registry certificate exactly.
- Translation. If the UAE authority wants Arabic, plan a legal translation once the papers are back.
- Trade invoices mixed in. Invoices and certificates of origin follow a different process, explained on commercial document attestation.
Personal documents from Canada are covered on Canada certificate attestation.
Official sources
Registry and ministry pages checked on .
