Fees and steps checked on
Cuba certificate attestation is the route that makes a Cuban título, certificación de notas, birth or marriage certificate valid in the UAE. Two things are unusual. Cuba is outside the Hague Apostille Convention, so there is no apostille shortcut at all. And the UAE Embassy in Havana runs MOFA's digital attestation, so once the Cuban legalisation is done, one application gives you both the embassy stamp and MOFA attestation.
Price: Send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price plus VAT, all official fees included, before any work starts. See attestation fees.
How a Cuban document reaches the UAE
- Request the document in Cuba. Civil records come from the registro civil. For degrees, the certificación de notas and plan de estudios are requested formally from the Ministry of Higher Education (MES) before anything is legalised.
- Cuban legalisation. Requests go through an authorised legal services entity such as Consultoría Jurídica Internacional. Since 3 February 2025, legalisation of documents for use abroad sits with the Ministry of Justice (MINJUS) rather than MINREX, under Council of Ministers Agreement 10035/24.
- UAE Embassy in Havana, digital. You apply on the UAE MOFA website with UAE PASS and select the Republic of Cuba. A MOFA-approved provider collects the original, and the document comes back by email attested by the embassy and MOFA together. The embassy says most requests are completed within 2 to 3 business days.
- Translation. Spanish documents need English or Arabic for UAE use. See legal translation in Dubai.
The UAE Embassy page still says Cuban documents must first be attested by the Cuban foreign ministry. Because Cuba changed the responsible ministry in 2025, we check the stamp on your document before it is submitted, so it is not rejected at the embassy.
Timeline: plan for Cuba, not for the UAE
| Stage | What to expect |
|---|---|
| University documents from MES | Cuban officials have described delays of six months to a year for study plans and transcripts |
| Legalisation at MINJUS | News reports describe waits of several months for some applicants |
| UAE Embassy in Havana and MOFA | Usually 2 to 3 business days on the digital route |
If a UAE employer or visa deadline is close, tell us at the start. Civil documents usually move faster than academic ones, so we may suggest starting with the document your visa needs first.
Cuban documents we handle
- Título universitario with notas and plan de estudios, for a work permit or degree certificate attestation
- Certificado de nacimiento for a child's residence visa: see birth certificate attestation
- Certificado de matrimonio for spouse sponsorship: see marriage certificate attestation
- Divorce, death and single-status certificates for family and court matters in the UAE
Official fees
At the UAE stage, the mission fee and MOFA's fee are both paid on the MOFA portal for the digital route. Your quote includes them, along with the Cuban fees.
From the UAE
The original must physically reach Havana for the embassy step, so a relative or courier carries it. You do not need to travel. The attested PDF arrives by email and the original is returned.
Holding a second set of papers from the Dominican Republic? The route is on Dominican Republic certificate attestation, and both sets can go into one request.
Cuban pitfalls
- Old MINREX stamp versus new MINJUS stamp. Check which one your document carries.
- Academic file incomplete. Without notas and plan de estudios, recognition in the UAE can stall later.
- Laminated carné or certificates. They cannot be attested.
More countries are on attestation by country.
