Fees and steps checked on
Cyprus certificate attestation turns a Cypriot degree, civil certificate or company document into one that UAE authorities accept for visas, jobs and licences. The chain is the Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the UAE Embassy in Nicosia, then MOFA attestation in the UAE. The Cyprus apostille, which many people already have, is the wrong stamp for the UAE.
Price: Send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price plus VAT, all official fees included, before any work starts. Our attestation fees page lists the UAE government fees that sit inside the total.
Two ministries, two different stamps
Cyprus splits the work between two ministries, and mixing them up is the commonest mistake.
- The Ministry of Justice and Public Order issues apostilles. These are for Hague Convention countries, so they help in Europe but not in the UAE.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs certifies Cypriot documents for countries outside the Convention. This is the stamp the UAE embassy needs to see.
If your document already has an apostille, it is not wasted, but it does not replace the foreign ministry certification.
The Cyprus to UAE chain
The chain published by VFS Global, MOFA's attestation service provider, runs:
- Notarisation for copies, declarations and powers of attorney.
- Ministry of Education for degrees, diplomas and school certificates.
- Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- UAE Embassy in Nicosia. Cyprus is one of about 50 countries on the VFS attestation list, and government fees are paid on the MOFA portal.
- MOFA in the UAE. MOFA attests personal and commercial documents.
Document checklist
| Document | Steps in Cyprus | UAE steps |
|---|---|---|
| University degree and transcript | Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs | UAE Embassy Nicosia, MOFA |
| Birth certificate | Civil registry original, Ministry of Foreign Affairs | UAE Embassy Nicosia, MOFA |
| Marriage certificate | Original, Ministry of Foreign Affairs | UAE Embassy Nicosia, MOFA |
| Power of attorney | Notary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs | UAE Embassy Nicosia, MOFA |
| Certificate of incorporation, directors, shareholders | Registrar of Companies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs | UAE Embassy Nicosia, MOFA (commercial) |
Company documents from Cyprus
A Cyprus company working with a UAE free zone or bank is often asked for a set: certificate of incorporation, certificates of directors and shareholders, a board resolution and a power of attorney. Each document is attested on its own and each carries the commercial fee in the UAE, so ask for exactly the ones the UAE free zone, bank or licensing authority has listed. See company documents attestation.
Language
Cypriot public documents may be in Greek, in English or in both. MOFA accepts Arabic or English, or a legally certified translation, so a Greek-only certificate needs a certified translation. Bilingual company certificates usually do not. We can arrange legal translation in Dubai if a UAE court or employer wants Arabic as well.
From inside the UAE
You do not have to fly to Nicosia: anyone may apply for you, and the original goes to Cyprus and back by courier. Greek documents follow a different route through Athens; see Greece certificate attestation.
Problems we see
- Apostille only, as explained above.
- Skipping education. A degree sent straight to the foreign ministry can be refused.
- Laminated originals. MOFA does not accept them.
