Fees and steps checked on
France certificate attestation makes a French diplôme, acte de naissance, acte de mariage or company document valid in the UAE. Since 1 September 2025 the chain is: a French notary where needed, the chamber of commerce (CCI) for most commercial documents, legalisation by one of the French notaries' 15 regional legalisation centres, the UAE Embassy in Paris, then MOFA attestation. Because the original is in French, a legal translation into Arabic or English is part of the job.
Price: France has no fixed price on our list. Send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price, all official fees included, before any work starts. See attestation fees.
What changed in France in 2025
Until August 2025, French public documents for non-Hague countries such as the UAE were legalised by the Bureau des légalisations of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That changed on 1 September 2025: in an answer to the French Senate, the ministry confirmed it no longer legalises French public documents, and the French notaries now issue legalisations in its place through 15 regional councils and chambers of notaries. The ministry keeps only documents issued in New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna and the French Southern Territories. Notaries have issued French apostilles since 1 May 2025, but an apostille is not enough for the UAE.
How French attestation works, step by step
- Notary, where needed. Private documents, copies and powers of attorney are signed or certified before a French notaire first.
- Chamber of commerce for company papers. Commercial documents such as invoices, statutes or board minutes usually go through the CCI first.
- Legalisation by a notarial centre. One of the 15 notarial legalisation centres legalises the signature on the public document. Requests are made online on the notaries' platform, at the centre's counter, or by post after starting the request online. Delivery is usually electronic.
- UAE Embassy in Paris. The embassy attests the legalised document, booked through the MOFA portal and VFS Global, MOFA's attestation service provider.
- Translation and MOFA. The French text is translated into Arabic or English by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice, and the document receives MOFA attestation.
French documents and their route
| Document | Issued by | Before legalisation | Our total price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diplôme, licence, master | University or Ministry of Education | certified copy where needed | quoted after you share a copy |
| Acte de naissance, acte de mariage | Mairie (civil registry) | confirmed from your copy | quoted after you share a copy |
| Kbis extract, statutes, board minutes | Greffe or company | CCI where needed | quoted after you share a copy |
| Procuration (power of attorney) | You, before a notaire | notary | quoted after you share a copy |
Steps on the French route
The notarial centres offer a normal service (3 working days) and a rapid service (24 hours). Every official fee and the courier are included in the total price you get before any work starts.
| Step | Who stamps it | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| Notary (if needed) | French notaire | by appointment |
| Chamber of commerce (company papers) | CCI | confirmed with your quote |
| Legalisation | French notarial legalisation centre | 3 working days, or 24 hours rapid |
| UAE embassy | UAE Embassy in Paris | confirmed with your quote |
| MOFA | UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs | confirmed with your quote |
The 3 working days count from when the centre can check the signature in its national database, and incomplete requests are refused, so a correct file matters more than speed.
French legal translation in Dubai
Many people searching for "French translation Dubai" or "French to English legal translation" are stuck at MOFA: it will not accept a French-only document. The translation must come from a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice under Federal Decree-Law No. 22 of 2022, and a Dubai notary attests the translator's signature. We line this up with the attestation so the translated document matches the stamps. See legal translation in Dubai.
Who needs French documents attested
- Professionals moving to Dubai or Abu Dhabi with a French degree for a skilled work permit or licence. See degree certificate attestation.
- Families sponsoring a spouse or child with a French acte de mariage or acte de naissance on a family visa.
- Companies opening a UAE branch or subsidiary with French corporate documents. See company documents attestation.
After the French attestation
The finished document carries the French legalisation, the UAE Embassy in Paris stamp, the MOFA attestation and the certified translation. Present all of them together to the UAE office that asked for it. The MOFA attestation can be checked at verify.mofa.gov.ae with its reference number and issue date.
Already in the UAE?
Hand over the original in Dubai. It goes to France for the notary, CCI and legalisation steps and to the UAE Embassy in Paris, then comes back for translation and MOFA. You do not need to return to France.
Holding a second set of papers from Belgium? The route is on Belgium certificate attestation, and both sets can go into one request.
Common problems with French documents
- Using an apostille. France issues apostilles for Hague countries, but the UAE needs legalisation and the embassy step instead. See attestation vs apostille.
- Following the old route. Guides written before September 2025 still send documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris, which no longer legalises French public documents.
- Company papers without the CCI. Commercial documents usually need the chamber of commerce step first.
- Translation by an unlicensed translator. MOFA expects a legally certified translation.
- Old extracts. A Kbis extract or civil act issued long ago may be refused by the UAE office receiving it; a recent copy avoids that.
- Laminated or photocopied originals. MOFA needs the physical, unlaminated document.
