Fees and steps checked on
Germany certificate attestation makes a German university degree, Zeugnis, marriage certificate, birth certificate or company document valid in the UAE. The usual chain is: a true copy from the university or the issuing authority, pre-certification by the Federal Office of Administration (BVA) where required, the UAE Embassy in Berlin, then MOFA attestation. Because MOFA accepts only Arabic or English, most German documents also need a legal translation.
Price: Germany 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.
How German attestation works, step by step
- University true copy or issuing authority. A degree is usually certified by the university itself (a beglaubigte Kopie) or confirmed by the authority that issued the document, such as the Standesamt for civil records.
- BVA pre-certification. The Bundesverwaltungsamt pre-certifies the document so that the UAE Embassy can legalise it. The exact pre-certifying office depends on the document, and we confirm it from your copy.
- UAE Embassy in Berlin. The embassy attests the pre-certified document, booked through the MOFA portal and VFS Global, MOFA's attestation service provider.
- Legal translation. A German document is translated into Arabic or English by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice.
- MOFA. The document receives MOFA attestation and can be used for a visa, licence or school file in the UAE.
German documents and their route
| Document | Typical issuer | First step | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor, Master, Diplom, Staatsexamen | University | university true copy, then BVA | needed if German only |
| Abitur or school Zeugnis | School or state education authority | issuing authority, then BVA | needed if German only |
| Marriage, birth certificate | Standesamt | issuing authority, then BVA | needed if German only |
| Certificate of good conduct | German authority | pre-certification | needed if German only |
| Company register extract, power of attorney | Court register or German notary | notary, then pre-certification | needed if German only |
Every German file is quoted after you share a copy, with all official fees included.
Steps on the German route
| Step | Who stamps it | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| True copy or confirmation | University or issuing authority | confirmed with your quote |
| Pre-certification | BVA or the competent German office | confirmed with your quote |
| UAE embassy | UAE Embassy in Berlin | confirmed with your quote |
| Translation | Translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice | confirmed with your quote |
| MOFA | UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs | confirmed with your quote |
Every official fee and the courier are included in the total price you get before any work starts.
German legal translation in Dubai
Searches for "German to English translation Dubai" and "German legal translation" usually come from people with exactly this problem: MOFA will not accept a German-only document. The translation must be done by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice under Federal Decree-Law No. 22 of 2022. We arrange it as part of the chain so the order is right. See legal translation in Dubai.
Which German documents people attest most
- Degrees: for skilled work permits, golden visa applications and degree recognition. See degree certificate attestation.
- Marriage certificates from the Standesamt: to sponsor a spouse. See marriage certificate attestation.
- Company documents: a Handelsregister extract or board resolution to set up or run a UAE entity, attested by MOFA as a commercial document.
Already in the UAE?
Hand over the original in Dubai. It goes to Germany for the true copy and pre-certification steps, then the UAE Embassy in Berlin, then back for translation and MOFA. You do not need to travel or contact the BVA yourself.
A spouse or child with certificates from the Netherlands needs that country's own chain: see Netherlands certificate attestation.
Common problems with German documents
- Going straight to the UAE Embassy. Without pre-certification in Germany, the embassy does not attest.
- Plain photocopies. Use a university-certified true copy or the original.
- Translating at the wrong moment. The translation has to fit the stamps already on the document. We confirm where it fits in the chain for your document.
- Relying on the apostille. A German apostille is not accepted in the UAE.
- Laminated originals. MOFA does not accept them.
Other countries are listed on attestation by country.
