Fees and steps checked on
Italy certificate attestation makes an Italian laurea, certificato di nascita, estratto di matrimonio or company document valid in the UAE. The chain is: notarisation and translation, legalisation at the Prefettura, the UAE Embassy in Rome, then MOFA attestation. Italians and Italian-educated professionals in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah need it for work visas, family visas and school places.
Price: Italy 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 Italian attestation works, step by step
- Notarisation and translation. The document is notarised where needed and translated, so that the text reaching MOFA is in Arabic or English.
- Prefettura legalisation. The Prefettura (the state's office in each province) legalises the signature of the Italian official or notary.
- UAE Embassy in Rome. The embassy attests the legalised document, booked through the MOFA portal and VFS Global, MOFA's attestation service provider.
- MOFA. The document receives MOFA attestation in the UAE and is ready for your visa, job or school file.
Italy differs from most countries here: translation sits at the start of the chain, not the end, so the stamps cover the translated text.
Italian documents and their route
| Document | Issued by | Before the Prefettura | Our total price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurea, diploma di maturità | University or school | notarisation and translation | quoted after you share a copy |
| Certificato di nascita, estratto di matrimonio | Comune (civil registry) | translation | quoted after you share a copy |
| Visura camerale, company deeds | Chamber of commerce or notaio | notarisation and translation | quoted after you share a copy |
| Procura (power of attorney) | You, before a notaio | notarisation and translation | quoted after you share a copy |
Official fees on the Italian route
| Step | Who stamps it | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| Notarisation | Italian notaio | by appointment |
| Translation | Sworn translator | confirmed with your quote |
| Legalisation | Prefettura | confirmed with your quote |
| UAE embassy | UAE Embassy in Rome | confirmed with your quote |
| MOFA | UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs | confirmed with your quote |
Every official fee sits inside the total you are quoted, with the courier both ways.
Italian translation in Dubai
If your Italian document is already attested but not translated, or the receiving office in the UAE asks for an Arabic version, the translation can be done in the UAE by a translator licensed by the Ministry of Justice. A Dubai notary can attest the translator's signature. See legal translation in Dubai.
Digital certified true copies and the original rule
People often ask whether a digital certified true copy of an Italian certificate will do. MOFA accepts the original, or a digital document that carries a verification feature such as a QR code. A scan, a photo or a plain PDF copy is refused. If you need a certified copy for another purpose, see certified true copy in Dubai.
Which Italian documents people attest most
- Degrees (laurea): for skilled work permits and degree recognition. See degree certificate attestation.
- Birth certificates: for a child's residence visa or school admission. See birth certificate attestation.
- Marriage extracts: to sponsor a spouse on a family visa.
- Company documents: a visura camerale or board resolution to set up a UAE company, filed at MOFA as commercial documents.
After the Italian attestation
Keep the translation attached to the original: the Prefettura and the UAE Embassy in Rome stamped them as one file. You can check the MOFA attestation at verify.mofa.gov.ae with the reference number and issue date.
Already in the UAE?
Hand over the original in Dubai. It goes to Italy for notarisation, translation and the Prefettura, then to the UAE Embassy in Rome, then back for MOFA. You do not need to travel to your comune or Prefettura yourself.
Families in the UAE often hold papers from more than one country. If some of yours come from Switzerland, use the route on Switzerland certificate attestation for those.
Common problems with Italian documents
- Apostille instead of legalisation. The UAE does not accept an Italian apostille alone.
- Translation added at the end. On the Italian route it belongs before the Prefettura.
- Multilingual extracts used as a shortcut. Ask us first if the UAE office receiving it accepts the format you hold.
- Scans and digital copies. MOFA needs the original or a verifiable digital document.
- Laminated originals. Refused at MOFA.
What to send us
Send a photo of the document first, and tell us which comune, university or notaio issued it. We confirm the route and the total price. For the full file we need the original, not laminated, and a copy of the passport photo page. If the Italian spelling of your name differs from your passport, tell us at the start. The original leaves your hands and travels through the chain, so we agree the plan with you before it moves.
Who needs Italian attestation in the UAE
Italian graduates applying for skilled work, parents who need a birth extract for a child's visa, spouses sponsoring on a family visa, and owners setting up a UAE company with a visura camerale or similar deed.
