Fees and steps checked on
Medical certificate attestation is the official check that makes a medical report, fitness certificate, sick leave or vaccination record valid with an employer, school, court or authority. A UAE-issued medical document is attested by the health authority (MOHAP or, for Dubai sick leave, the Dubai Health Authority) and then by MOFA if it will be used abroad. A foreign medical report needs its own country's foreign ministry, the UAE embassy, and MOFA attestation.
Price: a UAE medical document that only needs MOFA attestation is from AED 250 plus VAT, all official fees included. A UK report signed by a registered doctor is from AED 985 plus VAT on the standard route, and a US report with a notarised signature AED 1,025 plus VAT. Medical reports from other countries are quoted: send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price, all official fees included, before any work starts. See attestation fees.
When a medical certificate needs attestation
- Sick leave for an employer. A sick leave from a UAE clinic or hospital is attested by MOHAP or, in Dubai, the DHA. See sick leave attestation.
- Medical reports for use abroad, for insurance claims, treatment continuity, a court case or a visa abroad.
- Foreign medical reports for use in the UAE, for example for an insurance file, a school, or a court.
Attesting a UAE medical certificate or report
- Health authority attestation. MOHAP attests sick leaves and medical reports from private and government facilities; Dubai-issued sick leave is attested by the DHA. Submit within one month of issue.
- Length of leave matters. Leaves of 5 days or less are usually attested instantly. Longer leaves, up to a month, go to a medical sub-committee for a fee, and leaves over a month go to the Higher Medical Committee.
- MOFA attestation, if the document will be used outside the UAE: online or by courier, usually 2 to 3 working days.
- Destination embassy in the UAE, if the receiving country asks for it. See attesting UAE documents for use abroad.
Attesting a medical report from abroad
- Original report signed and stamped by the doctor or hospital.
- Notary or health ministry check in the issuing country, where required. In the UK, private documents must be certified by a notary or solicitor before FCDO legalisation.
- Foreign ministry of that country.
- UAE embassy and MOFA. For the UK and the USA, both stamps are added together on MOFA's digital route, usually in 2 to 3 working days for that stage.
- Translation into Arabic or English, if needed, by a legal translator.
| Where the document was issued | Usual time | Our total price |
|---|---|---|
| UAE, MOFA attestation only | 2 to 3 working days | from AED 250 plus VAT |
| UK | 22 to 24 working days (standard) | from AED 985 plus VAT |
| USA | about 7 weeks | from AED 1,025 plus VAT |
| Canada | 4 to 6 weeks | from AED 1,900 plus VAT |
| Other countries, see attestation by country | depends on the country | quoted after you share a copy |
Documents you need
- The original medical certificate or report, signed and stamped, not laminated
- A copy of the patient's passport or Emirates ID
- For sick leave: the leave issued by the facility within the last month
- The country or authority where it will be used
Certified true copies
Some receivers will take a certified true copy of a medical report instead of the original. MOFA itself attests originals, or digital documents with a QR code or reference number, so check what the receiver wants before ordering a copy.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Missing the one-month window for sick leave attestation.
- Unsigned or unstamped report. The health authority cannot attest it.
- Report in another language without a legal translation.
- Apostille only on a foreign report: not accepted in the UAE.
See why attestation gets rejected for more.
