Fees and steps checked on
If you are searching for MOFA attestation near me, the short answer is that there is no MOFA counter to visit: MOFA says its Customer Happiness Centres are closed. Attestation is applied for online, on the MOFA website or app with UAE PASS, and an approved courier collects your document from your home or office anywhere in the UAE. You can also have a private service apply on your behalf, which MOFA allows.
Price: MOFA attestation of a UAE personal document handled by us is from AED 250 plus VAT, and a commercial document from AED 2,600 plus VAT, usually in 2 to 3 working days, all official fees included. See attestation fees.
Are MOFA attestation centres still open?
No. MOFA's own FAQ says its Customer Happiness Centres are closed and that its services are provided online or through the app. Many websites and map listings have not caught up, so you will still find old addresses for MOFA attestation counters in shopping malls and business districts, such as Marina Mall and Mussafah in Abu Dhabi or BurJuman in Dubai. Do not plan a trip around those listings.
MOFA offices that are still listed
MOFA still lists three offices with opening hours. They are ministry offices, not walk-in attestation counters. The Dubai branch, and the old Dubai listings people still find on maps, are covered on MOFA office in Dubai.
| Office | Location | Listed hours |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi | 8:00 to 16:00 |
| Dubai branch | Consulates District, Bur Dubai | 8:00 to 15:00 |
| Sharjah branch | Rahmaniyah, Sharjah | 8:00 to 14:00 |
The attestation application itself goes through the online system, whichever emirate you live in.
What to do instead of visiting a MOFA office
You have three options, and none of them needs a visit.
- Apply online yourself. Sign in with UAE PASS on the MOFA website or app, choose the issuing authority and document type, enter your address, choose a courier and pay. The courier contacts you to collect the original. Full steps: MOFA attestation online.
- Use digital attestation. If your UAE document is an original digital PDF with a QR code or reference number, it can be attested online within 2 hours in working hours, with nothing to hand over.
- Let a service apply for you. MOFA allows anyone to submit an application on someone else's behalf. We are a private document service in Dubai, not MOFA, and we prepare, file and track the application for you.
Near me, for documents from abroad
A degree, marriage or birth certificate issued abroad is not attested at a local office in the UAE at all. It goes through the issuing country's notary and foreign ministry, then the UAE embassy in that country. For many countries, such as the UK and the USA, the embassy and MOFA now attest it together, digitally, so the document arrives in the UAE ready to use. See UAE embassy attestation and attestation by country.
That means where you live in the UAE does not change the route. Someone in Al Ain, Fujairah or Dubai Marina follows the same steps.
Near me by emirate
- Dubai: online or courier, same as everywhere. The listed Dubai branch is in the Consulates District, Bur Dubai.
- Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Mussafah: see MOFA attestation in Abu Dhabi.
- Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain: see MOFA attestation in Sharjah and the northern emirates.
Other services people look for nearby
Some steps before MOFA do involve a local office. A UAE company document needs the chamber of commerce first, a power of attorney needs a notary, and a document in another language needs a legal translation.
| Service | Who does it |
|---|---|
| Notarised power of attorney, Dubai | Dubai Courts notary |
| Certified true copy, Dubai | Dubai Courts notary |
| Signature attestation for companies | Dubai Chambers (members), about 2 hours |
| Translator's signature attestation | Dubai Courts notary |
See certified true copy in Dubai, notary public in Dubai and legal translation in Dubai.
How long it takes without visiting anyone
| Route | Usual time |
|---|---|
| UAE digital document, online | within 2 hours in working hours |
| UAE paper document, courier inside the UAE | 1 to 3 business days |
| Courier outside the UAE | up to 7 business days |
| Document from abroad, embassy and MOFA digital stage | usually 2 to 3 working days |
Common problems when people go looking for a centre
- Visiting an old address. Map pins still show closed counters. Check MOFA's current channels before you go anywhere.
- Confusing a private typing centre with MOFA. A private office can apply for you, but it is not MOFA. Ask for the MOFA reference number so you can check the result through MOFA attestation verification.
- Bringing a document that is not ready. MOFA needs the issuing authority's attestation first. See MOFA attestation requirements.
For the full picture of the service, fees and timing, read MOFA attestation.
