Fees and steps checked on
No new MOFA attestation rules for 2027 have been announced. This page lists the rules MOFA publishes today (checked 25 October 2026). No change for 2027 has been announced; we update this page when new rules are published.
Price: our total for MOFA attestation of a UAE document starts from AED 250 plus VAT, with the MOFA fee and courier included. See UAE attestation fees 2027.
The rules that decide acceptance
| Rule | What MOFA says |
|---|---|
| Original | The document must be an original, or a digital document with a QR code |
| Language | Arabic or English, or an officially translated copy |
| Earlier steps | Already attested by the issuing authority |
| Lamination | Laminated documents are not accepted |
| Abroad | Documents issued abroad also need the UAE mission step |
Three routes
MOFA lists a digital route for eligible UAE-issued digital documents, a courier route for other UAE-issued documents and a UAE mission route for documents issued outside the UAE. Individuals sign in with UAE PASS. Commercial invoices and certificates of origin use eDAS 2.0, not these routes.
Apostille does not replace the chain
The UAE is not on the HCCH status table, so an apostille from the issuing country is one step, not the last one. The UAE embassy and then MOFA still follow. Country chains are on attestation by country.
Money rules
- Personal document: AED 150. Commercial document: AED 2,000.
- Rejected or undelivered applications are refunded within 14 working days.
- Late eDAS invoices carry a AED 500 fine after the 14 day grace period.
Why this matters for 2027
A refused document costs a courier run and weeks. We check language, lamination and the earlier stamps first, then submit each step and follow it up. Timelines are on how long attestation takes.
Common reasons a document is refused
Most refusals come from the basics: a laminated page, a document in a language other than Arabic or English with no certified translation, or a missing earlier stamp. A scan or photocopy sent where an original is needed is the other frequent cause.
Check these before you spend on the later steps, because a refusal at MOFA comes after the home country and embassy fees are already paid. We look at each paper first and tell you what is missing.
