Fees and steps checked on
MOFA attestation verification is done online: go to MOFA Verify at verify.mofa.gov.ae, choose Document Status, and enter the reference number and issue date printed on the attestation. The result confirms whether the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued it. Digitally attested documents can also be checked by uploading them to the Document Verification option on the UAE PASS website.
Price: checking an attestation is done on MOFA's own site. If you still need the attestation itself, MOFA attestation of a UAE personal document is from AED 250 plus VAT with us, all official fees included. See attestation fees.
Why verify a MOFA attestation
Most attestations are done by someone else: a service, an employer's agent or a family member abroad. Verification lets you, your employer or a visa officer confirm that the MOFA attestation is real before the document is submitted. It is also how HR teams and schools check documents they receive.
How to verify a MOFA attestation, step by step
- Find the attestation. On a digitally attested document, it is on the last page.
- Note two details: the reference number and the issue date.
- Open MOFA Verify at verify.mofa.gov.ae.
- Choose Document Status.
- Enter the reference number and issue date exactly as printed.
- Read the result. It shows whether MOFA issued the attestation.
Verifying with UAE PASS
MOFA's FAQ says digitally attested certificates can also be checked on the UAE PASS website. Choose the Document Verification option and upload the attested PDF. This is useful when you received the document by email, as happens on the embassy digital route for documents from the UK, the USA and several other countries.
What a valid MOFA attestation looks like
| Element | Where to find it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Reference number | On the attestation, last page of a digital document | Matches the result on verify.mofa.gov.ae |
| Date | On the attestation | Matches the issue date you enter |
| Amount paid | On the attestation | Shows a fee was paid to MOFA |
| Verification element | QR code or similar on the attestation | Leads to MOFA's verification |
On the embassy digital route, the document is attested by both the UAE embassy and MOFA together, so one digital attestation covers both steps. See the MOFA stamp for how to read each part.
MOFA verification, Dataflow and WES: not the same thing
People often mix up three different checks:
- MOFA verification confirms that a MOFA attestation is genuine, using the reference number and issue date.
- Dataflow verification is primary source verification of a degree, the first stage of degree recognition by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. See Dataflow verification.
- WES verification is a credential evaluation used mainly for study and immigration in North America. It does not replace MOFA attestation for use in the UAE, and MOFA attestation does not replace WES.
If you need a degree recognised in the UAE, you may need both attestation and recognition. See equivalency certificate in the UAE.
Checking a document you received by email
On the embassy digital route, used for documents from the UK, the USA, Jordan, Nigeria and several other countries, the attested document arrives by email, digitally attested by both the UAE embassy and MOFA, and the original comes back separately by courier. Keep the emailed PDF: it is the version that carries the attestation and the reference number.
| You have | How to check it |
|---|---|
| A digital PDF with an attestation on the last page | Upload it to UAE PASS Document Verification, or enter the reference number and issue date on verify.mofa.gov.ae |
| A paper document with a MOFA reference number | Enter the reference number and issue date on verify.mofa.gov.ae |
| Only a receipt or a message from an agent | Ask for the attested document and its MOFA reference before relying on it |
What verification does not tell you
A successful check confirms that MOFA issued the attestation. It does not confirm that the document is the right one for your purpose. A family visa, for example, needs both an attested birth certificate and a certified marriage contract, and some degree holders also need a recognition certificate. See documents to attest for a UAE family visa.
When verification fails
- Typing error. Re-enter the reference number and issue date exactly as printed.
- Older paper attestation. If there is no reference number you can read, ask whoever applied for the MOFA reference and the payment receipt.
- Document from a third party. If the person who arranged it cannot give you the MOFA reference, do not submit the document until you have it.
- Attestation never completed. If MOFA rejected the application or it was not delivered, MOFA refunds the fee within 14 working days, and the document needs a fresh application. See why attestation gets rejected.
A stamp that does not verify may be forged. Our guide on how to avoid fake attestation lists the warning signs.
Verified true copies and embassy verification
Some searches for verification are really about copies. A certified true copy confirms a copy matches the original and is made by a notary, not MOFA. See certified true copy in Dubai. An embassy verification is the UAE embassy attestation step in the issuing country.
When we handle an attestation for you, you receive the MOFA reference number so you can check it yourself on verify.mofa.gov.ae. We are a private document service, not MOFA. To apply, see MOFA attestation online.
