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MOFA marriage certificate attestation is the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stamp on a marriage certificate. A marriage registered in the UAE is confirmed by the court that issued it and then attested by MOFA online, usually in 2 to 3 working days with us. A marriage certificate from abroad reaches MOFA only after the country of marriage and the UAE embassy there have attested it.
Price: a UAE marriage certificate from AED 250 plus VAT, a UK one from AED 985 plus VAT (standard route), a USA one AED 1,025 plus VAT and a Canadian one AED 1,900 plus VAT, all official fees and courier included. See attestation fees.
Which route is yours
| Where you married | Where it will be used | Route |
|---|---|---|
| In the UAE | Abroad | Issuing court, MOFA, then the destination country's embassy in the UAE if it asks |
| In the UAE | In the UAE | Usually no MOFA step; the receiving office decides |
| Abroad | In the UAE | Home country steps, UAE embassy there, MOFA (often digital, together with the embassy) |
A UAE marriage certificate for use abroad
People need this to register the marriage back home, to add a spouse to a passport, or to apply for a spouse visa in another country.
- Get the certificate from the court that registered the marriage. Marriages between Muslims are registered by the courts of each emirate. Non-Muslim couples can marry under the civil personal status rules, which the UAE government portal explains emirate by emirate.
- Make sure the issuing authority's confirmation is on it. MOFA only attests a document that its issuer has already confirmed.
- Apply for MOFA attestation online. With UAE PASS on the MOFA website or app, choosing the issuing authority and the destination country. A courier collects the original. Inside the UAE MOFA gives 1 to 3 business days for this route.
- Add the embassy stamp if needed. Some countries want their own embassy in the UAE to legalise the certificate after MOFA. Ask the office back home before you start.
The UAE is not in the Apostille Convention, so a UAE marriage certificate cannot be apostilled, even for an apostille country. More on attesting UAE documents for use abroad.
A foreign marriage certificate for use in the UAE
This is the certificate GDRFA in Dubai and ICP in the other emirates ask for when you sponsor a spouse. It cannot go straight to MOFA in the UAE.
- Official copy from the registry where you married.
- Legalisation by that country's foreign ministry or apostille authority.
- UAE embassy in that country.
- MOFA. For many countries, including the UK and the USA, this is done together with the embassy step, digitally, so nothing else is needed after the certificate arrives.
Country routes and prices are on marriage certificate attestation, and the full visa file is on documents to attest for a family visa.
Documents to send
- A photo of the marriage certificate, both sides
- Passport copies of both spouses
- The country where it will be used, for a UAE certificate
- A translation if the certificate is not in Arabic or English, or ask us to arrange a legal translation
Common problems with marriage certificates at MOFA
- Missing court confirmation. A UAE certificate without the issuer's stamp is refused at MOFA.
- Church or community certificates. A religious certificate is not always the civil record. We check from your copy which authority must confirm it first.
- Laminated certificates. MOFA does not attest laminated documents. Order a fresh copy.
- Names that do not match the passports. Fix the spelling before attestation, not after.
- Destination embassy forgotten. Some countries refuse a UAE certificate without their own embassy stamp after MOFA.
Children's certificates usually go with it: see MOFA birth certificate attestation. For the general MOFA process, read MOFA attestation.
Official sources
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