Fees and steps checked on
MOFAIC attestation is what MOFA attestation was called before 22 May 2023, when the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) was renamed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The service is the same: MOFA attests documents so they are valid in the UAE, or so UAE documents are valid abroad. What has changed is how you apply, which is now online with UAE PASS rather than at a counter.
Price: MOFA attestation of a UAE personal document 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.
Why MOFAIC became MOFA
The change came with Federal Decree-Law No. 3 of 2023, announced on 22 May 2023. The ministry dropped "and International Cooperation" from its name and became the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Many websites, map listings and older documents still use MOFAIC, and people still search for it, but every attestation today is issued by MOFA.
| Before 22 May 2023 | Today | |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry name | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Short name | MOFAIC | MOFA |
| Website for attestation | mofaic.gov.ae pages | mofa.gov.ae, Services, Attestation |
MOFAIC attestation online: where it is now
If you are looking for the old www.mofaic.gov.ae/en/services/attestation page, the current attestation service is on the MOFA website at mofa.gov.ae, under Services, Attestation, and in the UAE MOFA app. Individuals sign in with UAE PASS and companies use the MOFA company login. See MOFA attestation online for each step.
What else changed since the MOFAIC days
Besides the name, three practical things are different from what older MOFAIC guides describe:
- Counters are closed. MOFA says its Customer Happiness Centres are closed. See MOFA attestation centres.
- Digital attestation of UAE documents. Eligible UAE-issued digital PDFs can be attested online within 2 hours in working hours. MOFA began piloting this on about 27 April 2026.
- Embassy and MOFA together for documents from abroad. For several countries, including the UK and the USA, the UAE embassy and MOFA attest the document digitally in one step, usually in 2 to 3 working days for that stage. See UAE embassy attestation.
Old MOFAIC terms and what they mean today
| You may still see | What it means now |
|---|---|
| MOFAIC attestation | MOFA attestation, the same service |
| MOFAIC stamp | The MOFA attestation, paper or digital |
| MOFAIC invoice attestation | Commercial invoice attestation on eDAS 2.0 |
| MOFAIC centre or counter | Closed; apply online, through the app or through someone on your behalf |
| mofaic.gov.ae | mofa.gov.ae |
MOFAIC attestation in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah
The rename did not change anything by emirate. Fees are federal, and the process is online wherever you live. MOFA still lists offices in Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi, the Consulates District in Bur Dubai, and Rahmaniyah in Sharjah, but you do not apply at them. See MOFA attestation in Abu Dhabi and MOFA attestation in Sharjah.
MOFAIC invoice attestation
Commercial invoice attestation, once known as MOFAIC invoice attestation, now runs on MOFA's eDAS 2.0 system.
| Item | Rule today |
|---|---|
| Since | 1 February 2023 |
| When it is required | Goods valued at AED 10,000 and above |
| Late payment | Extra AED 500 per invoice if unpaid after the 14-day grace period |
| Certificates of origin | Also through eDAS 2.0, not the standard attestation service |
See commercial document attestation.
MOFAIC attestation fees, current
Every official fee and the courier are included in the total price you get before any work starts.
Documents with an older MOFAIC attestation
A document attested before May 2023 carries the ministry's former name. It was issued by the same ministry. If an employer, school or authority questions it, the attestation details can be checked through MOFA attestation verification, and our page on the MOFA stamp explains what each part shows.
How to get a MOFA (formerly MOFAIC) attestation today
- Check your document against the MOFA attestation requirements: original, not laminated, in Arabic or English, attested by the issuer.
- Apply online with UAE PASS, or have someone apply on your behalf, which MOFA allows.
- Hand over the original to the courier, or upload the digital PDF.
- Receive the attested document, usually in 1 to 3 business days by courier.
We are a private document service, not MOFA or MOFAIC, and we handle the application for you in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates. Read the full guide to MOFA attestation.
