Fees and steps checked on
Morocco certificate attestation makes a Moroccan marriage act, birth certificate, diploma or company document valid in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates. The Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates legalises the document. The UAE Embassy in Rabat then attests it digitally, and that attestation includes MOFA attestation, so it is ready to use in the UAE.
Price: send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price plus VAT, all official fees included, before any work starts. French documents also need translation, which changes the total, so each file is quoted on its own. See attestation fees.
Apostille or legalisation?
This is the main confusion with Moroccan papers. Morocco joined the Apostille Convention in August 2016, and Moroccan prosecutors now issue apostilles for use in member countries. The UAE is not a member. For Dubai, the Moroccan document needs the foreign ministry's legalisation, then the UAE embassy. An apostille you already have does not hurt, but it does not replace those two steps. Background: attestation vs apostille.
The Moroccan route
- Notary or issuing office. Civil status acts come from the commune; a power of attorney is signed before a Moroccan notary or legal authority.
- Moroccan Ministry of Education. For diplomas and school certificates only.
- Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Legalisation of the Moroccan stamps.
- UAE Embassy in Rabat, digital. You apply on the UAE MOFA website with UAE PASS and pick Morocco as the country of issue. An approved provider collects the original within about 24 hours, and you receive the document by email attested by the embassy and MOFA.
- Original returned. The courier brings it back 24 to 48 hours after the embassy releases it, or 48 to 72 hours for remote areas.
Moroccan documents and their steps
| Document | Language you usually get | Steps before the UAE embassy |
|---|---|---|
| Acte de mariage (marriage act) | Arabic, sometimes French | Issuing office, Moroccan MFA |
| Extrait d'acte de naissance (birth extract) | Arabic and French | Commune, Moroccan MFA |
| Diplôme, baccalauréat | French or Arabic | Education ministry, Moroccan MFA |
| Procuration (power of attorney) | Arabic or French | Moroccan notary, Moroccan MFA |
| Company documents | French | Issuing body, Moroccan MFA (UAE commercial fee) |
All official fees are included in our total price.
French documents need translation
MOFA accepts documents in Arabic or English. Many Moroccan diplomas and company papers are issued in French only. Those need a legal translation into Arabic or English by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice. Arabic-language Moroccan acts need no translation for MOFA.
Starting from the UAE
If you live in Dubai, the Moroccan side can still be done without flying to Rabat. According to VFS Global, files started from abroad usually need a passport copy certified by a Moroccan embassy or consulate, and an authorisation letter witnessed there, so someone in Morocco can act for you. Those two papers are done at a Moroccan mission in the UAE. MOFA itself lets anyone file the UAE application on your behalf.
Timing
The UAE part is quick once the Moroccan stamps are on the document: pickup in about a day and return a day or two after the embassy releases it. The Moroccan side takes longer, especially when a diploma needs the education ministry or a French document needs translation in the UAE afterwards. Your full timeline is given with the quote, before you commit.
Families in the UAE often hold papers from more than one country. If some of yours come from Algeria, use the route on Algeria certificate attestation for those.
Problems with Moroccan files
- Apostille instead of legalisation. The most frequent cause of a wasted trip.
- Names in French and Arabic. "Mohammed" on the acte, "Mohamed" on the passport. Keep a passport copy in the file.
- Bundled papers. Each document is attested on its own.
- Lamination. Refused by the UAE side.
For a spouse visa, see marriage certificate attestation; for work, degree certificate attestation.
