Fees and steps checked on
Philippines degree attestation makes a Philippine college diploma valid in the UAE for a work visa, a professional licence or degree recognition. The route is: CHED Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV), DFA apostille, UAE Embassy Manila attestation, then MOFA attestation in the UAE. You can stay in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah while it is done.
Price: The Philippines is quoted per document. Send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price, all official fees included, before any work starts. See attestation fees.
Who needs a Philippine diploma attested
- Professionals hired for skilled roles, where the UAE work permit asks for an attested degree. See degree attestation for a UAE work visa.
- Nurses, engineers, teachers and accountants applying for a UAE licence.
- Anyone applying for degree recognition in the UAE. See equivalency certificate in the UAE.
Step by step: UAE embassy attestation procedure in the Philippines
- Notarisation where needed. The UAE route lists a notary step for some documents. We tell you if your diploma needs it.
- CHED CAV. The Commission on Higher Education issues a Certification, Authentication and Verification for college degrees.
- DFA apostille. The Department of Foreign Affairs apostilles the document: regular (about 4 working days) or expedited (next business day).
- UAE Embassy in Manila. The embassy attests the apostilled diploma, processed through VFS Global.
- MOFA in the UAE. MOFA attests the diploma. Where the digital route applies, the embassy and MOFA stamps come together.
- Return. The attested diploma comes back to you in the UAE.
Fees and timing
| Step | Who stamps it | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| Education verification | CHED (college), TESDA (vocational), DepEd (school) | depends on the agency |
| Apostille, regular | Department of Foreign Affairs | about 4 working days |
| Apostille, expedited | Department of Foreign Affairs | next business day |
| UAE embassy | UAE Embassy, Manila (via VFS Global) | confirmed with your quote |
| MOFA | UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs | confirmed with your quote |
Our total price includes every official fee and the courier. You get the full timeline with your quote.
Documents you need
- The original diploma (not laminated)
- The transcript of records, which CHED uses for the CAV
- A copy of your passport
Red ribbon, apostille and the UAE
Before 14 May 2019 the DFA authenticated documents with a red ribbon. Since the Philippines joined the Apostille Convention, the DFA issues an apostille instead. The UAE is not a member of the convention, so a Philippine apostille alone is still not accepted here: the UAE Embassy in Manila and MOFA must attest the document after the DFA. See attestation vs apostille.
Common problems with Philippine diplomas
- Skipping the CAV. Without CHED (or TESDA or DepEd) verification, the DFA step can be refused.
- Laminated diplomas. MOFA does not accept them.
- Stopping at the DFA. The apostille is not the last step for the UAE.
See why attestation gets rejected.
Other Philippine documents
For a family visa, see Philippines marriage certificate attestation and Philippines birth certificate attestation. For every document type, see Philippines certificate attestation.
What to send us
Send a clear photo or PDF first, so we can read the name, the school and the degree title. For the full file we need:
- The original diploma, flat and not laminated
- The transcript of records, because CHED uses it for the CAV
- A copy of the passport photo page
- A marriage certificate or other name-change document, if the name on the diploma is not the name on your passport
The original leaves your hands and travels through the chain, so we agree the plan and the total price with you before it moves.
When name differences cause trouble
Many Filipino professionals, especially married women, hold a diploma in one surname and a passport in another. The UAE visa and licensing offices compare the two. Tell us before the file starts, so the supporting document goes in with it. Our guide on name mismatch on your certificate explains the usual fixes.
How to plan the timing
The chain has four offices in two countries, so the length depends on the slowest step, not the average. Use the DFA expedited option when your deadline is tight, and ask us for a dated timeline with your quote. Do not book a start date, a licence appointment or a visa change on the assumption that the file is quick.
How to check the result
When the diploma returns, look for the CHED CAV, the DFA apostille, the UAE Embassy Manila attestation and the MOFA stamp. Then verify the MOFA stamp at verify.mofa.gov.ae. Keep the transcript and CAV together with the diploma, because some employers and licensing bodies ask to see them.
