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Rwanda certificate attestation makes a Rwandan degree, school certificate, birth certificate, marriage certificate or company document valid for a UAE visa, job or licence. Rwanda joined the Hague Apostille Convention, in force from 5 June 2024, but the UAE is not a member, so a Rwandan apostille alone is not accepted. The route is notarisation, certification by the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MINAFFET), the UAE Embassy in Kigali, then MOFA attestation in the UAE.
We are a private document service in Dubai, not MOFA, an embassy or a government office. We plan each step and bring the attested document back to you, with free document pickup and delivery anywhere in Dubai.
Price: There is no fixed price for Rwanda. Send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price plus VAT, all official fees included, before any work starts. See attestation fees.
The Rwanda to UAE attestation route
- Notarisation by the right body. MINAFFET asks for a notarised public document. Civil registry and education documents go to the Ministry of Justice notary, business documents to the Rwanda Development Board and land documents to the land authority.
- MINAFFET certification. The application is made online on Irembo, under the foreign affairs services. Since June 2024 the certificate MINAFFET issues is usually an apostille with a QR code. It is a needed step, but not the last one for the UAE.
- UAE Embassy in Kigali. The embassy attests the Rwandan certification. Rwanda is on the VFS Global list of about 50 countries whose UAE embassy attestation is processed through MOFA's service provider. The UAE fees are paid on the MOFA portal.
- MOFA in the UAE. The final stamp. When the embassy issues a digital attestation, MOFA's stamp is included.
Which Rwandan certificate the Kigali embassy accepts on your document, and how it currently receives files, is confirmed when you send a copy. See attestation vs apostille for why the UAE still asks for embassy attestation.
Rwandan documents and their usual steps
| Document | Group | Usual steps in Rwanda | UAE steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| University degree, transcript | Educational | University, MINIJUST notary, MINAFFET | UAE Embassy Kigali, MOFA |
| Secondary school certificate | Educational | Examination body, MINIJUST notary, MINAFFET | UAE Embassy Kigali, MOFA |
| Birth certificate | Personal | Civil registry, MINIJUST notary, MINAFFET | UAE Embassy Kigali, MOFA |
| Marriage certificate | Personal | Civil registry, MINIJUST notary, MINAFFET | UAE Embassy Kigali, MOFA |
| Company documents | Commercial | RDB, MINAFFET | UAE Embassy Kigali, MOFA (commercial fee) |
Our quote includes all official fees and the courier, so you see one total figure.
Kinyarwanda, French or English
MOFA accepts documents in Arabic or English. Many recent Rwandan degrees are in English. Older certificates and some civil records are in French or Kinyarwanda, and those need a legally certified translation. We tell you from your copy and arrange legal translation in Dubai when it is needed.
Already in the UAE?
You do not need to fly to Kigali. The Irembo step is online, but the UAE embassy still needs the original, so it travels by courier or with a relative and then comes back to you. MOFA allows anyone to apply on your behalf. For a skilled job, ask your employer if an equivalency certificate is also needed.
The Kigali embassy attests documents issued in Rwanda only. A degree from Uganda follows Uganda certificate attestation, and one from Kenya follows Kenya certificate attestation.
Common problems with Rwandan documents
- Apostille only. Since 2024 a Rwandan document may arrive with an apostille. For the UAE, the Kigali embassy and MOFA are still needed.
- Wrong notary. A business document notarised by the justice notary, or a degree sent to RDB, holds up the MINAFFET step.
- Name spelling. Names must match the passport used for the UAE visa.
- Lamination. MOFA does not attest laminated documents.
For a work permit, see degree certificate attestation; for a family visa, marriage certificate attestation.
