Fees and steps checked on
Senegal certificate attestation makes a Senegalese birth act, marriage act, baccalauréat, degree or company paper valid in the UAE. Since 23 March 2023 Senegal issues apostilles, but the UAE is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so the apostille is only the first stamp. After it come the UAE Embassy in Dakar and MOFA attestation 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. See attestation fees.
The 2023 change, and what it does not change
Before 2023, Senegalese papers went through classic legalisation. Senegal's accession to the Apostille Convention made life easier for documents going to Europe and other member states, and many people now arrive in Dubai with an apostille thinking the job is done. For the UAE it is not. The UAE still requires its own embassy stamp and then MOFA, as explained on attestation vs apostille.
Route for Senegalese papers
- Full original from the issuing office. Civil status centre, school, university, court or notary.
- Apostille from the Senegalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This replaces the older foreign ministry legalisation.
- UAE Embassy in Dakar. The embassy has a page on the MOFA website listing attestation among its services. The UAE fee is paid through the MOFA system.
- MOFA in the UAE. The final attestation, with its fee included in our price.
- Translation. French papers are translated into English or Arabic at the point agreed.
Birth acts: get the full copy
Official Dutch government guidance states that a Senegalese "bulletin de naissance" or "extrait de naissance" is not accepted there and a full copy of the birth act is needed. UAE offices can be just as strict about short extracts, especially for a child's residence visa. Ask the civil status centre for the full act before it is apostilled. The usual birth route is on birth certificate attestation.
Common Senegalese documents
| Document | Use in the UAE | First step in Senegal |
|---|---|---|
| Copie intégrale d'acte de naissance | Child visa, school | Civil status centre, then apostille |
| Acte de mariage | Spouse visa, family sponsorship | Civil status centre, then apostille |
| Baccalauréat, licence, master | Job offer, degree certificate attestation | University or ministry, then apostille |
| Procuration | Property or bank matters | Notary, then apostille |
French to English or Arabic
Senegalese public documents are in French. MOFA needs Arabic, English or a legally certified translation, and UAE courts work in Arabic. We arrange legal translation in Dubai so the apostille and the embassy stamp on the back are translated too.
From inside the UAE
You do not need to go to Dakar. A relative or courier handles the Senegalese steps with the original, then the paper continues to the UAE stage. MOFA allows anyone to submit on your behalf, so we file the final stamp for you.
A spouse or child with certificates from Mauritania needs that country's own chain: see Mauritania certificate attestation.
Mistakes we see
- Stopping at the apostille.
- Apostilling a short extract that the UAE office then rejects.
- Laminating the original, which MOFA refuses.
