Fees and steps checked on
South Africa certificate attestation makes a South African degree, matric certificate, marriage certificate or birth certificate valid in the UAE. The chain is: a notary where needed, SAQA for qualifications, legalisation by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the UAE Embassy in Pretoria, then MOFA attestation. It is used for work visas, family visas and school admission in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates.
Price: South Africa has no fixed price on our list. Send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price, all official fees included, before any work starts. See attestation fees.
How attesting documents in South Africa works, step by step
- Notary, where needed. Copies, affidavits and powers of attorney are signed or certified before a South African notary.
- SAQA for qualifications. Degrees, diplomas and school certificates are evaluated by the South African Qualifications Authority before legalisation.
- DIRCO legalisation. DIRCO legalises the document. See DIRCO legalisation services.
- UAE Embassy in Pretoria. The legalised document is attested by the UAE Embassy, booked through the MOFA portal and VFS Global, MOFA's attestation service provider.
- MOFA. The document receives MOFA attestation and is ready for use in the UAE.
South African documents and prices
| Document | Examples | First step | Our total price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educational | Degree, diploma, matric certificate | SAQA | quoted after you share a copy |
| Personal | Marriage, unabridged birth, divorce certificate | DIRCO | quoted after you share a copy |
| Commercial | CIPC company documents, board resolution, power of attorney | notary | quoted after you share a copy |
Official fees on the South African route
| Step | Who stamps it | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| Notary (if needed) | South African notary | by appointment |
| Qualification check | SAQA | confirmed with your quote |
| Legalisation | DIRCO | confirmed with your quote |
| UAE embassy | UAE Embassy in Pretoria | confirmed with your quote |
| MOFA | UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs | confirmed with your quote |
A word on DIRCO fees
DIRCO has publicly warned about people falsely claiming to act in its name. Our price covers our own work, the notary, SAQA where needed, couriers and the UAE embassy and MOFA steps, and you see one total price before you pay.
Which South African documents need which step
- Degrees and matric certificates: SAQA, DIRCO, UAE Embassy, MOFA. Needed for skilled work permits and licensing. See South Africa degree attestation.
- Marriage certificates: issued by Home Affairs, needed to sponsor a spouse. See South Africa marriage certificate attestation and documents for a family visa.
- Birth certificates: for a child's residence visa or school place. See South Africa birth certificate attestation.
How long the South African route takes
Each stage has its own queue: SAQA for qualifications, DIRCO in Pretoria, the UAE Embassy and finally MOFA. A marriage or birth certificate skips SAQA, so it is usually the quicker file. A degree adds the SAQA evaluation. You get a stage-by-stage timeline with your quote, and you can check the finished attestation at verify.mofa.gov.ae with its reference number and issue date. For typical times across countries, see how long attestation takes.
Already in the UAE?
Hand over the original in Dubai. It goes to South Africa for the notary, SAQA and DIRCO steps, then to the UAE Embassy in Pretoria, then MOFA. You do not need to fly home or queue anywhere yourself.
Holding a second set of papers from Kenya? The route is on Kenya certificate attestation, and both sets can go into one request.
Common problems with South African documents
- Paying someone a "DIRCO fee". There is none. Ask any provider for a breakdown.
- Degree sent without the SAQA step. It is part of the route for the UAE, so plan for it from the start.
- Apostille instead of legalisation. South Africa issues apostilles for Hague countries, but the UAE needs DIRCO legalisation plus the embassy and MOFA steps.
- Church or ceremony certificates. Use the Home Affairs certificate.
- Matric certificates for a child. A school certificate follows the same SAQA and DIRCO route as a degree, so start early if a UAE school place depends on it. See attestation for school admission.
- Laminated or scanned documents. MOFA needs the physical, unlaminated original.
