Fees and steps checked on
South Africa degree attestation is the chain that makes a South African university degree or diploma usable for a UAE job, licence or recognition application. In order: a South African notary, SAQA verification, DIRCO legalisation in Pretoria (free), the UAE Embassy in Pretoria, then MOFA attestation. The degree travels; you stay in the UAE.
Price: South Africa 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.
The five offices that touch a South African degree
| Office | Its job on your degree |
|---|---|
| Notary public, South Africa | Certifies the degree for the government step |
| SAQA | Verifies the qualification (education step) |
| DIRCO, Pretoria | Legalises the document |
| UAE Embassy, Pretoria | Embassy attestation |
| MOFA, UAE | Final UAE attestation |
SAQA and DIRCO set their own pace, so we give you a realistic timeline with the quote instead of a figure that may not hold. Our price is one total with these charges and the courier included.
Why SAQA comes before DIRCO
For academic documents, the UAE route for South Africa includes an education check by the South African Qualifications Authority. Skipping it is a classic reason a degree stalls before it reaches the embassy. If your degree has already been verified by SAQA for another purpose, tell us: it may shorten the job.
Why people in the UAE attest South African degrees
- Work permits. Skilled roles in the UAE ask for an attested degree. Our guide to degree attestation for a UAE work visa covers what MOHRE and employers expect.
- Professional licences. Licensing authorities for teachers, nurses, engineers and other regulated jobs may ask for an attested degree.
- Golden visa. The skilled professional route needs an attested bachelor's degree, plus recognition. See attestation for the golden visa.
- Recognition. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research recognises foreign degrees after attestation. See equivalency certificate in the UAE.
What happens, in order
- You send a photo of the degree; we confirm the route.
- The original goes by courier to South Africa.
- A notary certifies it, SAQA verifies it, DIRCO legalises it.
- The UAE Embassy in Pretoria attests it.
- MOFA attests it. On the digital route, the Pretoria and MOFA stamps are issued together.
- The degree returns to you in the UAE, and the attestation can be checked at verify.mofa.gov.ae.
Beware of anyone claiming to be DIRCO
DIRCO published a scam alert about people falsely claiming to act in its name. A private service like ours charges for handling the whole chain, the notary, SAQA, the UAE stamps and the courier. We never present ourselves as DIRCO or any government body.
Before you send your degree
- The original degree (laminated certificates are refused by MOFA)
- Passport copy, plus your South African ID if you hold one
- Your transcript, only if an employer or licensing body has asked for it
Other refusal reasons and how to avoid them are on why attestation gets rejected.
Family documents from South Africa
Moving your family too? See South Africa marriage certificate attestation and South Africa birth certificate attestation, or the country overview on South Africa certificate attestation.
