Fees and steps checked on
Sri Lanka degree attestation makes a bachelor's, master's or diploma from a Sri Lankan university valid for a UAE work permit, a professional licence or degree recognition. The chain runs from the university to Sri Lanka's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which authenticates degrees through its e-DAS system, and then to the UAE Embassy in Colombo. That last step is digital and already includes MOFA attestation, so nothing is left to stamp in Dubai.
Price: There is no fixed price for Sri Lanka. Send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price plus VAT, all official fees included, before any work starts. See attestation fees.
We are a private document service, not MOFA, an embassy or a government office. We prepare and track the file, and we offer free document pickup and delivery anywhere in Dubai.
Which documents you need
- The original degree certificate from the university, not a result sheet or a letter confirming results.
- The academic transcript, if the UAE employer, licensing body or the Ministry of Higher Education asks for it.
- A clear passport copy, so the name on the degree can be matched.
- Your UAE PASS details, or permission for us to file the MOFA application for you.
Do not laminate the degree. The UAE Embassy in Colombo refuses laminated documents, and each paper is processed on its own, so a degree and a transcript are two applications.
Step by step for a Sri Lankan degree
- University records check. The examinations branch or registrar of the university confirms the degree. For universities linked to e-DAS this is done online between the foreign ministry and the university.
- Education step where needed. VFS lists the Ministry of Education for educational certificates. We tell you from your copy whether your degree goes there first.
- Foreign ministry authentication in Colombo. The Consular Affairs Division authenticates the degree. A relative can lodge it, or the original travels by courier.
- UAE Embassy in Colombo, digital. The application is filed on the MOFA website with Sri Lanka as the country of issuance. VFS Lanka collects the original, and the degree comes back by email attested by the embassy and MOFA together.
- Original returned. The paper degree is couriered back to you. The emailed copy is what you show the employer or the visa office.
Degrees that do not go through Colombo
Many Sri Lankans in the UAE hold degrees awarded by UK, Australian or Indian universities, often studied at a private campus in Colombo or Kandy. Those degrees follow the chain of the awarding country, not the Sri Lankan one. Check the name of the university printed on the certificate before you start. If it says University of London, for example, the UK route applies.
After attestation: recognition in the UAE
A skilled work permit usually needs only the attested degree. Teachers, engineers and health workers are often also asked for degree recognition by the Ministry of Higher Education, which needs the attested degree, the transcript and the exact study dates. See equivalency certificate in the UAE. Attest the transcript in the same round to avoid a second trip to Colombo.
Common problems with Sri Lankan degrees
- Initials instead of full names. A degree issued to "W.A.D. Perera" and a passport showing four full names is a frequent query. Send the passport copy with the degree so we can flag it early.
- Only a provisional letter. Some graduates leave for the UAE before the final certificate is ready. The foreign ministry authenticates the degree certificate, so collect it from the university first.
- Sinhala or Tamil wording. Most degrees are in English, but older certificates and some transcripts are not. MOFA needs English or Arabic, or a certified legal translation.
For the full list of Sri Lankan documents, see Sri Lanka certificate attestation. The rules that apply to degrees from every country are on degree certificate attestation.
