Fees and steps checked on
UK birth certificate attestation for the UAE is required when you sponsor a child on a UAE residence visa, and many schools ask for it at enrolment. The full certificate from a UK register office is legalised by the FCDO, then attested by the UAE Embassy in London, which adds the MOFA attestation digitally in the same step. No solicitor is needed for a registry-issued certificate.
Price: standard service from AED 985 plus VAT (22 to 24 working days), express from AED 1,200 (18 working days) or premium from AED 1,600 (12 to 14 working days), all official fees and courier included. See attestation fees.
Which UK birth certificate to use
UK birth certificates are issued by the local register office or the General Register Office in England and Wales, by National Records of Scotland, and by the General Register Office for Northern Ireland. Use the full version that lists the parents. The short version shows only the child's details, so it cannot prove that you are the parent sponsoring the visa.
If the certificate is damaged, laminated or you cannot find it, order a fresh certified copy from the registry first. It is accepted in exactly the same way as the one issued at registration.
What the attested birth certificate is used for
- Sponsoring a child. Dubai's GDRFA lists an attested birth certificate for a child's residence visa. The same applies in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates under the federal ICP.
- School enrolment. Schools in Dubai and the other emirates may ask for an attested birth certificate when a child joins. See attestation for school admission.
- Proof of parentage. It is often paired with the UK marriage certificate attestation when both parents' names need to line up with the sponsor's file.
The complete checklist is on documents to attest for a UAE family visa.
UK birth certificate attestation step by step
- Choose the certificate. Full version, registry-issued, not a photocopy, not laminated.
- FCDO legalisation. The FCDO checks the registrar's signature or seal and attaches its apostille.
- UAE Embassy London and MOFA. The application is filed on the MOFA portal, a provider collects the certificate in the UK, and the embassy and MOFA attestation are added digitally, usually within 2 to 3 working days.
- Delivery. You get the digitally attested certificate by email and the paper certificate back by courier.
Official fees and timing
| Stage | Who stamps it | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| Legalisation | FCDO | up to 25 working days |
| Embassy and MOFA | UAE Embassy London, digital | usually 2 to 3 working days |
The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, which is why the FCDO apostille alone is not accepted. Our total already covers both stages and courier.
UK birth certificate attestation for the UAE: cost and time
| Service | Time | Price (plus VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 22 to 24 working days | from AED 985 |
| Express | 18 working days | from AED 1,200 |
| Premium | 12 to 14 working days | from AED 1,600 |
Prices are per certificate. They include the FCDO legalisation fee, the UAE Embassy and MOFA fees and the courier, so there is nothing to pay separately. For reference, the FCDO's own published fees (gov.uk, 2025) are £45 for the standard postal service, £40 for the next-day service (registered businesses only) and £100 for urgent legalisation (also registered businesses only). Those sit inside the price above. The FCDO step is the slow part, and the embassy and MOFA step then takes about 2 to 3 working days.
What to send us
- A clear photo of the full certificate on WhatsApp first. We check it is the right version and tell you the total price.
- The registry-issued certificate itself, or a fresh certified copy. The paper certificate travels to the UK and comes back to you by courier. We only ask for it once you decide to go ahead.
- The ID page of the parent's or child's passport, so the spelling of names can be checked against the certificate.
- A name-change document (marriage certificate or deed poll) if a parent's name on the certificate differs from the passport.
- Your deadline, whether that is a visa date or a school start.
Pickup and delivery across Dubai are free, so you do not need to visit an office. Once finished, the attestation can be checked at verify.mofa.gov.ae.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Short certificate sent. The most common mistake. It gets attested, then rejected at the visa stage. Check for the parents' names first.
- Child born in the UAE. A Dubai or Abu Dhabi birth certificate is a UAE document with its own route, covered under birth certificate attestation.
- Spelling differences. The child's and parents' names should match their passports. Fix differences before the certificate goes to the FCDO.
- Several children. Each certificate is a separate document with its own fees. Send them together so they move through the chain at the same time.
For other UK documents, including degrees and company papers, see UK certificate attestation.
