Fees and steps checked on
UK power of attorney attestation lets someone in the UAE act for you on the strength of a document you signed in Britain. You sign in front of a UK notary, the FCDO legalises the notary's signature, and the UAE Embassy in London attests the document digitally together with MOFA. After that it can be used in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates.
Price: from AED 5,200 plus VAT, about 24 working days, all official fees and courier included. See attestation fees.
When a UK power of attorney is used in the UAE
People abroad typically give a UAE-based representative authority to sell or buy property, handle a bank matter, represent them in a court case or deal with a company's licence. Companies use a power of attorney to appoint a manager or signatory for a UAE branch, which is covered with the rest of their papers on UK company documents attestation.
Before you sign, check that the wording matches what the UAE office expects. A power of attorney that is too general is a frequent reason for refusal at the receiving end, and fixing it means starting the chain again.
Sign in London or in Dubai?
| Where you sign | Route |
|---|---|
| In the UK | UK notary, FCDO, UAE Embassy London with MOFA |
| In the UAE | Dubai notary, no foreign chain |
If you will be in the UAE anyway, signing here is quicker. See power of attorney in Dubai and notary public in Dubai.
UK power of attorney attestation step by step
- Draft. Agree the wording with the person or office in the UAE who will rely on it.
- Notarisation. You sign before a UK notary public, who certifies the signature. The FCDO requires this certification for powers of attorney.
- FCDO legalisation. The FCDO verifies the notary and attaches its apostille. Registered businesses can use the Next-Day service or, with pre-approval, Restricted Urgent.
- UAE Embassy London and MOFA. The application is filed on the MOFA portal and the document collected in the UK. The embassy and MOFA attest it together, usually in 2 to 3 working days.
- Translation, if asked. If the receiving authority wants Arabic, a legal translation is prepared in the UAE.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Signed without a notary. The FCDO will not legalise it. Sign in front of the notary, not before the appointment.
- Wrong fee category. A company's power of attorney is commercial and costs more at MOFA. Tell us who the grantor is from the start.
- Passport details. The names and passport numbers in the document must match the passports exactly.
- Expecting the apostille to be enough. The UAE is not in the Apostille Convention, so the UAE Embassy stage is always needed.
The UK chain for every other document type is on UK certificate attestation, and the general rules for attesting any power of attorney are on power of attorney attestation.
