Fees and steps checked on
US birth certificate attestation for the UAE, including Dubai, is required to sponsor a child on a UAE residence visa, and schools may ask for it at enrolment. The certified copy from the state vital records office is authenticated by that state's Secretary of State, then by the US Department of State, then attested digitally by the UAE Embassy together with MOFA. It takes about 7 weeks.
Price: AED 1,025 per document plus VAT, about 1 month and 3 weeks, all official fees included. Only a clear scanned copy is needed, so you keep your original. See attestation fees.
Which US birth certificate to use
Births in the US are registered by the state. The document you need is a certified copy issued by the state vital records office, or by the county where your state allows it, with an official signature and raised or printed seal. Choose the version that lists both parents. Hospital certificates with footprints, souvenir copies and photocopies cannot be authenticated.
What it is used for in the UAE
- Sponsoring a child. Dubai's GDRFA lists an attested birth certificate for a child's residence visa. The federal ICP applies the same rule in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the northern emirates.
- School admission. Schools may ask for an attested birth certificate when a child enrols. See attestation for school admission.
- Linking parent and child. It is normally attested with the US marriage certificate so the family file is complete.
Everything the family visa needs is on documents to attest for a UAE family visa.
The five stamps on a US birth certificate
- State vital records. Request a certified copy in the state of birth, for example from the California or Texas vital records office.
- Secretary of State of the birth state. It confirms that the registrar who signed the copy is genuine.
- Office of Authentications, US Department of State. Requested on form DS-4194; allow about 5 weeks when mailed.
- UAE Embassy in Washington, through VFS Global. Applied for on the MOFA portal; the embassy and MOFA attestation are issued together, usually within 2 to 3 working days.
- Back to you. An email with the digitally attested certificate.
The state charges for the certified copy and its authentication vary, so they are confirmed when you send the state of birth. Every official fee is inside our from-price. The full US chain for other papers is on USA certificate attestation.
US birth certificate attestation in Dubai: cost and time
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Price | AED 1,025 per document, plus VAT |
| Total time | about 1 month and 3 weeks (about 7 weeks) |
| Largest single wait | US Department of State, about 5 weeks for mailed requests |
| Embassy and MOFA | usually 2 to 3 working days, digital |
The price covers the US Department of State fee, the UAE Embassy and MOFA fees and courier. It is a from-price: the state charge for the certified copy and its authentication varies by state, so we confirm it once you tell us the state of birth. Every official fee is inside what you are quoted.
What to send us
- A clear scan of the certified copy, in colour, with the signature and seal readable. You keep the original and do not need to travel.
- The state of birth (and county if the copy came from there), because the Secretary of State must be from that state.
- No certified copy yet? Tell us. You order it from the state vital records office first, and nothing can be authenticated without it.
- The ID page of a parent's or child's passport and, if a parent's name differs from the certificate, the name-change document.
- Your visa or school date.
You live in Dubai and never have to deal with the US offices yourself. Afterwards, check the finished attestation at verify.mofa.gov.ae.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Hospital certificate sent. The most common mistake. Order the state certified copy before anything else.
- Born in one state, living in another. The certified copy and the Secretary of State must be from the state of birth.
- Several children in one envelope. Bundled apostilles are not accepted. Each birth certificate is a separate document with its own fees.
- Names that differ from passports. Check spelling of the child's and parents' names against their passports before ordering.
- Child born in the UAE. The UAE birth certificate has its own route, covered under birth certificate attestation.
After attestation, the reference number and issue date can be checked at verify.mofa.gov.ae.
