Fees and steps checked on
USA company documents attestation is how an American corporation or LLC proves its existence and decisions to a UAE licensing authority, free zone or bank. Corporate documents are first attested by the Secretary of State of the state concerned, then by the US Department of State, then by the UAE Embassy, which attests them digitally together with MOFA. The chain takes about 7 weeks.
Price: from AED 4,000 plus VAT per commercial document, about 7 weeks, all official fees included. See attestation fees.
US corporate documents the UAE commonly asks for
- Certificate of incorporation or formation, issued by the Secretary of State of the state of registration.
- Certificate of good standing, from the same Secretary of State, showing the company is active.
- Articles or certificate of organisation and bylaws or operating agreement, as certified copies.
- Board or members' resolution approving the UAE branch, subsidiary or appointment, notarised in the US.
- Corporate power of attorney for the UAE manager or signatory. See USA power of attorney attestation.
The exact list comes from the UAE authority issuing your licence, so get it in writing before ordering anything in the US.
Timing at each stage
| Stage | Who acts | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| Notary (resolutions, powers of attorney) | US notary public | varies |
| State | Secretary of State | varies by state |
| Federal | US Department of State, Office of Authentications | about 5 weeks by mail |
| UAE | UAE Embassy via VFS, with MOFA, digital | usually 2 to 3 working days |
Our from-price includes every official fee and courier.
USA company documents attestation step by step
- Get the list from the UAE licensing authority, free zone or bank.
- Order state certificates of incorporation and good standing from the state of registration.
- Notarise company-made documents such as resolutions in the state where they are signed.
- Secretary of State. Business and corporate documents are attested by the local Secretary of State first.
- US Department of State. Form DS-4194, each document separately.
- UAE Embassy and MOFA. VFS Global has handled the Washington embassy's attestation since 21 August 2025; the embassy and MOFA attest together through the MOFA portal.
- Translation. A legal translation into Arabic if the authority needs one.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Good standing too old. Authorities often want a recent certificate. Order it close to the start of the chain.
- Resolution signed in one state, company in another. Each document follows the Secretary of State that issued or notarised it, which can mean two states in one file.
- Bundles. Bundled apostilles are refused. Each document is processed alone and carries its own fees.
- Invoices in the same batch. Commercial invoices use eDAS. See commercial document attestation.
General rules for foreign company papers are on company documents attestation, and the US chain for personal documents is on USA certificate attestation.
