Degree Attested and Translated: What HR Actually Needs

You accepted a job offer in the UAE. HR sent you a checklist. Somewhere between “passport copy” and “medical fitness certificate” it says: “Degree, attested and translated.” You stare at it. You have your degree. It’s in English. What else could they possibly want?

Turns out, they want two separate things. And most people confuse them, mix up the order, or pay for the wrong one. Here’s what each term actually means.

Attestation and translation are not the same thing

Attestation is verification. It proves your degree is genuine. A chain of government offices stamps it, each one confirming the previous stamp is real. The final stamp comes from the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Translation is language conversion. It takes your degree, whatever language it’s in, and produces an Arabic version. For government use, that Arabic translation needs to be done by an MOJ-licensed translator in the UAE.

They’re two separate services. You need both. And the order matters.

Attestation comes first

This trips up a lot of people. You cannot translate first and then attest the translation. The attestation goes on the original document. The translation comes after.

The attestation chain depends on where your degree was issued:

• India, UK, US, Canada, Philippines. These countries are Hague Convention members. You get an apostille from the designated authority in your home country. That apostille is accepted by UAE authorities directly.
• Pakistan, UAE-issued degrees, and other non-Hague countries. You need embassy attestation from the UAE Embassy in your home country, followed by MOFA attestation in the UAE.

If your degree is already attested from a previous visa or job, check the stamps. They might still be valid. MOFA attestation doesn’t expire, but some employers want it done within the last year.

Then comes the translation

Once your degree is attested, you need it translated into Arabic. For MOHRE work permit applications, this must be an MOJ-certified translation. That means a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice stamps and signs the Arabic version.

If your degree is in English and the translation is for your HR file only, a certified translation without MOJ is usually enough. Ask your HR contact whether they’re submitting it to MOHRE or keeping it internally.

The mistakes that cost you weeks

Getting a translation done in your home country. UAE government offices don’t accept translations done abroad. Even if translated by a sworn translator in Germany or India, you still need a new UAE translation by an MOJ-licensed translator. For a detailed walkthrough of the full process including common rejection reasons, see our degree certificate translation guide.

Translating before attesting. The translator needs to see the attestation stamps on your original document. Those stamps become part of the translated version. If you translate first, you’ll need to translate again after attestation.

Getting MOJ when you only need certified. If your HR department just needs it for their records, you’ll pay more for MOJ certification that nobody asked for. Clarify before you order. But if it’s for MOHRE work permit submission, MOJ-certified legal translation is mandatory. No exceptions.

What to tell HR

If your degree is in English and already attested, you only need the translation. Most standard degree certificates take one business day to translate. If you also need attestation, plan for 1-4 weeks depending on your home country.

Not sure whether your attestation is still valid or which translation type HR needs? Send your degree on WhatsApp: +971 50 862 0217. We’ll check your stamps and tell you exactly what you need before you pay for anything.