Attestation Guide in Dubai

Not all documents require attestation. Documents already issued in the UAE (like Emirates ID, trade licenses, or UAE court documents) do not need attestation. Foreign documents intended for official use in UAE—employment, visa applications, education enrollment, business setup, or court proceedings—typically require the full attestation chain ending with MOFA UAE.

An apostille is a simplified form of authentication used between countries that have joined the Hague Apostille Convention. Attestation (or legalisation) is the full chain of authentication required for non-Hague countries. Since the UAE is NOT a Hague member, all foreign documents still need UAE Embassy attestation and MOFA attestation, even if they have an apostille from the issuing country.

No. The UAE has NOT joined the Hague Apostille Convention. This means documents from Hague member countries (like USA, UK, India) still need UAE Embassy attestation and MOFA attestation after the apostille. The apostille simplifies the home country authentication step, but does not eliminate the UAE attestation requirement.

Yes. India joined the Hague Apostille Convention in July 2005. Indian documents can receive an MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) apostille, which replaces the old embassy chain in the home country. However, since UAE is not a Hague member, Indian documents still need UAE Embassy attestation and MOFA attestation after the MEA apostille.

Generally, you complete attestation first, then translate. The attested original document is what gets translated. Some authorities want to see that the translation was done from a properly attested document. We can advise on the specific sequence for your use case—in some situations (like urgent visa applications), we may be able to work in parallel.

Timelines vary significantly by country and document type. Home country authentication can take 1-2 weeks (or same-day if using expedited services). UAE Embassy attestation typically takes 3-5 business days. MOFA UAE attestation takes 1-3 business days. Total time from start to finish is usually 2-4 weeks, though rush services can compress this.

Partially. You can complete MOFA attestation in UAE. However, home country authentication and UAE Embassy attestation must be done in the issuing country before the document arrives in UAE. Some people have family members or agents handle the home country steps while they are in UAE.

Rejections usually happen due to: missing steps in the attestation chain, photocopies instead of originals, name mismatches between documents, or laminated documents. We can review your documents before you begin to identify potential issues. If rejection occurs, we help identify the specific problem and guide you on remediation.

Requirements vary by bank and document type. For account opening, some banks accept certified translations without full attestation. For loan applications or large transactions involving foreign documents, banks often require MOFA-attested documents. We recommend checking with your specific bank before starting the attestation process.

We coordinate the UAE-side steps: MOFA attestation and translation. For the home country steps (authentication, embassy attestation), we provide detailed guidance and can recommend trusted agents in major countries. We do not directly handle overseas authentication, but we ensure you have clear instructions for each step.

Laminated documents are typically rejected for attestation. The authentication authorities cannot verify that the document hasn't been tampered with. If your document is laminated, you may need to request a new unlaminated copy from the issuing authority before starting the attestation process.

Originals are required for attestation. The stamps and signatures are applied to the original document. Photocopies cannot be attested. After attestation is complete, you can make certified copies of the attested original if you need multiple copies for different purposes.

Costs vary by country and document. Home country apostille: $10-100 depending on country. UAE Embassy attestation: typically $50-100 per document. MOFA UAE: AED 150-200 per document. Translation: AED 100-300 per page. Total cost for a single document usually ranges from AED 500-1,000, depending on the country of origin and urgency.

Countries that are NOT Hague members require the full traditional attestation chain (notary → ministry → embassy). This includes Pakistan, China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and several others. Hague member countries (USA, UK, India, Canada, Philippines) use apostille for the home country step, but still need UAE Embassy and MOFA attestation.

Bangladesh joined the Hague Apostille Convention in March 2025, and Canada joined in January 2024. Documents from these countries can now use the apostille route instead of the old embassy chain for home country authentication. The UAE Embassy and MOFA attestation requirements remain unchanged since UAE is not a Hague member.