Document Attestation Services

Document attestation is the process of authenticating documents for use in another country. For documents to be legally recognized in the UAE, they must be verified through a chain of authorities: notarization in the country of origin, authentication by that country's Foreign Ministry, attestation by the UAE Embassy, and final legalization by UAE MOFA. Without proper attestation, foreign documents have no legal standing in the UAE for visa applications, employment, business setup, or court proceedings.

Common documents requiring attestation include educational certificates (degrees, diplomas, transcripts) for employment and professional licensing, personal documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, police clearance) for visa applications and family matters, commercial documents (MOA, trade licenses, powers of attorney) for business setup and banking, and legal documents (court judgments, affidavits) for legal proceedings. The specific requirements depend on your intended use in the UAE.

Indian documents follow this attestation chain: (1) Notarization by Indian notary public, (2) Authentication by State Home Department or HRD (for educational documents), (3) Authentication by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), (4) Attestation by UAE Embassy in India, (5) Final attestation by UAE MOFA. We coordinate this entire process with our network of agents in India, typically completing the full chain in 2-3 weeks.

Attestation timelines vary by country of origin. Documents from India typically take 2-3 weeks for the complete chain. UK documents take 2-4 weeks. US documents take 3-4 weeks. Documents already partially attested move faster. UAE MOFA attestation alone takes 1-3 business days. We provide realistic timelines based on your specific documents and current processing times at each authority.

Yes. We coordinate attestation for documents from most countries including India, Pakistan, Philippines, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, European countries, and Middle Eastern countries. Each country has different requirements and processing channels. We have established networks and understand the specific procedures for each country's attestation chain.

MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) attestation is the final step in the UAE attestation chain. It verifies that the UAE Embassy attestation is genuine. MOFA attestation is required for most official uses in the UAE including visa applications, employment authorization, company formation, bank account opening, and court submissions. Some documents may be exempt—we advise on requirements for your specific use case.

Yes, expedited processing is available for urgent requirements. UAE MOFA offers express service completing in 24-48 hours instead of standard 3-5 days. For foreign attestation, expedited options depend on the country—some embassies and ministries offer priority processing for additional fees. Contact us with your deadline and we will advise on the fastest possible route.

Yes, attestation requires original documents. Stamps and signatures are applied directly to the original document at each stage of the chain. We handle your originals with care, use secure courier services with tracking, and maintain insurance coverage. You can track your document's progress throughout the attestation process.

Attestation costs depend on the country of origin and document type. UAE MOFA attestation alone starts at AED 200 per document. Full chain attestation from countries like India starts at AED 800-1,200 depending on document type and processing speed. We provide detailed quotes covering all fees (government fees, embassy fees, courier costs) before you commit—no hidden charges.

Document rejection can occur for various reasons: missing notarization, incorrect sequence, document quality issues, or discrepancies in information. If rejection occurs, we identify the issue, advise on remediation, and resubmit at no additional service fee (government fees may apply). Our experience with attestation requirements helps prevent rejections—we review documents before submission to catch potential issues.