FR
Documents from France
France certificate attestation for Dubai
France certificate attestation for Dubai follows France’s legalisation route for countries outside the Hague system. A French public document is legalised by the legalisation office of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, then stamped by the UAE embassy in Paris, then attested by MOFA in the UAE. A private document (a letter, an attestation sur l’honneur, a company resolution) needs its signature certified first, at a town hall or by a notaire.
1
Home country
The issuing body or a notary
2
Home country
The foreign ministry
3
Home country
The UAE embassy or consulate there
4
In the UAE
MOFA in the UAE
French documents are in French, and MOFA attests Arabic or English documents or documents with a legally certified translation. So every French file needs a decision on translation before it starts.
At a glance
- MOFA’s order: foreign ministry of the issuing country, then a UAE mission in that country, then MOFA in the UAE. Source: MOFA FAQ.
- France issues apostilles for Hague countries. The UAE has not joined that convention, so an apostille is the wrong certificate for Dubai; ask for legalisation. Source: HCCH status table.
- A French only document needs a translation that MOFA accepts. Source: MOFA attestation service.
- MOFA charges AED 150 per personal document and AED 2,000 per commercial document. Source: MOFA FAQ.
Side by side
Public document or private document
| Public document | Private document | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Birth and marriage extracts from the mairie, diplomas issued by a public university, court judgments | Employer letters, sworn statements, company board minutes, contracts |
| First step | None, or a check that the signing official is on record | Signature certified at the mairie or by a notaire |
| Legalisation in France | Legalisation office of the foreign ministry | Legalisation office of the foreign ministry, on the certified signature |
| Then | UAE embassy in Paris, then MOFA | UAE embassy in Paris, then MOFA |
Civil status extracts
French town halls issue full copies (copie intégrale) and extracts of birth and marriage records. Many can also issue a multilingual extract with standard headings in several languages. Whether a UAE visa office accepts a multilingual extract without a full translation is not published, so ask the office first. For a child’s visa, use a copy that shows both parents. See birth certificate attestation in Dubai and marriage certificate attestation for a UAE family visa.
Diplomas
A diploma from a French public university or grande école may need a certified copy or a check with the issuing institution before legalisation. Private school diplomas are private documents and need their signature certified first. Some UAE employers also want the relevé de notes (transcript). See degree attestation in Dubai.
Step by step
Translation from French
Two choices:
01
A sworn translator in France
(traducteur assermenté) translates into English or Arabic, and the translation is legalised along with the original.
02
A legal translator in the UAE
translates into Arabic after MOFA, if the receiving office agrees. See legalized translation in Dubai.
The French consulate in Dubai
French citizens in the UAE sometimes ask the French consulate here to help. The consulate serves its nationals, for example with civil status and some signature certification for use in France. It does not add the UAE embassy stamp to a French document going to a UAE office.
Company documents
Kbis extracts, statuts and board decisions for a UAE subsidiary or bank account are usually certified by a notaire or the commercial court registry, legalised in France, stamped by the UAE embassy, and attested at MOFA as commercial documents. See corporate document legalization.
How we help
- We check whether your document is public or private and what must happen before legalisation.
- We help you choose where to translate.
- We take the returned document through MOFA.
- We handle the Arabic translation in the UAE if you choose that option.
Prices
Prices
| Service | Our service price | Government fees, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| MOFA stage, personal document | From AED 150 | MOFA AED 150 |
| MOFA stage, commercial document | From AED 300 | MOFA AED 2,000 |
| Legal translation | From AED 50 per page | AED 50 per page if notarised with the instrument |
| Full chain including the French side | Quote after we see the document | French, UAE embassy and MOFA fees at cost |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
I have a French apostille. Is it valid in Dubai?
No. The UAE does not take part in the apostille system. For France certificate attestation for Dubai you need legalisation in France and the UAE embassy stamp, then MOFA.
Does a French birth extract need translating?
For MOFA, yes, unless it is in English or Arabic. A multilingual extract may reduce the work, but ask the receiving office first.
Who certifies the signature on a private French document?
Usually the mairie, for a signature made by a private person, or a notaire. After that the legalisation office can act on it.
Can the UAE embassy step be done in Dubai?
No. It is done by the UAE embassy in France. The French consulate in Dubai cannot do it either.
Get a written quote
Ask about your French document
Send a photo and tell us which UAE office wants it.
- Phone and WhatsApp: +971 52 947 5935
- Email: info@dubainotaryservices.com
Sources for this page
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FAQ (attestation chain and fees): https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/faqs
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attestation service (language requirement): https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation
- HCCH, Apostille Convention status table: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41
- Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024 on notary fees: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491