Guide: MOFA attestation
The UAE attestation process, stamp by stamp
The UAE attestation process is a chain of signatures, each one confirming the one before it. For a document issued abroad, the chain starts at the office that issued it, passes through its own country’s foreign ministry and the UAE’s mission in that country, and ends at MOFA in the UAE. For a UAE document going abroad, it starts with the UAE issuer, passes through MOFA, and ends with the receiving country’s mission in the UAE. No stamp can be skipped, because each office only checks the stamp directly before its own.
This guide lays out the whole chain, explains what each stamp actually means, and answers the questions people ask most: how long it takes, whether it expires, and which rules MOFA applies. Where a figure is not published by the authority, we say so rather than guess.
Step by step
Direction one: into the UAE
01
Issuing office.
The university, registrar, court, police or company that created the document.
02
First official check, where needed.
An education ministry, a state authority, a chamber of commerce or a notary public confirms the issuer’s signature. This step varies most between countries.
03
Home foreign ministry.
Confirms the signature of step 2.
04
UAE embassy or consulate in that country.
Confirms the foreign ministry’s signature.
05
MOFA in the UAE.
Confirms the UAE mission’s signature. The document can now be used in the UAE.
06
Arabic legal translation, where the receiving UAE office asks for it.
The country specific versions of steps 1 to 4 are on embassy attestation for Dubai. Document specific checks are on certificate attestation in Dubai.
Step by step
Direction two: out of the UAE
01
UAE issuer, and any UAE authority confirmation the document type needs (for example an education or health authority, or a notary public for a private document).
02
MOFA
attests it.
03
The receiving country’s mission in the UAE
legalises it, if that country asks.
04
Translation
into the destination country’s language, if asked.
The whole of direction two can be done inside the UAE. See legalising UAE documents for use abroad.
What the stamps mean, and what they do not
An attestation stamp says: “the signature before mine is genuine and belongs to someone authorised to sign.” It does not say the content of the document is true, and it does not translate or change the document. That is why a correct document with a wrong spelling still causes problems: the stamps confirm the signature, not the spelling. A notary’s stamp at the start confirms the signing or the copy, as explained on how to get a UAE notary stamp.
Types: personal and commercial
MOFA separates personal documents (degrees, marriage and birth certificates, police clearances) from commercial documents (company papers, invoices, commercial powers of attorney), and charges them differently: AED 150 and AED 2,000. Source: MOFA FAQ. Getting the type wrong delays the file. If you are not sure, ask before applying.
The rules MOFA applies
Original documents.
MOFA works on originals. A certified copy is a notarial document in its own right; see a true copy attested by a notary.
Language.
Arabic and English go through as they are; anything else needs a legally certified translation first.
No lamination.
A laminated document cannot be stamped.
Complete chain.
The UAE mission stamp must be on a foreign document before MOFA.
Source: MOFA attestation service.
How long it takes
MOFA publishes its own service times: within 2 hours in official working hours for digital attestation of eligible UAE digital documents, 1 to 3 business days for courier-based attestation inside the UAE, and up to 15 business days through a service provider outside the UAE. The home country steps vary by country and season. We give you an estimate for your file after we see it. If you are short of time, see fast attestation services in Dubai.
Does attestation expire?
MOFA does not state an expiry for its attestation on the pages we cite. The receiving office may still want a recent document, especially a police clearance or medical certificate, and it decides that.
Apostille and the UAE
Many countries now use a single apostille certificate instead of a chain. The UAE does not. An apostilled document still needs the UAE mission stamp and MOFA for use here, and a UAE document going to a Hague country still goes through MOFA and, where required, that country’s mission. The full explanation is on is the UAE an apostille country.
Checking an attestation afterwards
Receivers can check a MOFA attestation by its number or QR code. See MOFA attestation verification. The main service page is MOFA attestation in Dubai.
How we fit into the process
- We read your document and list the stamps already on it and the ones missing.
- We plan the home country steps with you, or with whoever holds the document.
- We complete MOFA and, for UAE documents going abroad, the foreign mission step.
- We handle the translation.
Prices
Prices
| Service | Our service price | Government fees, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| MOFA attestation, personal document (handling) | From AED 150 | MOFA AED 150 |
| MOFA attestation, commercial document (handling) | From AED 300 | MOFA AED 2,000 |
| Indian certificate attestation, full chain | From AED 250 | MOFA AED 150; India side and UAE mission fees at cost |
| Legal translation | From AED 50 per page | AED 50 per page if notarised with the instrument |
Checklist
Map your document’s route
Send a photo of the document with all stamps visible, and tell us where it will be used.
- Phone and WhatsApp: +971 52 947 5935
- Email: info@dubainotaryservices.com
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the UAE attestation process in simple words?
Every office confirms the signature of the office before it, ending with MOFA for documents used in the UAE. The stamps must be collected in order.
How many days does MOFA attestation take?
MOFA does not publish a fixed number of days on the pages we cite. We estimate it for your file.
What does the MOFA attestation stamp mean?
It means MOFA has confirmed the previous signature in the chain, so UAE offices can accept the document. It does not confirm the content.
Is the process different for company documents?
The order is the same, but the first check is often a chamber of commerce or a notary, and MOFA charges the commercial fee. See corporate document legalization.
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Send your document and know every step before you pay
Share a photo of both sides on WhatsApp and tell us where it will be used. We reply with the stamps it needs, the order they go in and the price for each one.
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Service hub
MOFA attestation in Dubai is the stamp of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (officially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shortened to MOFA or MOFAIC) that tells every.
Sources for this page
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FAQ (chain and fees): https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/faqs
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attestation service (rules): 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