MY
Documents from Malaysia
UAE attestation for Malaysian documents
UAE attestation for a Malaysian document takes four signatures in order. The issuing body in Malaysia comes first (a university, the National Registration Department, or a notary for private papers). Then Wisma Putra, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Putrajaya, legalises it. The UAE embassy in Kuala Lumpur stamps it, and MOFA in the UAE attests it for use in Dubai or anywhere else in the country.
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
Malaysian professionals in the UAE mostly need degrees attested for work and licensing, and families need birth and marriage certificates for residence visas. Documents issued in Malay need a translation; many Malaysian degrees are already in English.
At a glance
- MOFA’s FAQ gives the order: Malaysian foreign ministry, UAE embassy in Malaysia, MOFA. Source: MOFA FAQ.
- A certificate that is only in Malay has to be translated, as MOFA works in Arabic and English. Source: MOFA attestation service.
- Whatever Malaysia does for Hague countries, the UAE is outside that system and still wants its own embassy stamp. Source: HCCH status table. Malaysia is not a party either: it does not appear in the HCCH status table.
- MOFA fee: AED 150 personal, AED 2,000 commercial. Source: MOFA FAQ.
Side by side
The Malaysian side
| Document | Signs first in Malaysia | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| University degree and transcript | The university registrar | Private university degrees may need an extra accreditation check. |
| Birth certificate | National Registration Department (JPN) | Ask JPN for a current extract if yours is old or damaged. |
| Non-Muslim marriage certificate | National Registration Department (JPN) | Registered under civil law. |
| Muslim marriage certificate | The state Islamic religious department | Different issuing office, so a different first step. |
| Letters, declarations, copies | A notary public or commissioner for oaths | Needed before Wisma Putra will act on private documents. |
| Company documents | Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), a notary | Commercial class at MOFA. |
Wisma Putra legalises after these.
Private university degrees
Malaysia has many private universities and branch campuses of foreign universities. A UAE employer or licensing body may look closely at which body awarded the degree: the Malaysian campus, or the foreign parent university. If the parchment names a university in another country, the attestation may have to go through that country instead. Check the name on the parchment before you begin. For degrees used in licensing, an equivalency check may also be needed. See degree equivalency in the UAE.
Malay, English and names
JPN certificates and some older school documents are in Malay. Translate them into English or Arabic either in Malaysia, before the Malaysian stamps, or in the UAE after MOFA. See legalized translation in Dubai.
Malay names follow a pattern of given name plus father’s name (with “bin” or “binti”), which UAE forms sometimes split in the wrong place. Make sure the translation and your passport show your full name in the same order.
Handling the Malaysian steps from Dubai
A family member in Malaysia can usually take your documents to the issuing office, Wisma Putra and the UAE embassy with an authority letter and your passport copy. Send originals by tracked courier and keep scans.
Documents going to Malaysia
A Dubai birth certificate for a Malaysian child, or a UAE marriage certificate for registration at home, goes through MOFA first and then the Malaysian embassy in Abu Dhabi if it requires legalisation. See legalising UAE documents for use abroad.
Step by step
How we help with Malaysian files
01
You send photos; we tell you which Malaysian body signs first for each one.
02
For degrees from a private or branch campus, we check the awarding university before anything is posted.
03
We draft the letter that lets your relative act for you at each Malaysian office.
04
Once the UAE embassy stamp is on, we take the documents through MOFA here.
05
We book an Arabic legal translation in the UAE if you want one.
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 |
| Full chain including the Malaysian side | Quote after we see the document | Malaysian office, Wisma Putra, UAE embassy and MOFA fees at cost |
Checklist
Contact us about a Malaysian document
Send photos of the document and tell us what it is for in the UAE.
- Phone and WhatsApp: +971 52 947 5935
- Email: info@dubainotaryservices.com
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Wisma Putra the same as MOFA?
Wisma Putra is Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. MOFA in this context is the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Your document needs both, with the UAE embassy in Kuala Lumpur in between.
My degree is from a foreign university’s campus in Malaysia. Which country attests it?
It depends on who awarded it. If the parchment is issued by the parent university abroad, that country’s route may apply. Send us the parchment and we will tell you.
Do I need to translate my JPN birth certificate?
If it is only in Malay, yes, because MOFA needs Arabic or English. If it already carries English, a translation may not be needed.
Can the Malaysian embassy in Abu Dhabi attest my degree for a UAE job?
No. The Malaysian embassy handles documents going to Malaysia. For UAE use you need Wisma Putra and the UAE embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Get a written quote
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.
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