FAQs
Notary and attestation FAQs
Answers to common questions about our notary public services in Dubai, in person at our office, on a home visit or online, and about true copies, attestation, the steps and the costs.
Notary services
Notary public services in Dubai
What notary services do you offer?
We have in-house, in person notary public services, online notary public services and home visit notary services. You can sign in person at our office, book a home visit, or use our online notary service where your document allows it. We notarise powers of attorney, affidavits, declarations, signatures and true copies.
What is the main difference between a Notary Public and a Private Notary?
A notary public at a Dubai Courts notary office works inside the court. A private notary is a lawyer on the Dubai Courts roll of notaries and can come to your location. The Dubai fee for a trip outside the place of work is AED 1,000.
Do all documents for notarization need to be in Arabic?
The language of notarised instruments is Arabic, with a conditional exception. In practice many documents are prepared in Arabic and English. We check the language your document needs before it is notarised.
Can a Power of Attorney (POA) be notarized online?
Some can. The UAE Ministry of Justice runs an E-Notary System, and Dubai Courts supports virtual attendance for some services. Which documents qualify depends on the document and the authority, so ask us before you plan around it. Our online notary page explains the steps.
What is required to notarize a corporate document like an MOA?
Who must sign before the notary public depends on the document and the company, so we check this with you before the signing. The MOA is usually prepared in Arabic and English.
What happens if there is a mistake in my document?
Errors, handwritten changes or details that do not match your IDs can stop a document at the signing. We check the draft against your IDs first, so it is right on the day.
Is an online notarization as legally valid as an in-person one?
For the documents a remote channel is approved for, the result is a notarised document. Whether an office abroad accepts it is that office’s decision, so ask it first.
Can you help draft the document that needs to be notarized?
Yes. We draft or check powers of attorney, MOAs and other documents, and our in-house notary public services notarise them in person at our office, on a home visit or online where allowed.
What is “witnessing of signatures”?
It is when a notary public watches you sign, checks your ID and applies the seal to confirm the signature is yours. It is often needed for forms and letters going abroad. See signature attestation in Dubai.
General questions
Before you contact us
What are your office hours?
Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7. WhatsApp messages sent outside office hours are answered, and the signing is booked in office hours.
Do I need an appointment?
Yes, please contact us first by phone, WhatsApp or email. We check your document and tell you whether it is best signed in person at our office, on a home visit or online.
Where is your office located?
We are in Dubai. We have in-house, in person notary public services, online notary public services and home visit notary services. Our Contact Us page has our phone, WhatsApp and email.
What languages does your team speak?
Tell us which language you prefer when you contact us, and we will tell you how we can help.
How do you ensure the confidentiality of my documents?
We use your documents only for your request. We share them only with the offices they must go through, such as MOFA or an embassy, and with no one else without your consent.
Can you handle urgent requests?
Yes. If your document is urgent, send it today and we tell you the earliest appointment and the quickest route available. Urgent handling starts from AED 250.
What makes you different from other service providers?
We have in-house, in person notary public services, online notary public services and home visit notary services. We tell you the full route before we quote, we show our service price and each government fee on separate lines, and we take the document on to MOFA and the embassy when it needs attestation.
How do I get started?
The best way to start is to contact us via phone, WhatsApp, or email with your specific needs. Send a photo of your document and the name of the office that asked for it. We reply with the route and a written quote.
Certified true copy
True copies
Who can certify a true copy in Dubai?
Our in-house notary public services certify that a copy matches its original. Some offices also accept a copy certified by a lawyer, so ask the office that will receive it which one it wants. See true copies before attestation.
Do I need my original document present?
Yes, presenting the original document is mandatory. It must be compared with the photocopy before the copy is certified.
What is the primary benefit of a Certified True Copy?
You can send a certified copy instead of the original, so the original stays with you. Check first that the office receiving it accepts a certified copy.
How long does the certification process take?
It depends on the appointment. Send us the document and we tell you the earliest time it can be certified, in person at our office or on a home visit.
Which documents are most often certified as true copies?
The copies we handle most often are passports, Emirates IDs, degrees and transcripts, utility bills for proof of address, and marriage or birth certificates.
Is a Certified True Copy accepted everywhere?
Acceptance is decided by the office that receives it. For government use in another country, the copy may need MOFA attestation and the embassy of that country in the UAE. The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so an apostille is not available for UAE documents.
Is a certified copy the same as a notarized copy?
Many people use both names for the same thing: a copy that a notary public has checked against its original and certified. Some offices also accept a copy certified by a lawyer, so ask the office that will receive it.
Document attestation
Attestation after the notary
What is Document Attestation?
Document Attestation is the process of getting stamps and seals from various government departments to make a document issued in one country legally valid for use in another country.
What is MOFA Attestation?
MOFA stands for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A MOFA attestation is typically the final stamp required in the legalization process, both in the document’s home country and upon its arrival in the UAE. See MOFA attestation in Dubai.
What is an Apostille?
An Apostille is a simplified, single certificate of attestation that is recognized by all member countries of the Hague Apostille Convention. The UAE is not a party to the Convention, so documents going to or coming from the UAE still go through MOFA and embassy legalisation.
Why do I need my degree certificate attested?
Many UAE employers, regulators and visa offices ask for an attested degree, especially for professional job titles. It proves to the authorities that your educational qualification is genuine and from a recognized institution.
Can you handle the entire attestation process for me?
Yes. Our in-house notary public services do the notary step, and from Dubai we tell you what is needed in the home country, prepare any letters, and take the document through MOFA and the embassy step in the UAE.
Do I need to be in the UAE for my documents to be attested?
Usually not. MOFA lets anyone attest documents on your behalf, and its courier service covers addresses inside the UAE.
How long does international attestation take?
The timeline varies greatly depending on the country of origin and the specific document. We give you an expected date when we quote.
Process and payments
Quotes, payment and delivery
How do I get a quote for your services?
The best way is to contact us with the details of your request (service needed, document type, country of origin). We reply with the route and a written quote, with our service price and each government fee on separate lines. Our notary charges in Dubai page lists the starting prices.
What payment methods do you accept?
We confirm the payment options with your written quote.
How can I track the status of my documents?
We send you updates by email or WhatsApp at each key stage of the process.
Do you offer courier services for documents?
Yes. Courier pickup and delivery is available as an add-on, from AED 80. Tell us the address and we confirm what applies.
Is your pricing all-inclusive?
Our quote lists every item on its own line. All service prices are starting prices and are negotiable. Government fees are paid on top, at cost, exactly as the authority charges them. We confirm your final price before you pay.
Still have questions?
Send us a photo of your document and the name of the office that asked for it, and we reply with the route and a written quote. Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7.
- Phone: +971 52 947 5935
- WhatsApp: +971 52 947 5935
- Email: info@dubainotaryservices.com