Notary public services

Certified true copy in Dubai, certified by a notary public

A certified true copy in Dubai is a photocopy that a notary public has compared with the original and certified as a true copy. The notary checks the original you bring, checks the copy against it page by page, then signs and seals the copy. You keep your original, and the office that asked receives a copy it can rely on.

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Call +971 52 947 5935

We have in-house, in person notary public services, online notary public services and home visit notary services. We prepare the copies, have them certified, and, if the office abroad asks for more, take the certified copy through MOFA and the embassy.

Before anything else, ask the receiving office one question: does it accept a certified copy, or does it want the original attested? The answer decides everything else.

Side by side

Documents we certify most often

Document	Usually asked for by
Passport and residence visa pages	Banks, companies and landlords, in the UAE and abroad
Emirates ID	Banks, employers and schools
Degrees, diplomas and transcripts	Universities and employers, when you want to keep the original
Trade licence and company papers	Foreign partners, banks and registries
Bank statements	Banks, visa offices and immigration files
Tenancy contracts and utility bills	Offices abroad that want proof of address
Driving licence	Offices abroad and insurers
Salary certificates and payslips	Banks and visa offices

Side by side

Copy or original: ask this first

The receiving office says	What you do
“Certified copy accepted”	A notary public certifies a true copy. Usually that is the last step.
“Certified copy, attested by MOFA”	Certified copy in the UAE, then MOFA, if the office confirms it accepts that.
“Certified copy, legalised for our country”	Certified copy, MOFA, then that country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE.
“Original only”	Attest the original through the full chain. A certified copy will be refused. See certificate attestation in Dubai.

Ask the office in writing and keep the answer. It is the most useful thing in the file.

Step by step

How it works, step by step

Red ink pad and two seal stamps on a white surface

01

Tell us which office asked

and what exactly it said about copies.

02

Bring the original and your ID, in person, by video or at your home.

03

We prepare the copies.

Clear, complete, every page.

04

The notary public compares each copy with the original, then signs and seals the copy.

05

Further steps, if asked.

MOFA, then the embassy of the country that will receive it, then a translation if that office wants its own language.

When a certified copy helps

You need to keep the original.

A degree you will need again, or a passport you cannot be without.

Several offices need the same document.

Each one can receive its own certified copy.

A foreign office asks for a certified copy of a UAE document.

For example, a copy of a UAE trade licence or passport page for a bank abroad. See legalising UAE documents for use abroad.

When it does not help

A UAE visa office or regulator that wants the attested original.
A foreign certificate that has not yet been attested in its home country. A certified copy in Dubai does not replace the home foreign ministry and UAE embassy steps.
A copy of a copy. The notary needs the original.

Three ways to have copies certified

In person at our office.
Online, through our online notary public services by video, using UAE remote notarisation channels such as the Ministry of Justice e-Notary system and UAE PASS. We tell you if your document can be done online. See online notary in the UAE.
At home. We come to your home, office, hospital or care home in the UAE. See home visit notary in Dubai.

How we help

We confirm with you what the receiving office will accept.
We prepare clean copies of every page.
We have the copies certified by the notary public, in person, online or at your home.
We take the certified copy to MOFA and the embassy if the office asks for it.
We prepare a legal translation if the office wants its own language. See legal translation for notarisation.

More on notarial work: public notary services in Dubai.

Prices

Service	Our service price	Government fee, paid on top at cost
Certified true copy (general)	From AED 400	Confirmed at booking
Passport copy	From AED 500	Confirmed at booking
Degree, certificate or diploma copy	From AED 500	Confirmed at booking
Transcripts and mark sheets copy	From AED 400	Confirmed at booking
Bank statement copy	From AED 500	Confirmed at booking
Proof of address (utility bill) copy	From AED 500	Confirmed at booking
Driving licence copy	From AED 500	Confirmed at booking
Salary slip or salary certificate copy	From AED 400	Confirmed at booking
Aadhaar or PAN card copy	From AED 400	Confirmed at booking
MOFA attestation, personal document	From AED 150	MOFA AED 150

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is a certified true copy?

A copy that a notary public has compared with the original and certified as matching it. The notary signs and seals the copy. It does not confirm that the original is genuine.

Is a certified true copy the same as an attested original?

No. A certified copy shows that the copy matches the original. An attested original carries government stamps on the original itself. Some offices accept the first, many want the second.

Can a notary certify a copy of a foreign document?

A notary public can compare the copy with the original you bring, whatever its country. Whether an office accepts that copy is its own decision, so ask it first.

Do I need MOFA after the notary?

Only if the receiving office asks for it, which is common for offices abroad. Ask the office first, because MOFA attests originals and not every office accepts a certified copy with MOFA on it.

Can I get a certified copy without the original?

No. A notary certifies a copy against the original, so bring the original. A copy of a copy is usually refused.

Ask whether a copy will do

Tell us which office asked and what it said about copies.

Phone: +971 52 947 5935
WhatsApp: +971 52 947 5935
Email: info@dubainotaryservices.com

Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7.