Certificates
Death certificate attestation in Dubai, and divorce certificates
After a death or a divorce, banks, courts and registries ask for papers at a hard time. Often they want a certified copy, a signed statement about the family or your marital status, and the certificate itself attested. We have in-house, in person notary public services, online notary public services and home visit notary services. We notarise the copies and declarations first, and then help with death certificate attestation in Dubai and divorce certificate attestation for the originals.
A death certificate is usually needed to close a bank account, deal with an estate, claim insurance or register the death in another country. A divorce certificate comes up for a new marriage, a custody question or a change of name. Both are attested like other civil documents, and both can travel in either direction, so the first question is where the certificate was issued and where it will be used.
We keep this simple. You tell us what the certificate is for, we tell you the papers and stamps it needs, and we take care of the UAE part.
Side by side
Notary services after a death or a divorce
| Notary service | When you need it |
|---|---|
| Notarised true copy of the certificate | Several banks and offices want a copy and you need to keep the original. See certified true copies. |
| Heir declaration | A bank, insurer or office abroad asks the family to state who the heirs are in a signed statement. It is a sworn statement, not a court’s decision on inheritance. |
| Marital status declaration | You want to remarry or update records and an office asks you to confirm you are divorced or widowed |
| Affidavit | A name on the certificate differs from a passport, or an office asks for other facts under oath. See affidavits before a notary. |
| Signature attestation | A family member signs a letter or form that must be witnessed. See signature attestation. |
A notarised copy does not replace attestation. An office that asks for an attested certificate needs the original with its full chain of stamps.
In person, online or at home
You can sign in person with our in-house notary public services. Family members in another city or country may be able to sign by video through our online notary public services, which use the 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.
When a relative is unwell or grieving at home, our home visit notary services come to your home, office, hospital or care home in the UAE.
Side by side
Four common situations
| Situation | Certificate | Direction | Stamps |
|---|---|---|---|
| A family member died abroad; a UAE bank, court or insurer needs proof | Foreign death certificate | Into the UAE | Home country offices, UAE mission there, MOFA |
| A family member died in the UAE; the home country needs to register it or settle an estate | UAE death certificate | Out of the UAE | MOFA, then the home country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE |
| You divorced abroad and want to remarry or update records in the UAE | Foreign divorce certificate or decree | Into the UAE | Court or registry, home foreign ministry, UAE mission, MOFA |
| You divorced in the UAE and need it recognised at home | UAE divorce certificate or judgment | Out of the UAE | MOFA, then the home country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE |
Death certificates coming into the UAE
Use the official death certificate from the civil registry, not a hospital notice. If an estate matter is going to a UAE court, the court may also want proof of the heirs from the home country, attested the same way. Ask the court or bank for its list in writing. If the certificate is in neither Arabic nor English, it needs a legally certified translation. See legal translation.
Death certificates going abroad
When someone dies in the UAE, the family usually needs the UAE death certificate recognised in the home country. The work happens here: MOFA attests the certificate, then that country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE, if it asks for that step. We can handle both steps so the family does not have to. See UAE documents for abroad.
Step by step
Divorce papers in both directions
01
A divorce granted abroad
may be recorded as a court decree, a registry certificate, or both. For remarriage in the UAE, the receiving office often wants the final decree. Ask it before you attest anything.
02
Religious divorce documents
may also need a civil record, depending on the country.
03
A divorce registered in a UAE court
produces a UAE document. For use abroad it goes through MOFA and then, where needed, the destination country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE, with a translation into that country’s language if asked.
The divorce document is often used with the earlier marriage certificate. See marriage certificate attestation and family visa documents.
Checklist
What to send us
- A clear photo of the certificate or decree, every page.
- Where it was issued, and where it will be used.
- The name of the bank, court, registry or embassy that asked for it, and any list they gave you.
- A copy of the passport of the person named, if available.
Step by step
How we help
01
We confirm the direction and the papers and stamps needed.
02
We draft and notarise any declaration, affidavit or true copy, in person, online or at your home.
03
For a foreign document, we set out the home country steps and handle the MOFA step here.
04
For a UAE document, we handle MOFA and the embassy that needs it.
05
We book a translation where needed and keep you updated at each step.
Prices
Prices
| Service | Our service price | Government fee, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| Certified true copy | From AED 400 | Confirmed at booking |
| Declaration (heirs or marital status) | From AED 600 | AED 300 if made as an affidavit (federal item 12), or AED 200 per party (federal item 8) |
| Affidavit | From AED 600 | AED 300 per affidavit (federal item 12) |
| MOFA attestation, personal document | From AED 150 | MOFA AED 150 |
| Legal translation | From AED 50 per page | AED 50 per page if notarised with the instrument |
| Home visit notary | Quoted when you book | Dubai private notary: AED 1,000 per trip outside the place of work |
Contact us
Tell us what the certificate is for and send a photo when you are ready.
- Phone and 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.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for death certificate attestation in Dubai for a UAE certificate?
Send us the UAE death certificate. We handle the MOFA step, then the home country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE if it needs that step. Nothing has to leave the UAE.
Can you notarise a declaration about the heirs?
Yes. Our in-house notary public services notarise a family’s signed declaration about the heirs when a bank or office asks for one. It records what the family states under oath; it does not decide who inherits.
Does a foreign death certificate need attestation for a UAE bank?
Usually yes. Banks and courts in the UAE generally want foreign documents attested. Ask the bank for its list first.
Is a divorce certificate enough to remarry in the UAE?
It depends on the court or office. Some want the final decree and a declaration of your marital status. Ask the office before you attest.
Can a notary come to the hospital or to our home?
Yes. Our home visit notary services come to your home, office, hospital or care home in the UAE. Our charge is quoted when you book.
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.
Certificates
More in this cluster
Service hub
Certificate attestation in Dubai is the chain of stamps that makes a degree, marriage certificate, birth certificate or similar paper acceptable to an office.
Guides
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, status table of the Apostille Convention (the UAE is not a party): 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
- Dubai Media Office, Dubai Courts decision on private notary fees (trip fee): https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2025/december/29-12/dubai-courts-is-preparing-to-implement-the-decision-regulating-the-fees-of-the-private-notary-public