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Document legalization in the UAE starts with the notary
Document legalization in the UAE is how a paper signed or issued here becomes acceptable in another country. For a paper you sign yourself, such as a power of attorney, an affidavit or a declaration, the first step is a notary public. Then the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attests the notary’s seal. Then the embassy or consulate in the UAE of the country that will receive it adds its stamp, where that country asks for it.
We have in-house, in person notary public services, online notary public services and home visit notary services. We notarise your power of attorney, affidavit or declaration, and then it goes to MOFA and the embassy. The whole chain happens in the UAE, before the document leaves.
At a glance
- A paper you sign starts with a notary public. We notarise it in person, online by video, or at your home.
- A UAE document going abroad is attested by MOFA, then by the destination country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE.
- MOFA charges AED 150 for a personal document and AED 2,000 for a commercial document.
- The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so it issues no apostilles. The office abroad usually accepts MOFA attestation and its own embassy’s stamp instead.
- Each embassy sets its own rules and fee.
In this hub
1 page under UAE documents for abroad
Step by step
The route, step by step
01
A notary public, or the UAE issuing office.
A paper you sign is notarised. A UAE government certificate carries the signature of the office that issued it, and some need a second UAE stamp before MOFA.
02
MOFA.
It attests the notary’s seal or the issuing office’s signature. Personal and commercial documents are charged differently.
03
The destination country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE.
It checks the MOFA attestation and adds its own stamp, if that country asks for it.
04
Translation, if the office abroad wants its own language.
Ask whether it wants the translation done in the UAE or at the destination.
This is the reverse of the route for foreign certificates coming into the UAE. If your document was issued abroad and is needed here, see our embassy attestation hub.
Side by side
Papers our notary prepares for use abroad
| Paper | What it is for | Our page |
|---|---|---|
| Power of attorney | Letting someone abroad sell property, run a bank account or act in a case | Power of attorney |
| Affidavit | A sworn statement, for example that two spellings of your name belong to one person | Affidavit before a notary |
| Affidavit of support | Supporting a visitor’s visa application | Affidavit of support |
| Declaration or consent | A statutory declaration, a declaration of residency, or consent for a child to travel | Child travel consent |
| Certified true copy | A copy of a certificate or passport that an office abroad accepts in place of the original | Certified true copy |
| Witnessed signature | A bank, pension or immigration form from abroad that needs a notary to witness it | Witnessing of signature |
| Company papers | A board resolution, MOA or trade licence copy for a branch, bank or contract abroad | Company documents notarization |
You sign in person with our public notary services, by video with our online notary, or at your home, office, hospital or care home in the UAE with our home visit notary. Online notarisation works through 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.
The notary profession in the UAE is set by Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022, notary fees by Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, and notaries public in Dubai by Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013.
Step by step
UAE certificates going abroad
Government certificates do not need a notary, but some need a second UAE stamp before MOFA. MOFA’s FAQ gives a UAE birth certificate as the example: the Ministry of Health and Prevention or the local health authority attests it first, unless it is a digital document issued by a government entity.
Here is how a birth certificate for a passport abroad usually runs, without any promise on timing:
01
The parents collect the birth certificate from the health authority that issued it, in Arabic and English.
02
If it needs the second UAE stamp, that is done first.
03
MOFA attests it as a personal document, for AED 150.
04
The parents’ embassy or consulate in the UAE stamps it, if their country requires it.
A marriage certificate, a degree or a police clearance follows the same shape, with a different first signature. See our certificate attestation hub.
Gulf embassies and other missions in the UAE
Many UAE documents travel to the neighbouring Gulf states: a degree for a job in Riyadh, a trade paper for a buyer in Muscat, a power of attorney for a family matter in Kuwait. The route is the same for each: our notary or the UAE issuing office, then MOFA, then that country’s mission in the UAE.
What differs is the detail. Some missions are in Abu Dhabi rather than Dubai, some use an appointment system, and some want an Arabic translation first. We check the current rules for your destination before we quote. Papers issued in a Gulf state and needed in the UAE go the other way; see Saudi Arabia and Gulf certificate attestation.
When the destination asks for an apostille
The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so no apostille is issued here, even if the destination normally asks for one. The office abroad will usually accept MOFA attestation followed by its own embassy’s stamp. Ask it in writing what it accepts before you start. Our full explainer confirms the UAE is not a party and answers the common questions.
Checks
Three questions to ask the office abroad first
01
Does it want the original or a certified copy?
If it keeps the document, a notarised true copy that is then legalised lets you keep your original.
02
Which stamps must be on it?
MOFA only, or MOFA and its embassy in the UAE. Ask it to name the offices.
03
Which language?
Arabic and English may be fine, or it may want its own sworn translator. See legal translation.
Send us the reply as it is. We read it with you and turn it into a route with a price.
Step by step
How we handle document legalization in the UAE
01
You tell us the destination
and what the office there asked for.
02
We prepare the paper
in the words the office abroad needs, if you still need to sign.
03
We notarise it
in person, online or at your home.
04
We quote the route.
Our service price, the MOFA fee and the embassy fee, each at cost.
05
We submit to MOFA
and collect the attested document.
06
We take it to the destination country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE.
07
We return the original
with every stamp, and a scan of every page.
The same route applies in every emirate. See notary services in Abu Dhabi and notary services in Sharjah.
Prices
Prices
| Service | Our service price | Government fee, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| General power of attorney, notarised | From AED 1,500 | AED 100 per party (federal schedule) |
| Affidavit or declaration for use abroad | From AED 600 | AED 300 per affidavit (federal schedule) |
| Witnessing of signature | From AED 900 | AED 200 per party (federal schedule) |
| Application forms for use abroad, notarised | From AED 500 | Confirmed at booking |
| Banking or medical forms for use abroad | From AED 500 | Confirmed at booking |
| MOFA attestation, personal document | From AED 150 | MOFA AED 150; embassy fee at cost |
| MOFA attestation, commercial document | From AED 300 | MOFA AED 2,000; embassy fee at cost |
| Legal translation | From AED 50 per page | AED 50 per page if notarised with the instrument |
Watch for
Mistakes with documents going abroad
- Signing a power of attorney with no notary. MOFA cannot attest a private signature. Notarise it first.
- Paying the personal MOFA fee for a general power of attorney. MOFA lists it as a commercial document, at AED 2,000.
- Leaving the UAE before legalising. Legalise before you fly if you can.
- Assuming the embassy is in Dubai. Check the mission’s city and appointment method first.
- Translating too early. Some destinations want their own sworn translator.
Checklist
Tell us where the document is going
Send a photo of the document and the name of the office abroad that asked for it. 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
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is document legalization in the UAE?
It is the chain that makes a UAE document acceptable abroad. For a paper you sign, that is a notary public, then MOFA, then the destination country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE where required.
Does my power of attorney need a notary before MOFA?
Yes. A power of attorney signed in the UAE is notarised first, and MOFA then attests the notary’s seal. We notarise it in person, online or at your home. A UAE power of attorney has no fixed statutory validity period, but the office abroad may set its own rules.
Can I get an apostille for a UAE document?
No. The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so it does not issue apostilles. The office abroad usually accepts MOFA attestation and its own embassy’s stamp instead.
Do all countries need their embassy stamp after MOFA?
Not all. Some offices abroad accept MOFA attestation alone. The receiving office decides, so ask it before you pay an embassy fee.
Can I do this after I have left the UAE?
Often, if the original is in the UAE or you can send it back. For a paper you still need to sign, ask us whether it can be notarised online by video.
UAE documents for abroad
UAE documents for abroad guides
Certificates
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An MOE equivalency certificate in UAE is the name many people use for an official decision on what a foreign qualification is equal to in the UAE system.
Notary and MOFA
MOFA verification
MOFA attestation verification is the check an employer, school, bank or government office makes to confirm that the MOFA attestation on a document is real and belongs to.
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.
Our services
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Sources for this page
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attestation service: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FAQ and fees: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/faqs
- HCCH, Apostille Convention status table (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 Law No. 4 of 2013 concerning notaries public in Dubai: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Law%20No.%20(4)%20of%202013%20Concerning%20Notaries%20Public%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html