ET
Documents from Ethiopia
MOFA attestation Ethiopia and notary services for Ethiopians in the UAE
Ethiopians working in the UAE often need a paper signed here and used in Addis Ababa: a power of attorney for a family member, a declaration for the Ethiopian embassy, or a notarised copy of a passport. Our in-house notary public services handle these in person, online by video or on a home visit. When the paper is ready, it goes to MOFA and then to the Ethiopian mission in the UAE.
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
People searching “mofa attestation ethiopia” usually mean the opposite direction: an Ethiopian degree, birth certificate or marriage certificate that a UAE office wants attested. That route needs the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UAE embassy in Addis Ababa, and then MOFA in the UAE. We cover both on this page.
At a glance
- Power of attorney, affidavits, declarations, NOCs and true copies for use in Ethiopia are notarised in person, online or at your home in the UAE.
- A UAE document going to Ethiopia is attested by MOFA first, then by the Ethiopian embassy or consulate in the UAE.
- An Ethiopian document coming to the UAE needs the Ethiopian foreign ministry and the UAE embassy in Addis Ababa before MOFA. Source: MOFA FAQ.
- MOFA reads Arabic and English only, so an Amharic document needs a certified translation. Source: MOFA attestation service.
- MOFA fee: AED 150 personal, AED 2,000 commercial. Source: MOFA FAQ.
Step by step
Notary work for Ethiopians in the UAE
01
Power of attorney.
So a parent, sibling or lawyer in Ethiopia can manage property, collect certificates, handle a bank account or follow an inheritance. Where an Ethiopian office insists on a power of attorney before it will deal with your relative, you sign it here.
02
Affidavits and declarations.
For the Ethiopian embassy or an office at home, such as a declaration of your marital status or a statement that two spellings of your name refer to you.
03
True copies.
A notarised copy of your passport, residence documents or degree when the original has to stay with you.
04
NOCs and consents.
For example a parent’s consent for a child to travel. See NOC for a child visa.
Each of these is signed before our notary, who checks your ID, watches you sign and applies the seal. See affidavits before a notary and power of attorney notarised in Dubai.
Step by step
Papers going to Ethiopia
The order for a document signed in the UAE and used in Ethiopia:
01
We draft the document with you, in English, and add an Amharic or Arabic translation if the receiving office wants one.
02
You sign before our notary: in person, by video through UAE remote notarisation channels such as the Ministry of Justice e-Notary system and UAE PASS, or at home. We tell you if your document can be done online.
03
MOFA attests the notarised document.
04
The Ethiopian embassy or consulate in the UAE legalises it.
05
You courier it home, or hand it to someone travelling.
The same order applies to a UAE certificate used in Ethiopia, such as a Dubai birth certificate for an Ethiopian passport, except that the certificate needs no notary step. See UAE documents for use abroad.
Side by side
The two MOFAs, side by side
| Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs | UAE MOFA | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Addis Ababa | In the UAE |
| When | After the issuing office in Ethiopia | After the UAE embassy in Addis Ababa |
| What it confirms | The Ethiopian signature or seal before it | The UAE embassy stamp before it |
| Who usually goes | You, a relative, or someone with your authority | We take it for you |
This is the full MOFA attestation Ethiopia route for a certificate going to a UAE office. No apostille is involved, because the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention. Source: HCCH status table.
Ethiopian certificates people bring to the UAE
Degrees and diplomas.
The university certifies them first. See degree attestation in Dubai.
Birth and marriage certificates.
Issued by the vital events registration office. A recently issued certificate in the current format is safer than an old handwritten record. See birth certificate attestation and marriage certificate attestation.
Police clearance.
Ask the UAE office how recent it must be before you apply. See police clearance attestation.
Experience letters.
Signed by the employer in Ethiopia. Call or WhatsApp us with a photo before you start, so we can check the first step for your letter.
01
Amharic and the Ethiopian calendar
MOFA needs Arabic or English. You can translate in Ethiopia, where the translation then goes through the same stamps, or translate in the UAE after MOFA with a legal translator. See legal translation.
Dates need the most care. Ethiopia uses its own calendar, so a birth date on an Ethiopian certificate will not match the Gregorian date on a passport unless it is converted. Ask the translator to show both dates, and check the conversion against your passport yourself before the translation is stamped. A date mismatch is one of the reasons a visa file is returned.
Names are the other check. The English spelling of your name and your father’s name on the translation must match your passport exactly.
How we help Ethiopian clients
- We draft and notarise powers of attorney, affidavits, declarations and NOCs for Ethiopia.
- We certify true copies of passports and certificates.
- We check names and converted dates on any translation you already have.
- We take documents through MOFA, both notarised papers going out and Ethiopian papers coming in.
- We come to your home, office, hospital or care home in the UAE. See home visit notary and online notary.
Prices
Prices
| Service | Our service price | Government fee, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| Power of attorney for use in Ethiopia | From AED 1,500 | AED 100 per party on the federal schedule. Dubai private notary route: AED 100 per party registration plus AED 100 per signature |
| Declaration or affidavit | From AED 600 | AED 300 as an affidavit, or AED 200 per party as a signature authentication |
| Degree copy, notary certified | From AED 500 | Confirmed when you book |
| MOFA stage, personal document | From AED 150 | MOFA AED 150 |
| MOFA stage, commercial document | From AED 300 | MOFA AED 2,000 |
| Courier pickup and delivery | From AED 80 | None |
Checklist
Contact us about an Ethiopian document
Send a photo of the document and any translation, and tell us where it will be used. 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
Can I sign a power of attorney for Ethiopia in Dubai?
Yes. You sign it before our notary, in person, online or at home. MOFA then attests it and the Ethiopian embassy or consulate in the UAE legalises it.
Is the Ethiopian MOFA stamp enough for a UAE visa?
No. After the Ethiopian foreign ministry, the UAE embassy in Addis Ababa must stamp the document, and then MOFA in the UAE attests it.
Can the Ethiopian consulate in Dubai attest my degree for a UAE job?
No. The Ethiopian mission handles documents going to Ethiopia and services for Ethiopian citizens. A degree for UAE use needs the UAE embassy in Addis Ababa.
My birth certificate shows a different year from my passport. What do I do?
It is probably the Ethiopian calendar. The translation should show the converted Gregorian date. If the converted date still differs from your passport, fix that before attestation.
Should I translate in Ethiopia or in Dubai?
Either can work. Translating in Dubai after MOFA gives you an Arabic translation that UAE offices read easily, while translating in Ethiopia means the translation carries the Ethiopian stamps too.
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 status table, the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention: 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
- Ministry of Justice, E-Notary: https://www.moj.gov.ae/en/services/esystems/e-notary.aspx