UK
Documents from United Kingdom
UK certificate attestation in the UAE
UK certificate attestation in the UAE usually needs four stamps from two countries. In Britain, a solicitor or notary may certify the document first, then the FCDO Legalisation Office in the UK adds its certificate, then the UAE embassy in London stamps it. In the UAE, MOFA adds the final attestation. Most delays come from missing the first of these, because the FCDO can only certify a signature it can check.
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
British residents in Dubai usually need this for a degree (work visa or professional licence), a marriage certificate (to sponsor a spouse) or a child’s birth certificate. The same chain applies to company papers going to a UAE free zone or bank.
At a glance
- MOFA’s rule for foreign documents: the home foreign ministry signs off, a UAE embassy or consulate in that country stamps next, and MOFA finishes. Source: MOFA FAQ.
- In the UK the foreign ministry step is done by the FCDO Legalisation Office. It is the Legalisation Office’s “Get your document legalised” service, applied for online on GOV.UK, as a paper apostille or an electronic e-Apostille.
- The FCDO issues its certificate in the form of an apostille. Since the UAE has not signed the Apostille Convention, the UAE embassy in London must still stamp the document before MOFA will accept it. Source: HCCH status table.
- MOFA fee: AED 150 for a personal document, AED 2,000 for a commercial one. Source: MOFA FAQ.
Step by step
Why a UK degree often needs a solicitor or notary first
The FCDO certifies the signature of a UK public official, solicitor or notary whose signature it holds on record. A university registrar’s signature is often not one of them. So for many UK degrees the route is:
01
A UK solicitor or notary public certifies a copy of the degree, or confirms the degree with the university.
02
The FCDO certifies the solicitor’s or notary’s signature.
03
The UAE embassy in London stamps the FCDO certificate.
04
MOFA in the UAE attests the document.
Because the UAE office may want the original degree rather than a copy, ask the employer or licensing body which one they need before you start. For the wider degree route, see degree attestation in Dubai.
UK birth and marriage certificates
Use a certified copy issued by the General Register Office or the local register office, not a photocopy of an old certificate. These carry a registrar’s signature the FCDO can check. GOV.UK lists birth, marriage and death certificates from a public registry among the documents the Legalisation Office can legalise, and says General Register Office certificates get a paper apostille only, not an e-Apostille.
A short form birth certificate without the parents’ names may not satisfy a UAE visa office sponsoring a child. Order the full version. More on birth certificate attestation in Dubai and marriage certificate attestation for a UAE family visa.
ACRO police certificates
A UK police certificate for a UAE employer or visa is usually issued by ACRO. It then follows the same FCDO, UAE embassy and MOFA route. Receiving offices often want a recent certificate, so apply for attestation soon after it is issued. See police clearance attestation.
Company documents from the UK
Certificates of incorporation, good standing letters and board resolutions for a UAE bank account or a new branch usually go through a UK notary public, the FCDO and the UAE embassy, then MOFA as commercial documents. Our corporate document legalization page covers the UAE side of company papers.
Checklist
If you are already living in the UAE
All three UK steps happen in the UK. You can:
- post the document to a UK solicitor or notary who offers the full FCDO and embassy service;
- ask a relative in the UK to handle it;
- do it on your next visit, if your deadline allows.
The British Embassy and consulate in the UAE do not add the FCDO or UAE embassy stamps to a UK certificate. When the document comes back with the UAE embassy stamp, we take it through MOFA here.
Checklist
How we help with UK documents
- We look at the document and tell you whether it needs the solicitor or notary step.
- We explain what to ask the UK provider for, so the UAE embassy stamp is included.
- We take the returned document through MOFA and collect it.
- If a UAE office wants Arabic, we handle the legal translation.
Prices
Prices
| Service | Our service price | Government fees, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| MOFA stage, personal document | From AED 150 | MOFA AED 150 |
| MOFA stage, commercial document | From AED 300 | MOFA AED 2,000 |
| Full chain including the UK side | Quote after we see the document | UK solicitor or notary, FCDO, UAE embassy and MOFA fees at cost |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
My UK degree has an FCDO apostille. Why is Dubai asking for more?
The UAE sits outside the Hague apostille system, so an FCDO apostille alone does not finish the job. The UAE embassy in London has to stamp the document after the FCDO, and MOFA has to attest it in the UAE.
Can UK certificate attestation in the UAE be finished without sending anything to Britain?
No. The solicitor or notary, FCDO and UAE embassy steps are all in the UK. Only the MOFA step is in the UAE.
Should I attest the original degree or a certified copy?
Ask the office that wants it. Some accept an attested certified copy, others insist on the original. We can help you word the question.
Do I need a translation?
MOFA works with documents in English, so a UK document does not need translating for MOFA. A UAE court or ministry may still ask for an Arabic legal translation later. Source: MOFA attestation service.
Get a written quote
Talk to us about your UK document
Send a photo of the document and tell us which UAE office asked for it.
- Phone and WhatsApp: +971 52 947 5935
- Email: info@dubainotaryservices.com
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: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation
- HCCH, Apostille Convention status table: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41
- GOV.UK, Get your document legalised: https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised