How the attestation chain works
Attestation is a sequence, and every link has to be completed in order. A document issued abroad is first authenticated by the issuing authority or notary in that country, then by that country's foreign ministry, then by the UAE embassy or consulate there. Once it arrives in the UAE it is attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and finally translated into Arabic by a Ministry of Justice licensed translator if it is not already in Arabic.
Skip a step and the final authority will reject it. Do them out of order and you will usually have to begin again. We map the exact route for your document and country of origin before anything is sent anywhere.
Documents commonly attested
Educational documents — degrees, diplomas, transcripts and school certificates — are the most frequent, usually for employment, professional licensing or school admission. Personal documents include birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates, police clearance and medical reports, most often for family visas and dependant sponsorship.
Commercial documents cover certificates of incorporation, memoranda of association, board resolutions, powers of attorney, commercial invoices and certificates of origin, typically for company formation, branch registration, tenders and trade.
Documents issued in the UAE for use abroad
The chain also runs the other way. A UAE-issued document used overseas needs attestation by the relevant UAE ministry, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the destination country's embassy here. Requirements differ sharply by destination, and some countries require an apostille instead. We confirm which applies to yours.
Realistic timelines
UAE-side attestation is usually quick — a matter of days. The steps completed abroad are what take time, and they are outside anyone's control here: some embassies turn documents around in days, others in weeks. We tell you the realistic range at the start, confirm when each stage completes, and never promise a date that depends on an authority we do not control.
How the process works
- 1
Document assessment
We identify the exact attestation route for your document type, issuing country and destination, and quote the full chain.
- 2
Pre-attestation
We advise and coordinate on steps required in the country of origin, including embassy legalisation.
- 3
MOFA attestation
We submit to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and any relevant ministry, and track the file.
- 4
Translation and delivery
Certified Arabic translation is applied where needed, and the completed originals are returned to you.
Questions about this service
Attestation is how a UAE authority or employer verifies that a foreign document is genuine. Without it, the document cannot be relied on for employment, licensing or visa purposes here.
UAE-side steps usually take a few working days. Steps completed abroad vary widely by country and embassy, from days to several weeks. We give a realistic range before you start.
Attestation is applied to original documents. Where an original cannot be released, a notarised true copy is sometimes accepted — we will check for your specific case.
Attestation first, then translation. The translation must reproduce the attestation stamps, so translating too early means paying for it twice.
Yes. Send us what you have and we will identify which steps are complete and what remains.