Attestation Services UAE – Fast Certificate Legalization & MOFA Attestation

If you’re in the UAE (or moving here), many official processes—visas, university admission, employment, business setup—need attestation services UAE to confirm your documents are legitimate and legally accepted. Attestation means verifying signatures, stamps, etc., from foreign or local authorities, then getting final recognition from MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
This article explains how attestation services work in the UAE, what documents are needed, how much it typically costs, how long it takes, and tips to avoid delays.

What is Document Attestation?
“Document attestation” means having a certificate or document verified and authenticated so that it is recognized by government, educational, or business authorities. If a document is issued outside the UAE, it must usually be legalized in its home country, confirmed by UAE Embassy or Consulate, and then finally attested by MOFA UAE.
If issued inside the UAE, external verification or embassy steps might be skipped or reduced, depending on the document.

Why You Need Attestation Services in UAE
People need attestation services in UAE for many reasons:


Employment visas: You must submit attested educational certificates or experience letters.


University admissions: Degrees/diplomas issued abroad need legalization.


Family or dependent visas: Marriage certs, birth certs must be attested.


Business & company documentation: Power of attorney, memorandum of association, contracts.


Legal & court matters: For example, inheritance, property, or proof of identity.


Without proper attestation, documents are often rejected by immigration, universities, government departments, or banks.

Key Steps in Attestation Services UAE
Here are the usual steps involved when you use attestation services in the UAE:


Home Country / Issuing Country Verification


Notary or local authority verification


State or Home Department attestation


Foreign Ministry / MEA attestation




UAE Embassy / Consulate Attestation


The UAE embassy in the home country verifies previous attested documents




Ministry of Foreign Affairs Attestation (MOFA UAE)


Final stage: MOFA (Dubai or Abu Dhabi) puts on the official stamp, making the document valid in the UAE.




Translation (if needed)


If a document is not in English or Arabic, translation by authorized or court-approved translators is required.




Courier / Delivery


Some services offer pickup & delivery. MOFA provides courier options, or you may get documents delivered once attested.





What Documents Require Attestation?
Here are typical documents that need attestation:


Educational Certificates: Degrees, diplomas, transcripts


Personal Certificates: Marriage, birth, death, divorce


Commercial Documents: Contracts, power of attorney (POA), company formation papers, board resolutions


Experience / Work Certificates


Other Legal Documents: Police clearance, affidavits etc.



How to Get Attestation via MOFA UAE
According to MOFA & other sources:


You can apply through the MOFAIC website or mobile app, using UAE Pass for identity verification. 


You need the original document(s), correctly attested by required authorities abroad. 


Make payments of MOFA fees. For many “personal / educational” documents the fee is AED 150 per document.


Commercial documents can have much higher fees, e.g. AED 2,000+ depending on type. 



Cost of Attestation Services UAE
Here are typical costs you’ll find (these are estimates; actual cost depends on document type, country of issue, urgency etc.):





Document Type
Typical MOFA UAE Fee
Additional Costs




Personal / Educational Docs
~ AED 150 per document
Embassy fees, translation costs, courier etc. 


Commercial Documents
~ AED 2,000+
Depends on type & complexity. 


Urgent / Express Processing
Often extra surcharge
Express MOFA service or agency charges. 





Translation fees: usually AED 50–150 per page if document is not in English / Arabic. 

How Long Does Attestation Take?
Typical processing times:


Standard MOFA attestation: around 2–3 working days once all prior steps are completed. 


Express or urgent processing: can be done in 1 working day in many attestation service offices. 


Delays often happen because documents are missing seals, translations, or embassy stamps.



Where to Do Attestation in Dubai / UAE
Several locations / options:


MOFA Dubai offices (e.g. Al Barsha, Bur Dubai, and Al Qusais) or MOFA Abu Dhabi. 


Online via MOFAIC portal – allows submission, payment, tracking. 


Authorized attestation service agencies / typing centres – to simplify the procedure. 



Common Mistakes & Tips to Avoid Delays
Here are mistakes people often make, and tips to avoid them:


Using laminated documents – MOFA doesn’t accept those. 


Missing embassy / country-of-origin attestation. If skipped, MOFA might reject.


Document not translated properly (if not English / Arabic).


Not using original documents. Certified copies may be rejected.


Not paying correct fees or misunderstanding which fee applies.


Misordering steps—must complete prior attestations first.


Make sure you check the country-specific requirements. Many people find attestation agencies helpful because they track these details for you.

Benefits of Using Professional Attestation Services in UAE
Using a service provider (attestation agency) offers:


Saves you time and hassle


Helps you avoid errors and missing steps


Offers faster or express options


Courier/pickup and delivery services


Assistance with translations and verification


Many expats or busy professionals prefer this route.

Example Scenarios & Fee Comparisons
Here are some example cases to illustrate cost/time:


Birth Certificate from India → Needs state Home Department + MEA + UAE Embassy + MOFA. If using standard MOFA fee, maybe AED 150 + other government fees + courier etc. Full process could take ~5–7 working days.


Degree Certificate from UK → Notary (solicitor) + FCDO + UAE Embassy attestation + MOFA in UAE. Because of more authorities, cost higher and time maybe ~7–10 working days.


Company contract or MOA → More complex, commercial document attestation fee ~ AED 2000+, time also longer.



Recent Updates / Useful Tips (2024–2025)


MOFAIC portal and UAE Pass integration make online application and identity verification easier. 


Standard MOFA fee for personal/educational docs is now AED 150 per document in many cases. 


Commercial document fees remain significantly higher.


Several attestation service agencies now offer same-day or express MOFA processing. 



Final Thoughts
If you need attestation services in UAE, start by identifying what type of document you have (education / personal / commercial), where it was issued, and what prior attestation it already has. Then, follow the steps: home country legalization → UAE Embassy attestation (if needed) → MOFA attestation.
Using a professional service can make the process much smoother, especially for embassy steps, correct translation, and managing fees/queues. This ensures your documents are accepted without delay by UAE authorities.