Attesting a Foreign Certificate for Use in the UAE (MOFA)

Who runs this process

Before you start

• You have the original document, not a photocopy: attestation is applied to originals
• The home-country steps are done in the country that issued the document, so start them before you move to the UAE or on a trip back, because they cannot be done from inside the UAE
• For a degree, the university and the qualification are genuine and recognized in the country of issue, as each attesting body checks this
• If the document is not in Arabic or English, plan for a legal translation, which some UAE authorities ask for in addition to attestation

The journey

Each step is marked by who acts: YouEmployerYou + employer

1. 1
   YouNotary and issuing ministry in the country of origin

   Attest the document at its source in the issuing country

   Done in the country that issued the document, often through a notary and the relevant ministry

   Attestation begins in the country that issued the document. The document is first authenticated by the competent authority there: typically a notary public, and then the ministry that governs that type of document. A university degree is confirmed by the university and the country's Ministry of Education or Higher Education; a marriage or birth certificate is confirmed by the civil registry or the equivalent authority. This first stamp is what every later stage builds on, so it has to be genuine and complete.

   You get

   The document carrying its first home-country attestation

   Typical time

   varies by country and document type (indicative, confirm on the portal)

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (Fees are set by the authorities in the issuing country and are paid there, not in the UAE)

   Watch out for

   • Trying to start the chain from inside the UAE: the home-country stamps must be obtained in the country that issued the document
   • Attesting a copy: the process is applied to the original certificate

   Educational: A degree usually needs the university to confirm it first, then the country's Ministry of Education or Higher Education, before the foreign ministry stage.

   Inside UAE: This step does not apply to a UAE-issued document; go to the UAE-issued route in the final step instead.

   Full guide: Attest the document at its source in the issuing country

2. 2
   YouMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country

   Attest at the issuing country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

   The foreign ministry of the country where the document was issued

   Once the document carries its first stamp, it goes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country that issued it. This ministry verifies the earlier authentication and adds its own attestation. This stage is the bridge between the home-country authorities and the UAE, and the UAE mission in the next step will look for this stamp before it acts.

   You get

   The document attested by the issuing country's foreign ministry

   Typical time

   varies by country (indicative, confirm on the portal)

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (Charged by the issuing country's foreign ministry, in local currency)

   Watch out for

   • Skipping straight to the UAE embassy: the embassy expects the home foreign ministry stamp to already be on the document

   Personal Status: A marriage or birth certificate follows the same foreign-ministry stage as any other personal document before it reaches the UAE mission.

   Full guide: Attest at the issuing country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

3. 3
   YouUAE Embassy or Consulate abroad

   Attest at the UAE Embassy or Consulate in that country

   The UAE diplomatic mission in the country of origin

   With the home foreign ministry stamp in place, the document is presented to the UAE Embassy or Consulate in that same country. The UAE mission confirms the previous attestations and adds the UAE stamp abroad. Some missions offer this electronically; the UAE government advises checking the website of the UAE mission in your country of residence to see whether the service is available online or in person.

   You get

   The document attested by the UAE mission abroad, ready for final attestation in the UAE

   Typical time

   varies by mission (indicative, confirm on the portal)

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (The UAE mission charges its own attestation fee; confirm the current amount with the mission in your country)

   Watch out for

   • Assuming every mission works online: availability of the electronic service differs by country, so confirm with your local UAE mission first

   Inside UAE: A UAE-issued document does not go through a UAE mission abroad; MOFA attests it directly for use overseas.

   Full guide: Attest at the UAE Embassy or Consulate in that country

4. 4
   YouMinistry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)

   Get the final MOFA attestation in the UAE

   Applied online, through the MOFA app, or by approved courier in the UAE

   After the document reaches the UAE with the mission stamp, MOFA applies the final attestation that makes it valid across all the emirates. You usually do not need to visit an office: you apply through the MOFA website or the MOFA smart app, pay the fee, and a courier collects and returns the document. MOFA verifies that the earlier authentication steps were completed before it stamps.

   You get

   The document carrying the final UAE MOFA attestation, legally usable across the emirates

   Typical time

   quick once the earlier stamps are in place; a normal and an express option are offered (indicative, confirm on the portal)

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (Widely published MOFA fees are about AED 150 for an individual or educational document and about AED 2,000 for a commercial document, plus a courier charge, with a normal and an express option. These figures are commonly cited but were not confirmed on the official service page at the time of writing, so confirm the current fee for your document type at mofa.gov.ae before you pay)

   Watch out for

   • Expecting MOFA to attest a document that skipped the embassy stage: it checks that the earlier steps were completed first
   • Treating the published fee as final: confirm the current amount for your document type on the MOFA portal before paying

   Commercial: A commercial document, such as a contract or company paper, is attested at the higher commercial fee rather than the individual rate.

   Inside UAE: For a UAE-issued document used abroad, MOFA is the direct route: eligible documents such as birth, death, police clearance, and educational certificates can be attested digitally, often within a couple of hours during working hours, or by courier in a few working days.

   Full guide: Get the final MOFA attestation in the UAE

5. 5
   YouUAE employer, university, court, or government department

   Use the attested document, and add equivalency or translation if asked

   Submit the attested document to the UAE authority that requested it

   Once the document carries the final MOFA stamp it can be submitted to the authority that asked for it: an employer for a work permit, GDRFA or ICP for a family or skilled visa, a university for admission, or a court. Two extra steps come up often. A foreign degree used for a licensed job or further study usually also needs a Ministry of Education equivalency, known as Musaddaqah, which is a separate recognition process. And if the document is not in Arabic, some authorities ask for a legal translation on top of the attestation.

   You get

   The attested document accepted by the UAE authority for its intended purpose

   Typical time

   depends on the receiving authority (indicative, confirm on the portal)

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (Equivalency and legal translation, where required, carry their own separate fees)

   Watch out for

   • Assuming attestation alone is enough for a degree: a licensed job or a UAE university often also needs the Ministry of Education equivalency

   Educational: A degree used for a licensed profession or further study typically needs the Ministry of Education equivalency certificate in addition to the MOFA attestation.

   Personal Status: An attested marriage certificate is the document a sponsor presents to sponsor a spouse; an attested birth certificate is used to sponsor a child.

   Full guide: Use the attested document, and add equivalency or translation if asked

Documents checklist

Where this goes wrong

What comes next

• Get your degree recognized: Ministry of Education equivalency
• Apply for your UAE work visa
• Sponsor your family with attested certificates
• Employment residence visa, step by step