Rules as of 29 October 2026. Checked against the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) attestation FAQs and UAE embassy attestation pages.
The short answer: MOFA attestation proves to UAE authorities that a document is genuine. A document issued abroad is first attested by the foreign ministry of the country that issued it, then by the UAE embassy or consulate in that country, and finally by MoFA in the UAE, online or in the UAE MOFA app. A document issued in the UAE for use abroad goes the other way: the issuing UAE authority, then MoFA, then the embassy of the destination country.
When you need MOFA attestation
You need it whenever a UAE authority, bank or Free Zone must rely on a document from another country, or a foreign authority must rely on a UAE document. Common cases for business owners:
- Degree certificates for a work permit, a Golden Visa as a skilled professional, or a professional licence
- Marriage and birth certificates to sponsor your spouse and children on a family visa
- Company documents from your home country (certificate of incorporation, board resolution, memorandum) when a foreign company becomes a shareholder or opens a branch
- Powers of attorney signed abroad, for someone to act for you in the UAE
- UAE documents used abroad, for example a UAE trade licence or a tax residency certificate for your home tax office
Documents issued outside the UAE: step by step
- Notarise first, if it is a legal document. Powers of attorney, declarations and similar documents are signed before a notary or legal authority in the issuing country.
- Attestation by the foreign ministry of the issuing country. The original document must be attested by that country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Attestation by the UAE embassy or consulate in that country. Many UAE missions now use digital attestation: you apply online, pay, and an approved service provider collects your originals. Some missions ask you to hand in originals in person, so check the page of the mission in your country.
- Attestation by MoFA in the UAE, through the MoFA website or the UAE MOFA smart app, logging in with UAE Pass.
- Translation into Arabic if the authority you are giving it to asks for it, by a legal translator.
Documents issued in the UAE: step by step
- Attestation by the UAE authority that issued it (for example the ministry, court, Free Zone or health authority).
- Attestation by MoFA, online or in the app.
- Attestation by the embassy of the country where you will use it.
Some UAE documents are now attested digitally while they are issued. MoFA has linked its service with Emirates Schools Establishment for school certificates and with the Ministry of Health and Prevention for birth and death certificates.
Requirements that cause most rejections
- Language: the original must be in English or Arabic, or come with an official translation.
- No lamination: laminated documents are not accepted.
- Originals: attestation is done on the original document, not a copy.
- Order: every earlier stamp must be in place before the next step. A UAE embassy won't attest a document the foreign ministry hasn't attested.
- Separate documents: where a country issues apostilles, some UAE missions ask for each document to be apostilled on its own, not as a bundle. Check your mission's page.
Personal and commercial documents
MoFA treats personal documents (degrees, marriage and birth certificates) and commercial documents (company papers, powers of attorney for business) as different categories, with different fees. Commercial invoices and certificates of origin have their own electronic route, eDAS, on the MoFA website. Fees change by document type and destination, so check the current fee on the MoFA website before you apply.
Who can apply and how to check an attestation
- Anyone can apply on your behalf, according to MoFA, including for commercial documents.
- Individuals log in with UAE Pass; companies log in through the MoFA website.
- Courier delivery inside the UAE is available: regular takes 3 working days, express 1.
- To verify a digitally attested document, use the document verification service on UAE Pass.
How this fits into company setup and visas
Most of our clients only need attestation for two things: a degree (for a work permit or a Golden Visa) and a marriage or birth certificate (for a family visa). Start these early: the steps in your home country can take longer than the UAE side. For company documents, our PRO services team checks what each authority wants before you send anything.
Questions
What is MOFA attestation in the UAE?
It is the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs' confirmation that a document is genuine, so UAE authorities can accept a foreign document, or foreign authorities a UAE document. It is the last step after the earlier attestations in the issuing country.
How do I attest a degree from another country for the UAE?
Have the original attested by the foreign ministry of the country that issued it, then by the UAE embassy or consulate in that country, then by MoFA in the UAE through its website or app.
Can I do MOFA attestation online?
Yes. MoFA attestation is done on the MoFA website or the UAE MOFA smart app. Individuals log in with UAE Pass, and many UAE embassies abroad also offer digital attestation.
Can someone else attest my documents?
Yes. MoFA says anyone can submit the application on behalf of the document owner.
Do I need to translate my documents?
The original must be in English or Arabic, or come with an official translation. Some UAE authorities then ask for a legal Arabic translation as well.
How do I check if a document is attested?
Use the document verification service on UAE Pass for digitally attested documents.
Sources
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs: FAQs on attestation
- UAE Embassy in New Delhi: attestation information (example of a mission's digital attestation steps)
Next step: Corporate services in Dubai
