The UAE is a federation of seven emirates- Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sharjah, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah, and Umm al-Quwain. UAE is one of the well-positioned countries when it comes to seeking new opportunities for education, work, business, and travel.
It also has strict rules regarding authenticating document before arrival and on arrival. The country also has severe punishments for those defaulting on these regulations. So, it’s best to know everything you can about getting your documents attested if you are planning to visit the UAE. Here is a guide to everything you need to know about certificate attestations in the UAE.
What Is Attestation?
One of the priorities in any application is properly legalized documents. Without your documents attested, they may not hold valid for purposes such as employment visa, securing a visa for family members, pursuing higher education, obtaining power of attorney, and more.
The legalization of any document is known as attestation or authentication. Many countries require documents to be attested in order to be accepted for official purposes. The same is the case in the UAE. Certificate attestation charges in UAE may vary depending on the kind of document.
Why You May Need Documents Attested?
Attestation of Educational Documents – You will require submitting your educational documents for a variety of reasons and having them attested is necessary. Here is why you may require your educational documents.
- Securing employment visa or labor card
- For the purpose of higher education
- To write to the ministry of health
- To attend the Department of Health Examinations for doctors, nurses, etc
- To get certificates equivalent to your certificate
Attestation of Non-Educational Documents – You will need personal documents such as birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, competency certificate, fingerprints, legal heirship certificate, copy of driving license, passport, etc. attested for various reasons. Some of them are listed below.
- Securing a visa for spouse, children, and other family members
- Getting admission in local school for your child
- To get the power of attorney
- To engage in the sale of property in India
- For getting the experience certificate attested
Who Certifies My Documents?
A document is certified or authenticated by a person appointed by the agency to do that. They are known as authorized persons. The person is authorized either by legislation to do so, (clerks, notary public, and solicitors) or, maybe authorized by staff members of the designated department.
Documents Required for Attestation
For Educational Purposes – There are the documents that you need to get your educational documents attested.
- The original certificate
- Copy of passport
- Authorization letter
- 2 passport size photos
- SSC Certificate or any other previous education certificate
For Non-Educational Purposes – The documents required to be attested for non-educational purposes are listed below.
- Original certificate
- Copy of passport
- Authorization letter
- 2 passport size photos
Attestation Process Prior to Arrival in UAE
Having the UAE embassy seal on your documents means that they have been authenticated and stamped in your home country. The following is the process for getting attestation prior to arrival. There are many agencies that can assist you with the process and certificate attestation charges in UAE vary based on the document and its purpose.
Verification by Ministry of Foreign Affairs – The first step is the have your documents attested by the Department or Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your country. You will need to take the original document and a copy for verification and stamping.
UAE Embassy Verification – Then next step is to take the documents to the UAE Embassy for them to verify and stamp them. Once you arrive in the UAE, you can submit these documents to the required government department there.
Attestation after Arrival in UAE
If for some reason you arrive at the UAE without prior attestation in your home country, you have two options for attestation.
Get Them Attested at Home Embassy in UAE – You can take the documents to your home embassy in the UAE. They will verify and stamp the documents.
Send Documents to Home Country – You can send the documents to your home country for verification and attestation.
Attestation of Documents by UAE Officials
You can also have your documents attested by the UAE officials instead of your home country. This is a two-stage process.
Notary Attestation – You can visit a local notary who will verify and attest your documents. You will need to carry the original document and a copy, and other documents like passport, etc.
MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) Attestation – This means that the documents are verified by the MEA and stamped as proof of verification.
The UAE has a lengthy and tedious process that required that every document be attested so that you can study, work, or travel within the country. Lucky for you that there are a lot of agencies that will guide you through the process and will also do the legwork for a small fee. So, when planning to UAE, make sure that all your documents are attested well in advance to avoid any legal issues.
About Author
Keith is a freelance writer, with years of experience, creating content for varied online portals. His content has been published on many national and international publications. He loves to write about Education, Business and Arts.
