UAE Document Attestation: Complete Step-by-Step Legalization Chain
When establishing a UAE subsidiary of a foreign corporation, sponsoring family members, or submitting legal contracts before Dubai Courts, documents issued outside the UAE must undergo formal consular attestation.
Because the UAE is historically not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention for inward public documents, foreign records require a sequential 5-stage legalization chain.
1. The 5-Step Attestation Workflow
``` [1. Notary Public in Origin Country] │ ▼ [2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Origin Country)] │ ▼ [3. UAE Embassy / Consulate (Origin Country)] │ ▼ [4. UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA In-Country)] │ ▼ [5. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Certified Arabic Legal Translation] ```
Step 1: Notarization in the Country of Origin
The original certificate or certified true copy is witnessed and stamped by a licensed Notary Public in the jurisdiction where it was issued.Step 2: Foreign Affairs / State Department Authentication
The notarized document is submitted to the national foreign ministry (e.g., UK FCDO, US Department of State, or equivalent foreign ministry) to certify the notary's authority.Step 3: UAE Embassy Legalization Abroad
The authenticated document is legalized by the UAE Embassy or Consular Mission in the origin country.Step 4: UAE MoFA In-Country Attestation
Upon arrival in the UAE, the document receives its final domestic verification via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) online portal (eDAS). Official statutory fees are:- Personal Documents (e.g., degrees, birth certificates): AED 150 per document.
- Commercial Documents (e.g., MOA, Certificate of Incorporation): AED 2,000 per document.
Step 5: MoJ Certified Arabic Legal Translation
If the document is to be submitted to mainland licensing authorities (DET), courts, or government ministries, it must be translated into Arabic by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice (MoJ) under Federal Law No. 6 of 2012.Next Steps
Truss provides end-to-end coordination for foreign corporate and personal document legalization across major international jurisdictions.
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