Moving to the UAE for work, to live, or to study requires you to prove that certain personal papers of yours are real. This official process, in which documents are stamped and sealed, is called Document Attestation for UAE. Without such special marks, the documents, like your university degree or a marriage certificate, will not be accepted by the government offices in the Emirates.
This process is simply a means of one country, where the paper came from, communicating with another country, the UAE, simply to say: “Yes, this is a real paper and we trust it.”
Why You Need These Official Stamps
When you are living abroad, there are a number of important occasions in life when one needs an official stamp.
First, your new job will require your degree to be attested to process your work visa. This is major proof that you have the education you state you do. If you bring your family along, you must show that the relationship is legal. That is, your marriage certificate and children’s birth certificates are all to be attested. Without this, your family cannot obtain their residence visas.
Also, if your kids are going to a UAE school, the school will ask for attested records from their old school. What the UAE government wants is for everyone to follow the same simple rules, and attestation is how they keep things safe and correct for everyone.
The Four Steps to Legalization
The path your document takes is almost always the same, no matter where you are from. It’s a chain of steps that cannot be broken:
- The Starting Line: You begin in the country where the document was first issued. You must obtain a stamp from a local government office, such as a public notary or the Department of Justice. That office verifies the signature on your paper is authentic.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Home Country: You then go with the stamped paper to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your home country or some other high-ranking office. It verifies that the local stamp from Step 1 is valid and adds its powerful stamp.
- Checkpoint UAE: The paper then goes to the UAE Embassy or Consulate that is in your home country. This is a very important step since this office confirms the paper is ready to enter the UAE’s system. They put an official UAE seal on it.
- The Final Stamp in the UAE: Upon arrival, you present the document to the MOFA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, within the UAE. This is the last stop. Once they place their stamp on the paper, the document is fully legal and ready to be used for your job, your visa, or school.
Key Papers That Need to Be Done
While many documents can be attested, the most common and necessary ones are those related to your identity and your ability to work: your college degree, your marriage proof, and your birth records for children. Every time you start this process, you are securing your future in the Emirates. Proper Attestation for UAE is a must for a smooth move.
This guide should help you manage this important process with simple steps and clear goals.
Next Steps
This guide breaks down the complicated process into simple steps you can follow, since it is the necessary paperwork that makes your move legal and easy.
