How to Apostille UAE Documents for Use Abroad

When Do You Need to Apostille UAE Documents?

If you have documents issued in the UAE and need to use them in another Hague Convention member country, you need an apostille from the UAE MOFA. Common situations include UAE residents relocating to another country, UAE-born children needing birth certificates for foreign school admission, UAE marriage certificates needed for immigration applications abroad, UAE trade licenses and business documents for international business operations, and UAE court documents for legal proceedings in another country.

Step-by-Step Process to Apostille UAE Documents

Follow these steps to get your UAE-issued documents apostilled.

1. 1Confirm the destination country is a Hague Convention member. If not, you will need traditional embassy attestation instead of apostille.
2. 2Ensure your document is a public document — issued by a UAE government entity, court, notary, or public institution. Private documents must first be notarized.
3. 3If the document is not in English or Arabic, obtain a certified translation from an MOJ-approved translator.
4. 4Create an account on mofa.gov.ae using UAE Pass authentication (available 24/7).
5. 5Submit your apostille request through the portal. Upload the required document copies and pay the processing fee.
6. 6Deliver the original document to MOFA for physical apostille stamping — either through a service centre visit or by using a document collection service.
7. 7Collect your apostilled document once processing is complete, or have it delivered to your address.

MOFA Apostille Fees and Timeline

MOFA charges the same fee structure for apostille as for regular attestation. Standard processing costs AED 40 per document and takes 2-3 business days. Express processing costs AED 150 per document and is completed within 1 business day. These fees are per document and exclude VAT. MOFA service centres operate Sunday through Thursday. Applications submitted after working hours or on weekends will begin processing on the next business day.

Types of UAE Documents That Can Be Apostilled

The following types of UAE-issued documents can receive an apostille from MOFA.

• -Birth certificates issued by UAE hospitals and registered with the Health Authority
• -Death certificates from UAE health authorities
• -Marriage certificates registered with UAE courts or personal status departments
• -Divorce decrees from UAE courts
• -UAE educational certificates from accredited UAE institutions
• -UAE trade licenses and commercial documents from the Department of Economic Development
• -Court orders and judgments from UAE courts
• -Notarized documents from UAE Notary Public offices
• -Police clearance certificates from UAE police authorities
• -Powers of attorney notarized in the UAE

Documents That Require Notarization Before Apostille

Private documents — those not issued by a government entity — must first be notarized by a UAE Notary Public before they can be apostilled. This includes private contracts, company memorandums signed privately, personal declarations, and financial statements from private auditors. The notarization step converts a private document into a public document by having a notary verify the signatures and content. Once notarized, the document can then be submitted to MOFA for apostille.

Common Situations Requiring UAE Document Apostille

These are the most common scenarios where UAE residents need to apostille their UAE-issued documents.

• -Relocation from UAE — Families leaving the UAE need birth certificates, school records, and marriage certificates apostilled for the destination country.
• -International school admission — Some international schools in other countries require apostilled academic transcripts from UAE schools.
• -Immigration applications — Countries like Canada, Australia, UK, and EU nations may require apostilled UAE police clearance certificates and other documents.
• -International business — UAE companies establishing presence in Hague member countries need apostilled trade licenses and commercial documents.
• -Property transactions — Purchasing property abroad may require apostilled POA or financial documents from the UAE.
• -Inheritance matters — Cross-border estate proceedings may require apostilled UAE court documents.

Doorstep Apostille Service Across Dubai

AttestExpress offers complete apostille processing for UAE-issued documents with doorstep pickup and delivery anywhere in Dubai. We collect your original documents from your home or office, handle the entire MOFA apostille process, and deliver the apostilled documents back to you. This saves you the time and effort of visiting MOFA service centres, particularly convenient for busy professionals and families. We also verify that your documents meet all requirements before submission to prevent delays.