USA Document Attestation for UAE — Secretary of State & State Dept Guide (2026)

The US Document Attestation Chain for UAE

Attesting US documents for UAE use involves a four-step process that is more complex than most countries because authentication starts at the state level. First, the document must be notarized by a US notary public if it is not already an official government-issued document. Second, the Secretary of State of the state where the document was issued must authenticate the notary or issuing authority. Third, the US Department of State in Washington DC authenticates the Secretary of State's verification. Fourth, the UAE Embassy in Washington DC adds its attestation. Finally, MOFA in the UAE completes the process. This multi-step chain typically takes 3 to 6 weeks end to end. Each US state has slightly different processing times at the Secretary of State level — some states offer expedited processing for an additional fee.

Documents That US Nationals Commonly Need Attested

The most common US documents requiring attestation for UAE purposes include the following.

• -University degrees and transcripts — for employment, Golden Visa, and professional licensing
• -Birth certificates — for family visa applications and school enrollment
• -Marriage certificates — for spouse visa sponsorship
• -Divorce decrees — for remarriage or visa status changes
• -FBI background check — for employment in regulated sectors
• -Power of attorney — for property or business transactions
• -Commercial documents — articles of incorporation, board resolutions for business setup

Step-by-Step Process

Follow these steps to attest a US-issued document for UAE use.

1. 1Get the document notarized — If it is a personal document (not a government certificate), have it notarized by a licensed US notary public
2. 2Secretary of State authentication — Submit the notarized document to the Secretary of State in the state where it was issued or notarized. Processing: 5-15 business days (varies by state). Some states accept mail-in submissions.
3. 3US Department of State authentication — Send the state-authenticated document to the Office of Authentications at the US Department of State in Washington DC. Processing: 5-8 business days standard, 1-2 days for expedited.
4. 4UAE Embassy attestation — Submit to the UAE Embassy in Washington DC. Processing: 3-5 business days.
5. 5MOFA attestation in UAE — Final attestation upon arrival in the UAE. AED 40 standard (2-3 days) or AED 150 express (1 day).

Important Notes for US Documents

The US and UAE do not have a bilateral apostille agreement — even though the US is a Hague Convention member, the UAE requires full embassy attestation rather than just an apostille for US documents. This is a common point of confusion. A US apostille is sufficient for countries that accept the Hague Apostille, but the UAE requires the additional embassy attestation step. Each US state has its own Secretary of State office with different fees and processing times. California, Texas, and New York tend to have longer processing times due to higher volumes. Some states offer online submission while others require mail-in applications. The UAE Embassy in Washington DC handles attestation for all US states. There is also a UAE Consulate in Los Angeles and New York, but attestation services availability varies — confirm with the specific consulate before submitting.