Legalization of documents issued outside but to be used in the UAE normally includes the following steps:
5. Legalization (attestation) in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The UAE MFA certifies the seal of its foreign diplomatic mission.
Attestation of a document by the UAE MFA is usually the final step in the authentication process. The MFA checks the document for all previous certification/legalization stamps. Having satisfied itself that they are valid, the MFA makes its attestation, and only then is the document considered to have legal effect in the UAE.
Occasionally a document may have to undergo a couple of further steps depending on the nature of its use in the UAE. If the document is required to be submitted to the UAE court or to another Ministry, such authorities are likely to demand an Arabic translation of the document as Arabic is the official language of the UAE. In such cases, it would be necessary to instruct a certified legal translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice to translate the document into Arabic and then submit the translation and the original document to the UAE Ministry of Justice which will certify the Arabic translation. If, however, the document is required by a free zone authority, these additional steps will usually not be necessary as English is accepted by most free zone authorities in the UAE.
1. A Russian notary certifies a copy or original of the document and the accuracy of its translation into a foreign language.
Documents of Russian legal entities can be legalized subject to the state registration of such documents under Russian law. In particular, the company’s statutes are legalized as a notarized copy, provided that this document is registered with a Russian government authority and has the appropriate registration stamps and seals on it.
A number of documents to be legalized are certified by a notary as original, such as powers of attorney.
2. The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation (Department of International Law and Cooperation) certifies the authenticity of the notary’s signature and seal.
3. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (consular department) confirms the authenticity of the seal of the Russian Ministry of Justice and the signature of the official.
4. Documents are legalized at the consular department of the UAE Embassy in Moscow.
5. Attestation of documents by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Step 1 – certification of copies by notary – 1 working day. Translation – the time depends on the volume
Step 2 – Ministry of Justice – officially established period is no more than 5 working days
Step 3 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs – officially established period is 5 working days, however, submitting documents directly to the MFA can only be done by appointment. Without an appointment, it is possible to submit documents to the MFA through a Multifunctional Public Services Centre, in which case the collection time for a document stamped by the MFA is 10 working days.
Step 4 – UAE Embassy – from 1-2 weeks.
Shipment of document(s) to the UAE.
Step 5 – UAE MFA – 1-3 working days.
Our fees for legalizing documents for the UAE, including government fees, are:
The cost of document attestation by the UAE MFA, including government fees, is charged additionally at AED 950* per document.
*This cost is net of UAE 5% VAT, which will be included in the invoice.
1. A UK solicitor or notary public certifies a copy of the document. Only documents issued by official registrars are accepted in original (for example, by the Registrar of Companies – for legal entities).
2. The document is attested by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).
3. A document issued in any of the British Overseas Territories (Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Falkland Islands, etc.) must be attested/apostilled by the government of the relevant territory before submission to the FCO.
A document issued in any of the British Crown Dependencies (Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man) must be attested by its own Foreign Office only.
4. The document is legalized by the UAE Embassy in London.
5. The document is attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
· A power of attorney or similar legal documents must be original and signed in the presence of a UK notary public before submission to the FCO.· Documents in a bundle are not accepted. Each document must be certified or legalized separately.
· Memorandum and Articles of Association (M&AA) must be attested separately.
Step 1 – certification by solicitor/notary public – 1 working day
Step 2 – FCO – normally 2 working days, urgently – 1 working day
Step 3(4) – UAE Embassy – 1 working day
Shipment of document(s) to the UAE.
Step 4(5) – UAE MFA – 1-3 working days
Our fees for legalizing documents for the UAE, including government fees, are:
The cost of document attestation by the UAE MFA, including government fees, is charged additionally at AED 950* per document.
*This cost is net of UAE 5% VAT, which will be included in the invoice.
1. A Cyprus certifying officer certifies the signature on the document or a copy of the document; the signature and seal of the certifying officer are then authenticated by the district officer. Only documents issued by official registrars are accepted in original (for example, by the Registrar of Companies – for legal entities). Before certification, the document is translated from Greek into English, if necessary.
2. The document is attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus.
3. The document is legalized by the UAE Embassy in Nicosia.
4. The document is attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Step 1 – certification by a certifying officer and a district officer – 1 working day
Step 2 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs – 1 working day
Step 3 – UAE Embassy in Nicosia – 1 working day
Shipment of document(s) to the UAE.
Step 4 – UAE MFA – 1-3 working days
Our fees for legalizing documents for the UAE, including certification by a certifying officer and a district officer and government fees, are:
The cost of document attestation by the UAE MFA, including government fees, is charged additionally at AED 950* per document.
*This cost is net of UAE 5% VAT, which will be included in the invoice.
1. A copy of or the original document is certified.
2. The certified document is apostilled by the Hong Kong High Court.
3. The apostilled document is legalized at the UAE consulate in Hong Kong.
4. The document is attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Step 1 – certification of a copy of a document by a government authority or notary – 1-2 working days
Step 2 – apostille at High Court – 2 working days
Step 3 – online payment via a special portal and making an appointment at the Consulate (how soon after payment an appointment is made depends on the workload of the Consulate)
Step 4 – legalization at the UAE Consulate – 1 week
Shipment of document(s) to the UAE.
Step 5 – UAE MFA – 1-3 working days
Our fees for legalizing documents for the UAE and various certification forms are:
The cost of document attestation by the UAE MFA, including government fees, is charged additionally at AED 950* per document.
*This cost is net of UAE 5% VAT, which will be included in the invoice.