Before You Fly: Attestation Requirements for UAE Entry
If you are planning to move to the United Arab Emirates or UAE for work, education, joining family members or doing business, you must apply for a residency permit. Understanding one major rule about Attestation of documents should be your first step before reserving a flight and booking your trip. It is compulsory to attest foreign documentation in the UAE so they can be trusted and considered legal in the country. If the attestation process is not completed, visa applications, job approvals or admissions to schools could be prevented or delayed.
Documents are made valid for international use only after they have apostilled and attestation. Document attestation makes sure that they are valid for usage in new country where you are moving. When a country such as the UAE, does not sign the Hague Convention, the necessary step is getting full certificate attestation which requires steps such as notarization, state authentication, MEA and MOFA attestation in UAE.
Certificate attestation in UAE applies to UAE emirates such as certificate attestation in Dubai, certificate attestation Abu Dhabi, certificate attestation in Sharjah depending on the location for using the documents. In other cases, apostille attestation is quicker and simpler because it only requires putting an MEA-issued apostille sticker on the apostille documents. For those moving to the UAE or planning to relocate there, proper document attestation is necessary for easy processing of visas, getting into universities and adherence to the law.
Document attestation is necessary for the UAE, as many other countries, to show the accuracy of records from outside the country. This way, fraud is avoided and all types of documents, educational, personal or commercial, follow the UAE’s given legal and administrative guidelines. If you are either applying to study, work or apply for a family visa in the UAE, document attestation is required.
The types of documents that usually need attestation are:
Degree, diploma and school leaving certificates are important to have. To be eligible for employment, enrolling in college or getting professional certification, you need an ID.
Non-educational or Personal certificates needed include a birth certificate, a marriage certificate and a police report. You can receive educations or invite certificates for family visas, sponsoring a spouse or dependent or handling legal issues.
Commercial documents, for example, a power of attorney, business agreements and invoices. Necessary for opening a company, registering for trade permits or signing international agreements.
The process of attestation required is as follows:
Notarization
You must start by getting the document notarized by a certified notary in the home country.
State-Level Attestation
All certificates and records needed for personal or educational reasons issued in India should be verified by the State Education Department (HRD) or the Home Department or the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).
MEA Attestation
After state attestation, MEA offers central level attestation.
Embassy attestation for UAE
The embassy or consulate in the issuing country further checks the document submitted to them by the applicant.
MOFA Attestation in the UAE
When you are in the UAE, the document should be finalized with attestation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to be considered valid.
Ensure that you have extra time for attestation process before you travel. Depending on what the document is and the state it is from, the wait time may be several days or several weeks.
Certified translation might be needed for any documents written in languages other than English or Arabic.
Individuals prefer to use attestation services provided by agencies in India and the UAE to make the process easier and faster.
Before using your documents legally in the UAE, attestation shows they are genuine and accepted. Having all your certificates attested correctly will help you avoid time wasting, being stressed and a risk of rejection from the visa center. Before flying out, confirm that your documents are properly attested, as this is your main step for a successful journey to the UAE.
