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Attesting US Documents for the UAE

Before you can use your documents issued in the United States within the UAE, they will need to be attested. This is a process to take documents issued in one country so that they can be used officially in another country. Whether it is an educational qualification, a birth, marriage or death certificate, or in fact any other US personal or company document, let us take the hassle away for you and save you time and money.

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Attesting US Documents for the UAE

Before you can use your documents issued in the United States within the UAE, they will need to be attested. This is a process to take documents issued in one country so that they can be used officially in another country. Whether it is an educational qualification, a birth, marriage or death certificate, or in fact any other US personal or company document, let us take the hassle away for you and save you time and money.

Request a Quote

How does it work?

Attesting a USA document can be complicated, especially as the process is different depending upon the type of document you have, where it was issued, and who you need to present it to. To make things easier for you, we’ve outlined below the process that each document needs to go through, but bear in mind that the process for certain documents can vary from this. To be certain that we can provide you with fully accurate information, get in touch for your free personalised quotation.

Translation

Translation into Arabic

A peculiarity to the attestation of US documents is that it is possible to take a translation of a birth, marriage or death certificate from a scan and use the translated document to be process for use in the UAE. This initial step is only applicable to US Public Records. Attesting in this way is often used to avoid the expense and complication of having to return the original document to the individual state where it was issued prior to processing.

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Want to know more about Translation?

Check out our translations page to learn more about the different types of translations, and what they're used for.

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Initial Certification

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Notary/Registrar Certification

For most documents, the first step is to have your document certified as being legitimate. In the case of educational qualifications or translations, this certification will be handled by a US Notary Public. For original birth, marriage or birth certificates, it is a registrar in the issuing state that will certify the document.

Secretary of State in the Issuing US State

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State Authentication

Before documents can be presented to the UAE Embassy in Washington, they need to undergo State-level certification. During this process an authentication certificate (certification page) is attached, signed and sealed, which confirms that the document being presented has been correctly processed by the relevant US authority. In the United States this can only be applied by the Department of State.

Department of State in the US

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Federal Authentication

Before documents can be presented to the UAE Embassy in Washington, they need to be authenticated at a national level by the US Department of State. During this process an authentication page is attached, signed and sealed, which confirms that the document being presented has been correctly processed by the relevant US authority. In the United States this can only be applied by the Department of State.

UAE Embassy in Washington

UAE Embassy Attestation

The final step in the United States is to have the document stamped, known as attested, by the UAE Embassy in Washington. During this stage an official UAE-government sticker and seal is applied to the document. This confirms to the authorities in the UAE that the document has completed all the required steps in the US.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UAE)

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MoFA Attestation (UAE)

Once the document has reached the UAE, it requires a further attestation stamp by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE which validates that your document has been processed correctly in the United States. Some employers make arrangements to handle this for you, so you should check whether this needs completing by you or not. If you prefer to complete this process yourself, we can arrange for the required PCR test to be carried out before you attend. If your document does not require translation (see the next section), then once this stamp has been applied you can then use the document in the UAE.

Translation

Translation from English into Arabic

In certain circumstances, your document may also require translation into Arabic. Again, your employer may handle this for you so best to check. If required, the whole document and its relevant stamps are translated from English into Arabic by a recognised certified translator. Once the translation has been done, then everything has been completed to make it fully useable within the UAE.

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Attestation Notes

  • Unlike most other countries, the term Apostille is reserved in the US for the process to stamp a document that is to be used by another State as opposed to another country. Apostilled documents cannot be used for the attestation process. Any document that has already been apostilled will need to be processed from the start again.
  • Whilst it is usual to carry out the attestation process on the original document, in certain circumstance it may be possible to work from a scanned copy instead. Please contact us with a scan of your document and we will check this for you.
  • Educational documents will need to be checked prior to attestation that the issuer is listed on the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) database.
  • The UAE Embassy in the US will not attest any educational document that has been obtained as a distance learning course, or where studies were taken on a campus outside of the US.

How much does it cost?

Prices can vary based on the type of document you have, and the processes it will have to go through to be fully attested. We've put a general guideline below based on two of the most popular document types, but it's best to get in touch for a personalised quote.

Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates

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From 1290 AED

Per Document

This service includes:

  • Translation into Arabic
  • Notary/Registrar Certification
  • State Authentication
  • Federal Authentication
  • UAE Embassy Attestation in Washington

Education Certificates

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From 1120 AED

Per Document

This service includes:

  • Translation into Arabic
  • Notary/Registrar Certification
  • State Authentication
  • Federal Authentication
  • UAE Embassy Attestation in Washington
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Disclaimer

MoFA Attestation and Translation of documents are not included in the above pricing, and will incur an extra fee if required. Exchange rates may also vary which can drive the price up or down at any given time. For the most accurate quotation for your circumstances, please get in touch.

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Why choose Vital Certificates?

benefit 1

Acceptance Guarantee

We guarantee your document will be valid in the country for which it was attested.

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Document Checking

Your documents will be checked prior to submission to ensure they are accepted.

benefit 3

Service Updates

Regular service updates mean you always know where your documents are.

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Industry Leading Staff

Our advisers undertake regular training so the advice they give is always up-to-date.

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Scanning Service

Get a digital copy of your completed documents prior to receiving shipment.

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Fully Inclusive Price

Fees always include all charges, shipping and VAT (where applicable).

Docs from any country...

We're able to attest a range of documents for use in the UAE, no matter where you're from. You can rest assured that by using our service, your attested documents will be accepted within the UAE.