What is Attestation?You've heard the term, but what does it actually mean? Our article breaks down the process. We get a lot of calls about Attestation, and from our conversations we've found that there's a lot of misinformation about the term. This article will help you understand what Attestation means and how it could affect you and your documents in the UAE. What does Attestation Mean?Legalisation (or attestation as it’s commonly known in the UAE) is the process of authenticating a document from a foreign country. The document goes through a number of steps that prove it’s genuine and fit for purpose in the UAE. Let's consider an example... Say you’re relocating from the UK to the UAE and your new employer needs you to attest your degree certificate for your residence visa. Your new employer in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, understandably, probably won’t be in a position to recognise whether a UK Degree Certificate is genuine or not - so they’ll ask you to get the documented attested instead. This means that they need the UAE Embassy within the UK (the country of issue) to confirm (or attest) that the qualification is real. It sounds simple, but there’s an issue: The UAE Embassy in London won't recognise the validity of a UK Degree Certificate either. So how will they attest it? Before the UAE Embassy will attest any document, it needs to be stamped by the UK Government. This is quite a complex process. Firstly, some documents (such as UK Degree Certificates) need to be countersigned by a Notary Public or Solicitor. This isn’t always the case – different documents have different legalisation requirements. You don’t need to do this for a UK Birth Certificate, for example. Once this is done, the qualification will then need to go to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in the UK. At the FCDO, an Apostille stamp will be attached. It’s a paper certificate attached to the document with the FCDO seal stamped on both the Apostille and the document itself – it just verifies that it’s genuine. After being notarised (if necessary) and then Apostilled, the document is then ready to be attested at the UAE Embassy. To wrap up, here are some key points:
Which documents can be attested?Any genuine document can be attested, usually at the UAE Embassy within the country of issue. Some of the most common documents requiring attestation include:
What is MOFA Attestation?MOFA, or the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, is a government department in the UAE which oversees cross-border issues. In terms of attestation, it completes the final checks that the document has been through the correct processes and is genuine. Once the MOFA officials are happy, they’ll stick an official sticker on the document and you’re all done. Vital Certificates has been providing a document attestation service for our clients since 2006. Attestation is a complex process, involving numerous trips to embassies, solicitors and governmental departments. For this reason, many people prefer to have us handle the process for them. Our service includes all necessary steps to validate and attest your documents, so you don’t have anything to worry about. Call us for further information on +971 (0)4 871 6718 to talk to a trained adviser or contact us. Request a QuoteRequest an individual quotation. We'll assess your requirements and get back to you within one working hour. Request a CallbackFill in the form to request a callback. One of our specialist advisors will call you back as soon as possible. Get in touch with us on Whatsapp if you prefer! Message us on +971 050 99 84825 to get started. Text only. Request a CallbackFill in the form and one of our specially trained advisors will get in touch as soon as possible, within normal working hours (Monday to Friday, 08:30 - 17:30). Ramadan 2023Ramadan Mubarak! Please note that embassies across the UAE and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will operate on reduced opening times across the month, which may lead to delays to your order. Thank you for your understanding, and we hope you have a blessed month! |