Attestation of personal documents (regular)
Attests your personal documents with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the regular service.
How it works
- 1
Documents
You
- 2
Reviewed by MARIO E.G.S.H AI
MARIO E.G.S.H AI
- 3
Submitted to the authority
Runner at MOFA
- 4
Attested / notarised
MOFA
Documents required
Original document (or digital document with QR code), not laminated
originalattestedMOFA: an attested document has no expiry (but the receiving authority may want a recent document, e.g. police certificate)Official translation, if the document is not in Arabic or English
in some casesoriginallegal Arabic translationOnly if: Documents in other languages (e.g. Persian)UAE PASS / MOFA account of the applicant
copyOnly if: Anyone can attest documents on the owner's behalf (MOFA FAQ)
Conditions, time and validity
- Documents issued in the UAE: first attested by the issuing authority (e.g. birth certificate by MOHAP/local health authority), unless digital with QR.
- Documents issued abroad: attested by that country's foreign ministry, then the UAE embassy/consulate there, then UAE MOFA online.
- Certificate and transcript count as two documents.
- Processing time
- MOFA courier: Normal 3 working days (up to 25 documents per request) or Express 1 working day (up to 10). Steps abroad take extra time.
- Validity of the result
- No expiry for the attestation itself.
- Where it is applied for
- Online only: mofa.gov.ae and the UAE MOFA app, with courier pick-up. MOFA customer happiness centres are closed.
Steps at the authority
- Check that home-country and UAE embassy attestations are on the original.
- Apply on mofa.gov.ae or the UAE MOFA app, choose courier and pay.
- Courier collects the original in an envelope and returns it attested.
Tips that save you a trip
- Never laminate certificates you may need to attest.
- Rejected requests are refunded automatically within 14 working days; courier fees are not refunded.
Common reasons for rejection or delay
- Laminated document.
- Missing home-country or UAE embassy attestation.
- Document not in Arabic/English without an official translation.
Questions and answers
My Iranian marriage certificate is in Persian. What do I do?
It needs the Iranian authentication chain (official translation and Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs), then attestation by the UAE Embassy in Tehran; our team confirms the route with you before you start. MOFA accepts only Arabic/English or an official translation; most UAE authorities then want a legal Arabic translation. See the topic on attesting foreign documents.
Can someone else do it for me?
Yes, MOFA states anyone can attest documents on your behalf.
Checked by the MARIO E.G.S.H team on 2026-11-01. Rules can change at any time; our consultant confirms the details for your case.
Legal basis
UAE MOFA attestation rules (MOFA FAQ and Attestation Guide)
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