For anyone intending to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to work, study, sponsor their family, conduct business or permanently move there, they will most likely be asked to legalise their personal, educational and commercial documents. There are two terms commonly used in this regard – attestation and apostille.
The two terms have the same purpose of authenticating documents to be used internationally, they are not interchangeable. Choosing the wrong process may result in rejection or unnecessary delays in the issuance of a visa.
In this blog, we will offer an excellent idea of the distinction between attestation and apostille so that you can make the right choices when getting your documents ready to be used in the UAE or other countries.
What Is Attestation?
Attestation refers to the procedure of confirming the authenticity of documentation as legal and acceptable for official use in a foreign country.
It generally involves a multi-level verification including certification by the concerned government authorities in the country of origin and UAE Embassy following which the documents in question are authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in the UAE.
Documents to be used in the United Arab Emirates require attestation as the United Arab Emirates is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention and does not recognise apostille.
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Common Documents That Require Attestation:
- Educational Documents such as degree certificates, diplomas, transcripts and so on.
- Personal Documents including the likes of birth certificates, marriage certificates, police clearance certificates, etc.
- Commercial Documents including Power of Attorney, Memorandum of Association, Certificates of Incorporation, etc.
What is Apostille?
Apostille is a simplified form of document verification which can only be used in the member countries of the Hague Convention of 1961. The apostille sticker is issued by a competent authority in the country of origin of the document, that confirms the legitimacy and authenticity of the document to be used abroad in a member country of the Hague Convention.
UAE is not a member of the Hague Convention, and apostille is not accepted. All the documents to be used in the UAE must pass through the attestation process.
Attestation vs. Apostille: Key Differences
To understand the exact differences that set attestation and apostille apart from one another have been listed side-by-side in detail below for easy understanding.
| Feature | Attestation (Accepted in the UAE) | Apostille (Not valid for UAE) |
| Applicable Countries | Attestation is widely accepted in non-Hague Convention countries like UAE, Qatar, etc. | Document apostille is needed for the documents intended to be used in the member countries of the Hague Apostille Convention. |
| Purpose | Attestation is aimed at validating documents for official use abroad. | To legalise documents for use in Hague apostille member countries |
| Verification Authorities | It is a multi-step process involving state authorities the home government., UAE Embassy + MOFA (in the UAE). | Comparatively straightforward with State authority in the home country and the designated authority (MEA in India). |
| Document Acceptance | Attested documents are accepted by UAE employers, educational institutions, ministries, etc. | Apostilled documents while serving a similar purpose in the Hague member countries, are not accepted in the UAE. |
| Processing Time | It takes approximately Processing Time7-15 working days. However, the exact time taken varies according to the document category. | Similar to attestation, the time taken to complete the apostille procedure depends on the document type. It may take anywhere between 7-10 working days. |
Why is Apostille not accepted in the UAE?
A common question that arises is why apostille is not accepted in the UAE. One of the most common issues to note is that many people make the mistake of assuming that an apostille in their country of origin (e.g. India, UK or France) can be used in the UAE.
The reality however is very different. Documents intended to be used officially in the UAE have to undergo the full attestation procedure, including UAE Embassy attestation and MOFA attestation in the UAE.
Step-by-Step Attestation Process for the UAE
Attestation involves getting the documents verified by the concerned authorities in the home country and the UAE embassy. The exact steps vary depending on the document type and the origin country from where the documents are issued. Here is a general attestation procedure for Indian documents intended for use in the UAE;
- Notary Attestation (if required) – This is a basic authentication by a local notary which marks the beginning of the attestation process.
- State-Level Attestation – After notarisation, the documents are sent to the concerned state-level authorities for verification.
- Educational Documents are shared with the HRD Department of the issuing state.
- Personal Documents are attested by the State Home Department or General Administration Department (GAD).
- Commercial Documents like Invoices, Memorandum of Association and so on are verified by a registered Chamber of Commerce.
- MEA Attestation (India) – Based on the verification by the state-level authorities, the Ministry of External Affairs places an attestation stamp on the documents making them eligible for international use.
- UAE Embassy Attestation – Following the attestation by the MEA, documents are shared with the UAE Embassy or Consulate in India to legalise them, confirming their validity for use in the UAE.
- MOFA Attestation (UAE) – Once the documents reach the UAE, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attests to the authenticity of the documents making the document officially acceptable by all local entities.
Apostille Process – Where and When It Applies?
The apostille procedure is usually applicable only to the documents that are to be used in the member countries of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Some of the popular countries accepting apostille are as follows
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Australia
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Italy
- South Korea
Apostille Procedure:
As stated earlier, the exact procedure varies depending on the country from where the document has been issued. Here are the steps of the document apostille procedure for Indian documents intended for use in the UAE;
- State-level authentication – Initially, depending on the document category, they are shared with respective authorities like the HRD, State Home Department, etc.
- Apostille by MEA – Once the documents are verified by the state-level authorities in India, they are shared with the Ministry of External Affairs which affixes a unique apostille sticker making the document acceptable for use overseas.
When Should You Choose Apostille vs. Attestation?
It is important to understand the difference between apostille and attestation so you can choose the right procedure according to your requirements. The following points would help you decide between the two;
Destination Country
- If the destination country is a Hague Apostille Convention member then Apostille necessary.
- For all the non-member countries, candidates need to secure Attestation.
Document Type
- Some countries like Oman accept both apostille and attestation depending on the document type. They might need attestation of personal documents and education and apostille of commercial ones and vice versa.
Official Requirements of the Foreign Entity
There may be special requirements from employers, universities or government departments. It is better to confirm with the embassy or a trustworthy document attestation service provider about the current requirements before starting the document verification process.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Obtaining an apostille or attestation on various educational, personal and commercial documents can come across as challenging. Here are some of the common mistakes to be on the lookout for;
- Initiating the MEA process without state-level verification.
- Choosing the wrong verification procedure like getting documents attested when apostille was needed.
- Failure to verify the format of the document and translation (if necessary).
- Sending documents that are laminated as laminated documents cannot be verified.
- Waiting till the last moment to start the procedure. It is a time-consuming process, and leaving everything to the last minute can cause unnecessary delays.
- Sending document copies instead of original documents will lead to rejection. Only original documents are verified.
Knowing the rules and regulations of document verification and being prepared may protect you against rejection, delays and unnecessary expenses.
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Final Thoughts
Understanding the difference between attestation and apostille is one of the crucial requirements for a person intending to live, work, study, or run a business in the UAE. Although apostille is a legal way of verifying documents when moving to most foreign countries, it is not accepted in the UAE.
If your destination is Dubai or any other region in the UAE, then your documents have to undergo the attestation process. Verification by the concerned government authorities in the home country along with the UAE embassy and MOFA makes your documents legally accepted and recognised by government agencies, employers, academic institutions and UAE courts.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is apostille acceptable in the UAE?
No. UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention and, therefore, apostilled documents are not accepted. The documents need to undergo an attestation procedure and MOFA attestation to be accepted as legal in the UAE.
- Which documents need attestation for use in the UAE?
Depending on the reason for moving abroad, candidates may need to have various educational, personal and commercial documents attested by the responsible authorities.
- How long does the attestation process take for the UAE?
The exact time taken depends on the document type, its origin, the embassy workload and so on. However, it may take anywhere between 7-15 working days.
- What is MOFA attestation in the UAE?
The last step in the attestation procedure that turns a document into legally valid and acceptable throughout the UAE is MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) attestation. It has to be performed even after the UAE Embassy attestation is done in the home country.
- Do I need to attest original documents or copies?
For successful completion of the attestation procedure, original documents must be submitted to the authorities. Photocopies are generally not accepted unless specifically allowed by the embassy.
- Why is UAE embassy attestation needed?
Document attestation is needed for various reasons such as visa processing, higher education, employment opportunities, business operations, permanent residency and so on.