One of the most common aspects of ex-pat life in Dubai and other Emirates is the requirement to obtain true copies of original documents. Residents in Dubai conduct a variety of transactions in their home countries or other offshore jurisdictions regularly. The requirement for ex-pats to provide true copies of their documents such as passports, DEWA bills, bank statements, and other documents to establish the true identity of the ex-pat and the documents in question is a common feature of these transactions.
True copy attestation of passports is available from attestation specialists. Making copies is the first step in the attestation of certified true copies of passports. Most government agencies require copies to be made by public notaries. A public notary will then certify a passport copy, and the certified true copy of the passport will be presented to various government authorities for attestation. The certified passport copy must be attested by the UAE embassy in the passport’s issuing country as well as the UAE Ministry/Department of Foreign Affairs.
Obtaining True Copy Attestation has thus become a daily necessity in Dubai and throughout the UAE.
This article clarifies some misunderstandings about the use of terminologies like notarization and true copy attestation in Dubai and the UAE. It outlines the simple process by which ex-pats can easily obtain true copies of their documents.
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Eliminating differences between notarization and true copies
To begin, ex-pats are frequently asked to notarize or obtain notarization of their passports, DEWA bills, Emirates IDs, or other documents presented to any government department or third party outside the UAE. Notarization is a term used to describe true copies all over the world.
Documents are certified as true copies by notaries public in several countries; this certification is known as a notarization This is not the case in the UAE.. In the UAE, the notary public does not certify true copies of any documents other than those issued by the notary public himself or witnessed to have been signed in his presence. A power of attorney registered with the notary public himself is a common example of a document for which a notary public in the UAE can issue a true copy. In such a case, the notary public obtains the original power of attorney from the records and issues a certified true copy.
In other words, ex-pats cannot obtain notarized copies of their passports, DEWA bills, or other documents that they present to government agencies or third parties outside the UAE.
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So, what exactly is a true copy attestation in the UAE?
In Dubai and elsewhere in the UAE, a true copy attestation is thus a lawyer’s certification of a document on a photocopy of the original document.
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The UAE’s process for issuing certified true copies
As a result, the procedure is simple. The ex-pat is required to present the original document to the lawyer, who verifies the authenticity of the original document. Once the lawyer is satisfied with the authenticity of the original document, he makes a photocopy of it and typically stamps it with the following language:
The lawyer also signs the document with his current date and contact information.
This completes the straightforward process of issuing true copies in the UAE. When the document is issued, it can be presented to any government department or third party outside the UAE.
It is important to note that parties relying on true copies outside the UAE may contact the lawyer. These parties will typically contact the lawyer by phone or email to confirm the following:
- The lawyer is a registered lawyer who is a member of a recognized body that regulates the legal profession.
- The concerned certified copy was produced by the attorney himself..
- The document is then confirmed and used for the relevant purposes after the lawyer has confirmed the above. Depending on the party relying on the certification, the process of lawyer verification may or may not take place.
- Attestation service agencies arrange hassle-free certified true copies of documents in Dubai and other Emirates for their clients.