To use a degree certificate for employment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it may be necessary to have it authenticated or legalized. This procedure, also known as an apostille, verifies the document’s authenticity and allows it to be recognized as a valid document in the UAE.
A general overview of the process for obtaining an apostille for a degree certificate in the UAE is provided below:
Obtain a duplicate of your diploma. A copy of your original degree certificate, as well as any transcripts or other relevant documents, will be required.
Make sure the documents are notarized. Your documents must be notarized by a public notary in your country of origin.
Obtain an apostille from the appropriate government agency. This is usually the Department of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in most countries. You must provide your notarized documents as well as any applicable fees.
Legalize the documents at the UAE embassy or consulate. You must take your apostilled documents to the UAE embassy or consulate in your country of origin, or to a designated third country, to be legalized. This procedure may necessitate the payment of additional fees and the submission of additional documentation.
Following completion of these steps, your degree certificate should be recognized as a valid document in the UAE and you should be able to use it for employment purposes. It’s important to note that the process for obtaining an apostille varies by country, so you may need to check with the UAE’s embassy or consulate or consult with a local lawyer, for specific instructions on how to proceed.
The document attestation process in UAE will differ depending on the originating country’s local legislation. The general process for attestation of educational degree certificates in Dubai/UAE, in particular, consists of the following stages:
The first stage is state attestation.
This stage of the educational degree attestation process in UAE is completed in the country of origin of the document. Personal certificates, such as birth and death certificates, should be attested by the relevant state’s General Administration Department before proceeding to the next stage. On the state level, attestation from the State Education Department is required for educational certificates.
Second stage: Attestation by the Ministry of External Affairs
Following the State Education Department, the document should be attested by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of the document’s originating country. If a submitted educational degree is discovered to be fake or forged, the ministry will seize the certificate. Fines and penalties may also be imposed on the applicant for attestation.
The third stage is embassy attestation.
The UAE embassy in the applicant’s home country legalizes the educational degree and authenticates the stamps and signatures on the certificate for international use at this stage. Please keep in mind that the UAE embassy/consulate will only accept attestation documents that have been authenticated and verified by the State Education Department and the Ministry of External Affairs.
Attestation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the fourth stage.
The only mandatory stage that takes place in the UAE is MOFA attestation. Ensure that embassy attestation has been completed before submitting to the Ministry, as it is one of the Ministry’s primary prerequisites for attesting, authenticating, and stamping educational degree certificates.
In addition to educational certificates, the Ministry can certify commercial or trade licenses, experience certificates, employment contracts, declaration of loss of a foreign passport, personal certificates, certificates of good standing, decisions of a Board of Directors, commercial agreements, financial statements, company setup contracts, ISO certificates, memorandum and articles of association, and patent registration, among other things. What exactly is an apostille, and why do I need one for my UAE degree certificate?
An apostille is a formal certification that confirms a document’s authenticity and allows it to be recognized as valid in another country. If you intend to use your degree certificate attestation for employment in the UAE, you may be required to obtain an apostille to prove that the document is authentic.
How do I get my degree certificate apostille?
To obtain an apostille for your degree certificate, you will usually need to do the following:
- Obtain a copy of your diploma as well as any relevant transcripts or documents.
- Get the documents notarized by a public notary in your home country.
- Obtain an apostille from the relevant government department, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Department of Foreign Affairs.
- Legalize the documents at the UAE embassy or consulate.
Can I get my degree certificate apostille in the UAE?
No, you must complete the apostille process in your country of origin or a designated third country. You must take your notarized certificate attestation to the UAE’s embassy or consulate in your country of origin, or to a designated third country, to have them legalized. You should be able to use the documents for employment in the UAE once they have been legalized.