Moving to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for work, residency, or further study often means you’ll need to get your UK educational qualifications officially recognised. This crucial process is called attestation.

Navigating the requirements can seem tricky, but we’re here to help.

This guide explains the up-to-date process for UAE attestation for all UK-issued educational documents. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • University Degrees (Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD)
  • Diplomas (e.g., Higher Education Diplomas, Professional Diplomas)
  • Postgraduate Certificates (like PGCEs)
  • Certain Professional Qualification Certificates issued by UK bodies
  • Sometimes, Academic Transcripts are requested (check with the requesting authority; in most cases, these are NOT needed)

This guide details the entire procedure, reflecting the latest digital attestation system implemented by the UAE Embassy in London.

What’s the NEW digital attestation process for UK educational documents?

Getting your UK degree ready for the UAE now involves these key stages:

  • 1

    Solicitor certification: A UK solicitor or Notary Public must certify your degree certificate (or a true copy). For most UK degrees, solicitor certification is sufficient unless notarisation is specifically requested by the authority in the UAE.

  • 2

    FCDO apostille: Next, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) must issue an apostille certificate. This verifies the solicitor’s signature and confirms that the document is legitimate for international use. It is an important step before the UAE Embassy will examine it. We offer a fast-track apostille service for this stage.

  • 3

    UAE Embassy Digital Attestation (London): This is the new, streamlined step. Your apostilled document will be submitted (to the VFS Centre acting for the Embassy), and the Embassy digitally attests the document. This now includes the attestation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in the UAE. You no longer need a separate MoFA stamp upon arrival in the UAE.

How can we help? Attesting your UK degree the easy way

You could manage the document attestation for UAE yourself, navigating the requirements of the solicitor, FCDO, and the VFS/Embassy submission process. However, it’s time-consuming, and errors can lead to delays and rejection.

Alternatively, let us handle everything for you.

Our comprehensive UAE degree attestation service takes the stress out of the process.

We manage every step efficiently:

  • Solicitor certification: Arranged correctly for UAE requirements.

  • FCDO Hauge apostille: We provide a fast apostille service, often securing the Apostille much faster than standard postal or online applications (potentially offering next-day legalisation or 24-hour apostille for the FCDO stage, depending on FCDO processing times). This is the fastest way to get an apostille for this process.

  • Embassy submission: We handle the submission to the VFS Centre in London for the digital attestation. We deliver and collect documents in person, avoiding potential courier delays or losses for this critical step.

  • All-inclusive pricing: Our fee covers all necessary third-party costs (see below).

Choosing our express apostille or quick apostille service ensures your documents are processed correctly and promptly, leveraging our expertise to avoid common pitfalls.

Ready to start? Please email our team today for efficient document attestation for the UAE.

How much does a UK degree attestation for the UAE cost?

Understanding the degree certificate attestation for UAE price is simple with our service.

  • UAE attestation (educational documents): £242 per document.

This price is inclusive of:

  • Solicitor certification fee
  • FCDO Apostille fee (urgent apostille service included)
  • UAE Embassy Digital Attestation fee (which now also covers the UAE MoFA attestation)
  • The VFS admin processing fee (£25 / approx. AED 118 + transaction fees)
  • VAT

Important note on fees: The £25 VFS admin processing fee component is non-refundable if the UAE Consulate/MoFA rejects the document for any reason (e.g., eligibility issues).

Using our service avoids the hassle of paying multiple entities. It gives you a clear, upfront cost for the entire UAE embassy attestation, including the MoFA process from start to finish in the UK.

How long does UAE attestation take?

While we offer the fastest way to get an apostille at the FCDO stage, the overall timeframe depends on the UAE Embassy’s processing.

  • The estimated turnaround is 5-7 working days from when we have your document ready for processing.

Please note:

  • This is an estimate; processing times can vary depending on the Embassy’s workload.
  • The UAE Embassy does not offer an expedited service for their attestation.
  • Delays may occur during peak periods or public holidays like Ramadan and Eid. We’ll always keep you informed.

What do you receive? The UAE digital attestation

Upon successful completion:

  • You will receive a digitally attested copy of your document via email.
  • This PDF includes the necessary authentications from both the UAE Consulate in London and the UAE MoFA.
  • This UAE-attested degree certificate (digital version) is valid and ready for use within the UAE.

  • Its authenticity can be verified online here: http://verify.mofa.gov.ae

  • Your original physical document, complete with the solicitor certification and FCDO Apostille, will also be returned to you. Please note: It will no longer bear the traditional stamps or stickers from the UAE Embassy, as the secure digital certificate now serves as the official proof of attestation.

Want to see what the digital certificate looks like?

Click the button to preview a sample Digitally Attested document, including the UAE Bilingual Digital Certificate (found on the final page).

Important considerations for UAE document attestation:

  • Eligibility – UK documents only: The UAE Embassy in London will ONLY attest to UK-issued educational documents (degrees, diplomas, etc.). FOREIGN EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTS ARE NOT ACCEPTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. They must be attested in their country of origin.

  • No bundling: Documents CANNOT be bundled together. Each degree, transcript, or other document must be processed, certified, and apostilled separately, and each requires its own fee.

  • Original or certified copy?: In most cases, a solicitor-certified copy of your educational document is accepted for UAE attestation, which we typically use for processing. However, we strongly recommend checking with the authority requesting the attestation in the UAE if they have specific requirements. Should they explicitly state that the original document must be attested, we can accommodate this request – please inform us when you place your order.

  • Notarisation: Usually, solicitor certification is enough. Only arrange for notarisation (where a Notary Public verifies the degree directly with the issuing university) if explicitly required by the end-user in the UAE.

  • Translation: If the authority in the UAE requires an Arabic translation of your UK educational document, it’s crucial to follow the correct order. The standard process is:

    1. First, fully attest your UK document through the required UK steps (Solicitor certification -> FCDO Apostille -> UAE Digital Attestation via London).
    2. Then, arrange for an official translator to translate the attested UK document into Arabic.
    3. Finally, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) must attest to the Arabic translation. We strongly advise you to confirm the exact requirements—including whether a translation is needed at all, what needs translating, and the specific procedure for attesting the translation—directly with your sponsoring entity or employer in the UAE before commissioning any translation work.

Why is degree certificate attestation required in the UAE?

The UAE isn’t part of the Hague Apostille Convention for recognising foreign public documents directly. Therefore, further legalisation (attestation) by their embassy and MoFA is required.

Attestation of documents for UAE is necessary to:

  • Validate the authenticity of your UK qualification within the UAE system.
  • Ensure your UAE-attested degree certificate is accepted locally for employment, residency visas, or further education.
  • Enable you to secure the correct employment status and access relevant services.

What can go wrong with UAE attestation? (avoiding pitfalls)

The UAE document attestation process is meticulous. Common mistakes when doing it yourself include:

  • Submitting documents directly to the Embassy without prior solicitor certification and FCDO Apostille.
  • Incorrect certification type.
  • Attempting to bundle documents.
  • Submitting non-UK documents.

Any mistake can lead to rejection, loss of fees (like the VFS admin fee), and significant delays. Using an experienced service like ours minimises these risks.

Key locations & opening hours

  • UAE Consulate (Embassy of the United Arab Emirates): 1-2 Grosvenor Cres, London SW1X 7EE. Document processing is handled via VFS.
    • Consulate Hours for VFS Submissions: 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, Monday to Friday.
  • VFS Legalisation Centre: The authorised submission point in London.
    • VFS Opening Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
  • Our Service: We handle submissions and collections in person at the VFS Centre during their operating hours, ensuring secure handling of your documents.

Unsure about any part of the attestation degree UAE process?

Contact us today for friendly, expert advice and a quote for our quick apostille service. We’re here to make your degree certificate attestation for UAE smooth and successful.