UAE Embassy Attestation in London for UK Documents

UK documents intended for official use in the United Arab Emirates commonly require UAE Embassy attestation after receiving an FCDO Apostille.

The United Arab Emirates is not a Contracting Party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. An Apostille is therefore normally a prerequisite rather than the final legalisation step.

Under the current digital system, the UAE Embassy in London and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs complete their attestations through one integrated application.

Applicants receive a digitally attested copy by email. Their physical document is also returned through the approved service provider.

Ginkgo Advisory provides a dedicated UAE Embassy attestation service for documents that have already received the correct UK FCDO Apostille.

We can review the Apostille, classify the document, prepare the application, coordinate physical-document handling and monitor the digital attestation process.

UAE Embassy attestation service at a glance

Stage	What happens	Indicative timing
Initial assessment	We review the document, Apostille and intended use	Usually same or next working day
Application preparation	The document is classified as individual or commercial	After assessment
Digital application	The UAE MoFA attestation application is completed online	After approval
Physical-document handling	The approved provider collects or receives the document	Subject to provider arrangements
Embassy and MoFA processing	Both attestations are completed digitally	Typically 2–3 working days
Digital result	The attested PDF is issued by email	After approval
Original return	The physical document is returned by the provider	Delivery time is additional

The published 2–3-working-day period relates to the digital attestation process. Collection, return delivery and additional verification can extend the overall timeframe.

What is UAE Embassy attestation?

UAE Embassy attestation is the authentication of a foreign document by the UAE diplomatic mission responsible for its country of issue.

For a UK-issued document, the responsible mission is the UAE Embassy in London.

The Embassy checks that the document has completed the required UK legalisation stage. It then processes the document through the UAE’s digital attestation system.

Once approved, the electronic result carries both:

• UAE Embassy in London attestation
• UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation

The finished digital document is ready for official use within the UAE.

Has the UAE attestation process changed?

Yes. The current process is different from the older three-stage model.

Previously, applicants commonly described the route as:

1. FCDO Apostille
2. UAE Embassy attestation in London
3. Separate UAE MoFA attestation after arrival in the UAE

For eligible UK documents processed through the present London system, the current route is:

FCDO Apostille → integrated UAE Embassy and UAE MoFA digital attestation

The Embassy and MoFA stages are completed through the same digital workflow. A separately arranged MoFA visit in the UAE is not normally required for a document successfully completed through this route.

Do I need UAE Embassy attestation?

Attestation may be requested for employment, immigration, professional registration, education, family, banking, legal or commercial purposes in the UAE.

Common receiving organisations include:

• UAE employers
• Free-zone authorities
• Government departments
• Immigration authorities
• Professional regulators
• Universities and schools
• Banks and financial institutions
• Courts and legal advisers
• Company-registration authorities
• Property and inheritance authorities

The final requirement is determined by the organisation receiving the document.

Before beginning the process, applicants should ask whether the recipient requires:

• An FCDO Apostille only
• UAE Embassy and MoFA attestation
• Arabic translation
• Separate attestation of supporting documents
• An original document rather than a certified copy

Ginkgo Advisory can review written instructions from the UAE recipient before the original is submitted.

Already have an FCDO Apostille?

You can instruct us for UAE Embassy attestation only.

There is no need to repeat certification or Apostille work when the existing document is acceptable.

Please send:

1. A clear scan of the complete document
2. A scan of the attached FCDO Apostille
3. The document holder’s passport copy
4. The purpose for which the document will be used
5. The name of the receiving organisation in the UAE
6. Any written instructions from the recipient
7. Your required completion date
8. Your collection and return-delivery address

We will check whether the document is ready for digital UAE attestation before asking you to release the original.

What does our UAE Embassy attestation-only service include?

Our managed service can cover:

• Review of the existing FCDO Apostille
• Confirmation of the document category
• Personal or commercial classification
• Review of original-versus-copy requirements
• Checks for prohibited bundling
• Online application preparation
• Online payment coordination
• Approved-provider handling
• Application monitoring
• Digital attestation delivery
• Online verification checks
• Original-document return coordination
• UK or international onward delivery
• English and Chinese client support

The service is designed for applicants whose documents have already completed the UK preparation and Apostille stages.

Where the document has not yet been apostilled, we can provide a separate quotation for the missing UK work.

Does every UK document need an FCDO Apostille first?

Yes. A UK-issued document must first be legalised by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office before it can enter the London digital attestation process.

Some official UK documents can be apostilled directly.

Examples may include qualifying:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Court documents
• ACRO Police Certificates
• DBS certificates
• Companies House documents

Private documents and document copies may first require certification or notarisation.

The correct earlier route depends on the document. However, this article focuses on the UAE Embassy attestation stage after Apostille.

Which documents does the UAE Embassy in London accept?

The UAE Embassy currently accepts UK personal and commercial documents through its digital attestation service.

Commercial invoices and Certificates of Origin are excluded from the ordinary route. Those documents must use the UAE MoFA eDAS 2.0 system.

Personal and individual-affairs documents

Common examples include:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Divorce documents
• Adoption documents
• Medical reports
• ACRO Police Certificates
• DBS certificates
• Good-conduct certificates
• Educational certificates
• Degree certificates
• Academic transcripts
• Diploma certificates
• Professional qualifications
• Personal powers of attorney
• Court-issued personal documents
• Employment contracts
• Employment offers
• Bank statements
• Personal tax certificates
• To-whom-it-may-concern letters

The UAE MoFA treats an educational certificate and its academic transcript as two separate documents. Each may therefore attract its own preparation, Apostille and attestation requirements.

Commercial documents

The standard digital route can also cover many corporate documents, including:

• Certificates of incorporation
• Commercial registrations
• Certificates of good standing
• Board resolutions
• Shareholder resolutions
• Minutes of meetings
• Director appointments
• Manager appointments
• Company change-of-name documents
• Commercial powers of attorney
• Distribution agreements
• Agency agreements
• Commercial contracts
• Partnership documents
• Shareholder certificates
• Financial statements
• Corporate tax documents
• Trademark documents
• Patent documents
• Product registrations
• Certificates of free sale
• Company closure documents
• Company branch registrations
• End-user certificates
• General powers of attorney

Commercial contracts can be counted as more than one document where their contents contain several separately chargeable instruments or annexes.

Important UAE Embassy document rules

Several formal requirements apply before the digital application is submitted.

Each document must be Apostilled separately

The UAE Embassy does not accept documents placed together under one bundled Apostille.

Each document must ordinarily have its own FCDO Apostille.

This rule can affect applications involving:

• Degree and transcript
• Certificate and accompanying letter
• Incorporation certificate and change-of-name certificate
• Board resolution and power of attorney
• Memorandum and articles of association
• Several Companies House forms
• Multiple court orders
• Several professional qualifications

Applicants should not bundle documents simply to reduce Apostille or Embassy fees.

Memorandum and articles must be separate

A company’s memorandum and articles of association must be attested separately.

Combining them as one document can lead to rejection or an additional-document charge.

Laminated documents are not accepted

A laminated document cannot be attested.

Removing lamination can damage an original certificate. Applicants should therefore seek a replacement document rather than attempting to peel away the plastic.

A physical document is still required

Although the result is digital, the underlying physical document must still be supplied.

Following payment, the approved service provider arranges collection or physical-document handling. The original is returned after completion.

Originals and certified copies

The UAE Embassy requires original official personal-status documents.

Examples include:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates

These should be submitted in their original official form.

Other documents may be accepted as either:

• An original
• A properly certified true copy

In both cases, the submitted document must already have completed the appropriate FCDO legalisation.

A certified copy should not be used merely because the holder prefers to retain the original. The UAE recipient may expressly require the original document.

Powers of attorney and similar legal documents

Powers of attorney and comparable legal instruments must be signed in the presence of a UK solicitor or Notary Public before the FCDO Apostille stage.

The Embassy may reject a document where the execution certificate does not establish that signing occurred before the UK legal professional.

Relevant documents can include:

• Powers of attorney
• Authorisations of agents
• Declarations
• Affidavits
• Consent documents
• Board resolutions signed as private instruments
• Legal agreements
• Signature authorities

A power of attorney containing commercial powers is treated as a commercial document, even where the individual signatory acts personally.

The classification has a substantial effect on the government fee.

UAE Embassy and MoFA attestation fees

The digital London process includes charges for both the UAE Embassy and UAE MoFA stages.

Current VFS attestation instructions publish the following combined government charges:

Document category	Government attestation charge	Indicative sterling equivalent
Individual or private document	AED 300 per document	Approximately £70
Commercial document	AED 2,150 per document	Approximately £490
Commercial invoice or Certificate of Origin	Calculated through eDAS 2.0	Depends on the transaction

The sterling figures are indicative. The final amount can vary with exchange rates, card conversion and third-party transaction charges.

Approved-provider and delivery fee

A separate service-provider fee is charged for application handling, collection and return delivery.

The live amount should be confirmed when the application is prepared. It should not be permanently advertised as £25 because provider charges can change.

Where an application is rejected, the government attestation fee is normally refunded automatically. The provider service and delivery fee is not refunded.

Our professional fee

Ginkgo Advisory’s professional handling fee is separate from:

• UAE government charges
• Approved-provider charges
• FCDO Apostille fees
• Solicitor or notarial fees
• Chamber fees
• Translation fees
• International courier costs

A quotation is provided after reviewing the document and its Apostille.

UAE Embassy attestation processing time

The UAE Embassy currently states that digital attestations are typically completed within:

2–3 working days

This period begins once the application and physical document have entered the approved process.

The published timeframe is not a guaranteed deadline.

Additional time may arise where:

• The Apostille is queried
• The document is incorrectly classified
• A commercial agreement contains several instruments
• Further verification is requested
• The physical document is collected late
• The collection address is incomplete
• The application falls near a public holiday
• The provider experiences delivery delays
• The document does not satisfy the Embassy rules
• Resubmission is required

For planning purposes, collection and return-delivery time should be added to the 2–3-working-day Embassy target.

The older general estimate of 7–10 working days may still be useful as a conservative end-to-end allowance. It should not, however, be described as the Embassy’s current published digital-processing target.

What do I receive after digital attestation?

Following approval, the applicant receives an email containing a digitally attested copy of the document.

The PDF records attestation by:

• The UAE Embassy in London
• The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The document is ready for use within the UAE.

Your physical original is returned separately through the approved service provider.

The digital document should be retained securely because it may be requested by:

• An employer
• Immigration adviser
• Free-zone authority
• Professional regulator
• University
• Bank
• Government department
• Court or legal adviser

Can the UAE digital attestation be verified online?

Yes.

The UAE MoFA provides an official online verification facility.

A receiving organisation can check the digital attestation using:

• Attestation reference number
• Issued date

The verification system confirms whether the attestation is valid and originates from the official UAE process.

We can check the verification record after completion and provide the relevant details to the client.

How is the application submitted?

The digital application is initiated through the UAE MoFA online service.

The usual process is:

1. Access the MoFA attestation service
2. Select the United Kingdom as the document’s country of issue
3. Enter the document and applicant information
4. Select the correct document category
5. Complete online payment
6. Receive collection instructions from the approved provider
7. Release the physical document for collection
8. Monitor status notifications by email
9. Receive the digitally attested PDF
10. Receive the returned original document

The approved provider supplies an air waybill and collection schedule. Status and return-delivery details are sent to the registered email address.

Can an agent submit the application?

Yes.

The UAE MoFA states that another person may submit the attestation application on behalf of the document owner.

This allows Ginkgo Advisory to manage the process where the necessary client information and authority have been supplied.

A passport copy, contact details or further authority may still be needed depending on the document and application structure.

Is UAE Embassy attestation a walk-in service?

The current standard process is digital.

Applications are initiated online, and physical documents are handled through a MoFA-approved provider. Routine direct attendance at the Embassy is therefore not the normal application method described by the current official guidance.

The UAE Embassy’s principal London address is:

Embassy of the United Arab Emirates
1–2 Grosvenor Crescent
London SW1X 7EE

The Embassy’s separate legalisation information also refers to its Legalisation Department at 48 Prince’s Gate. Applicants should not post documents directly to either location unless specifically instructed.

For a standard digital application, follow the collection and return instructions issued by the approved provider.

Commercial invoices and Certificates of Origin

Commercial invoices and Certificates of Origin do not use the standard Embassy digital-attestation application.

They must be processed through the UAE MoFA’s Electronic Documents Attestation System, eDAS 2.0.

eDAS applies to:

• Commercial invoices for goods imported into the UAE
• Certificates of Origin

The invoice and Certificate of Origin are uploaded and recorded separately within the electronic system.

Where one Certificate of Origin relates to several invoices, each document must be entered according to the eDAS rules.

Do LCCI and the Arab-British Chamber still apply?

They can.

UK export documents may require certification by:

1. London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
2. Arab-British Chamber of Commerce
3. The relevant UAE legalisation or eDAS route

LCCI confirms that the UAE requires relevant Arab Certificates of Origin to be certified by the ABCC and legalised for the UAE. The Certificate and its commercial invoice are generally processed as a set.

Chamber fees should be quoted individually.

A fixed figure such as £539.70 should not be advertised as a universal charge because LCCI pricing can depend on:

• Destination
• Invoice value
• Document type
• Number of documents
• Membership status
• Required legalisation route

LCCI expressly states that Arab Certificate pricing varies according to the country, goods value and process required.

Bills of sale and other trade documents

A Bill of Sale is not the same as a commercial invoice or Certificate of Origin.

Its route should be assessed from:

• The document’s wording
• The transaction
• The goods or assets involved
• The signatory
• The UAE recipient’s instructions
• Whether Chamber certification is requested
• Whether it falls within the ordinary commercial-attestation category

Applicants should not automatically place every Bill of Sale into eDAS without checking the recipient’s instructions.

Send a scan before certification or submission.

UAE Embassy attestation for degree certificates

UK degree certificates frequently require UAE attestation for:

• Employment
• Work permits
• Professional registration
• Teaching positions
• Medical licensing
• Engineering registration
• University admission
• Government appointments
• Immigration or residence applications

The degree must first carry its own FCDO Apostille.

Where the transcript is also required, it should generally be prepared, apostilled and attested separately. The UAE MoFA treats the degree and transcript as different documents.

Applicants with an already apostilled degree can instruct us for the Embassy and MoFA stage only.

Foreign educational documents

The UAE Embassy in London currently provides digital attestation for documents issued in:

• The United Kingdom
• Iceland

It also handles UAE-issued documents under the relevant reverse process.

Documents issued in other countries must generally be submitted to the UAE Embassy or Consulate responsible for the country of issue.

Accordingly, a degree issued in another country should not be redirected through the UK merely because the holder currently lives in Britain.

The correct route begins in the qualification’s country of issue.

Birth, marriage and death certificates

Official personal-status documents must be submitted in original form.

This requirement applies to documents such as:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates

A photocopy or solicitor-certified copy may not replace the official original for the Embassy stage.

Each certificate must also carry its own FCDO Apostille.

Police and good-conduct certificates

Police and good-conduct certificates fall within the UAE individual-affairs category.

Common UK examples include:

• ACRO Police Certificates
• DBS certificates
• Other qualifying UK criminal-record documents

The certificate must first complete the paper FCDO Apostille process.

After Apostille, it can be assessed for the digital UAE Embassy and MoFA route.

Applicants should also check any validity period imposed by the UAE employer or immigration authority.

Medical certificates

Medical reports are recognised within the MoFA individual-affairs category.

Before legalisation, the document should contain every test result or declaration requested by the UAE recipient.

Attestation confirms the authentication chain. It does not correct incomplete medical content.

Company incorporation documents

Company records may require attestation for:

• UAE company formation
• Free-zone applications
• Opening a branch
• Shareholder identification
• Banking
• Commercial contracts
• Director appointments
• Ownership evidence
• Licensing
• Regulatory registration

Each underlying document should be assessed separately.

A Certificate of Incorporation and Certificate of Incorporation on Change of Name should not automatically be bundled under one Apostille. The current official Embassy rule states that bundled Apostilles are not accepted.

Companies House filing forms

A Companies House filing can contain several declarations, certificates or schedules.

The UAE authorities may classify different components as separate documents.

Examples include:

• IN01 incorporation filings
• Appointment forms
• Change-of-name documents
• Share-capital statements
• Registered-office forms
• Director or shareholder records

Preparing one large combined certification can create a classification problem.

We recommend obtaining written confirmation where the UAE recipient expects a specific Companies House filing.

Documents from British Overseas Territories

Documents issued in a British Overseas Territory follow a special route.

They must first be apostilled by the relevant territorial government. The document then requires legalisation through the UK FCDO before entering the UAE Embassy London process.

Examples of British Overseas Territories include:

• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Bermuda
• Gibraltar
• Turks and Caicos Islands

The entity or document should have a genuine connection to the issuing territory.

Documents from Crown Dependencies

Documents issued in Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man must first be legalised by the relevant authority in that jurisdiction.

The UAE Embassy’s current guidance refers applicants to the respective Crown Dependency Foreign Office rather than the ordinary UK FCDO route.

A scan should be reviewed before the original is sent.

Other foreign documents

The UAE Embassy in London states that non-UK and non-Icelandic documents should be legalised by the UAE Embassy or Consulate in the relevant country.

The previous suggested workaround involving several UK certifications should not be treated as the standard current route.

For example:

• A Canadian degree normally follows the Canadian UAE-mission route
• An American certificate normally follows the relevant US route
• An Indian qualification normally follows the Indian route
• A South African document normally follows the South African route
• An Australian certificate normally follows the Australian route

UK residence does not change the country in which the original document was issued.

What happens if the application is rejected?

A document that fails the Embassy’s requirements can be rejected.

Where this happens:

• The government attestation fee is normally refunded automatically
• The provider service and delivery fee is not refunded
• The physical original is returned
• A corrected application can be submitted later

The UAE Embassy expressly distinguishes between the refundable attestation fee and the non-refundable service fee.

Common reasons for UAE Embassy rejection

Frequent problems include:

• Missing FCDO Apostille
• A bundled Apostille covering several documents
• Lamination
• Submission of a copy where the original is required
• Degree and transcript combined as one document
• Memorandum and articles combined
• Incorrect personal or commercial classification
• Commercial power of attorney classified as personal
• Power of attorney not signed before a UK solicitor or notary
• Commercial invoice submitted through the ordinary route
• Certificate of Origin submitted outside eDAS
• Non-UK document sent to the London mission
• Physical document not supplied
• Incomplete collection details
• Inconsistent names
• Incorrect issuing country
• Several instruments hidden within one commercial agreement

A scan review before payment can reduce the likelihood of an avoidable rejection.

Why use Ginkgo Advisory?

Ginkgo Advisory offers a managed service for clients whose documents already have an FCDO Apostille.

Our UAE Embassy attestation service can include:

• Existing Apostille review
• Document-category assessment
• Individual-versus-commercial classification
• Separate-document checks
• Original-document checks
• Digital-application coordination
• Government-fee coordination
• Approved-provider liaison
• Status monitoring
• Digital-result checks
• MoFA verification
• Return-delivery coordination
• International courier arrangements
• English and Chinese support

Clients can send scanned copies before releasing their originals.

This allows us to identify problems while they can still be corrected.

Frequently asked questions

What is UAE Embassy attestation?

UAE Embassy attestation is the authentication of a foreign document by the UAE diplomatic mission responsible for its country of issue.

For UK documents, it is processed through the UAE Embassy in London after FCDO legalisation.

Is the UAE an Apostille Convention country?

No.

The UAE is not currently listed as a Contracting Party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. An FCDO Apostille therefore does not normally replace UAE Embassy attestation.

Is separate MoFA attestation still required in the UAE?

Not for an eligible UK document successfully completed through the current London digital workflow.

The emailed result contains both UAE Embassy and UAE MoFA attestation and is ready for use within the UAE.

Can you provide UAE Embassy attestation only?

Yes.

Where the document already has an acceptable FCDO Apostille, Ginkgo Advisory can manage only the UAE Embassy and MoFA digital stage.

How long does UAE Embassy attestation take?

The Embassy publishes a typical digital-processing time of 2–3 working days.

Collection, return delivery, verification and public holidays can increase the total elapsed time.

How much does UAE Embassy attestation cost?

Current combined government charges are generally:

• AED 300 for an individual or private document
• AED 2,150 for a commercial document

Provider, delivery, transaction and professional fees are additional.

Is the old £25 VFS fee still correct?

It should not be published as a permanent fixed fee.

The approved provider applies a separate service and delivery charge. Its live amount should be confirmed when the application is prepared.

Do I receive a physical UAE Embassy stamp?

The current result is digital.

An electronically attested PDF is sent by email, while the physical apostilled document is returned through the provider.

Can the digital attestation be verified?

Yes.

The UAE MoFA verification system allows the recipient to check the attestation reference number and issued date.

Do I need to send the physical original?

A physical document is required for the London digital-attestation process.

The approved service provider arranges collection and return.

Can several documents share one FCDO Apostille?

No.

The UAE Embassy states that documents apostilled as a bundle are not accepted. Each document should be apostilled separately.

Can another person submit the application for me?

Yes.

The UAE MoFA states that anyone may submit an attestation application on behalf of the document owner.

Can a UK degree and transcript be processed together?

They should be treated as separate documents.

The UAE MoFA expressly identifies an educational certificate and transcript as two distinct documents.

Can the UAE Embassy attest a non-UK degree in London?

Generally, no.

A document issued outside the UK or Iceland should be processed through the UAE mission responsible for its country of issue.

Can I submit a laminated certificate?

No.

Laminated documents are rejected by the UAE attestation process.

Do commercial invoices use the ordinary Embassy route?

No.

Commercial invoices and Certificates of Origin are processed through the UAE MoFA eDAS 2.0 system.

Is Chamber legalisation still required for UAE export documents?

It may be.

LCCI confirms that relevant UAE Arab Certificates of Origin and commercial invoices require ABCC certification and legalisation. The precise route and current fee should be checked for each shipment.

What happens if my document is rejected?

The attestation fee is normally refunded automatically.

The provider service and delivery charge is not refunded. Your physical document will be returned.

Where is the UAE Embassy in London?

The Embassy’s principal address is:

1–2 Grosvenor Crescent, London SW1X 7EE.

However, current attestation applications are initiated online and handled through an approved service provider. Applicants should not attend or post originals without specific instructions.

Arrange UAE Embassy attestation

Send Ginkgo Advisory a clear scan of:

1. The complete document
2. The FCDO Apostille
3. The document holder’s passport
4. The UAE recipient’s instructions
5. Any related supporting documents

Please also provide:

• Intended use in the UAE
• Required completion date
• UK collection address
• Final return address
• Confirmation of whether the document is personal or commercial

We will assess whether the document is ready for UAE Embassy and MoFA digital attestation before the original is released.

Ginkgo Advisory

WhatsApp: +44 7388 833283
Email: info@ginkgoadvisory.com

Requirements, government fees, provider charges and processing periods can change without notice. Final acceptance remains subject to the UAE Embassy in London, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the approved service provider and the organisation receiving the document in the UAE.