MHRA Certificate of Free Sale for the UAE: Solicitor Verification, Express Apostille and Attestation

Need an MHRA Certificate of Free Sale for the UAE verified and legalised? Ginkgo Advisory provides solicitor verification, express solicitor certification where accepted, and an express 2-working-day FCDO apostille service. We also arrange UAE Embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation where required.

We help manufacturers, UK Responsible Persons and exporters prepare medical device documents for the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

First, we review your certificate and the recipient’s instructions. Then, we confirm the appropriate preparation and attestation route.

Our two-working-day service covers the apostille stage. Verification, any required notarisation, UAE attestation and delivery have separate timescales.

Contact Ginkgo Advisory with your certificate, requirements and deadline.

What does an MHRA Certificate of Free Sale need for UAE use?

For a certificate that meets the UAE recipient’s regulatory requirements, preparation generally involves:

1. Checking authenticity and completing the required professional certification or notarisation.
2. Obtaining an FCDO apostille.
3. Completing UAE Embassy and MoFA attestation through the applicable service.

The UAE is not a contracting party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Therefore, an apostille alone does not replace UAE attestation where that attestation is required. The UAE Embassy’s guidance requires UK documents to complete FCDO legalisation first.

Our role is to review and coordinate these document stages before submission.

What is an MHRA Certificate of Free Sale?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issues Certificates of Free Sale for eligible registered medical devices and in vitro diagnostic devices. These certificates come as electronically signed PDFs.

A CFS is not a government endorsement of the product. It also does not confirm compliance with every export requirement. See the official MHRA guidance.

This article concerns medical devices and eligible IVDs. Medicines, cosmetics and other healthcare products may require different certificates.

Will the UAE accept a UK MHRA Certificate of Free Sale?

Acceptance depends on the product and the applicable regulatory requirements.

The Emirates Drug Establishment, or EDE, administers the medical device marketing authorisation service. Its published checklist asks for a valid free sale or registration certificate from the competent authority in the country of origin, certified by the UAE Embassy.

Check the country-of-origin requirement first

An MHRA certificate does not necessarily establish UK manufacture. Eligible UK Responsible Persons can order certificates for devices made by overseas manufacturers.

Consequently, if your products are manufactured outside the UK, ask your UAE regulatory representative to confirm whether the MHRA CFS meets the requirement. Obtain written confirmation before paying for legalisation.

You can review the EDE medical device marketing authorisation requirements with your importer.

Our solicitor verification of MHRA certificates

Ginkgo Advisory provides solicitor verification to establish the evidence supporting your certificate’s authenticity.

Depending on the document, our review can include:

• The certificate number and issue details.
• The manufacturer and other named organisations.
• The product list, models and attached schedules.
• The completeness of the electronic file.
• Relevant confirmation from MHRA.

Source verification and copy certification serve different purposes. Verification concerns authenticity. Copy certification records whether the copy matches the document examined.

Accordingly, our solicitor’s wording reflects the checks actually completed. We only state that authenticity has been verified when the evidence supports that statement.

If your recipient has requested specific wording, send it to us before certification.

Express solicitor certification for the UAE

Our solicitor certification service offers express preparation once the necessary checks are complete.

First, we examine the document and the recipient’s instructions. Next, we confirm the appropriate wording and format. The solicitor then prepares the certification where this is accepted for the intended use.

When is notarisation required?

MHRA’s published legalisation guidance describes a notary checking authenticity with MHRA before notarising the certificate. It also states that the FCDO will not authenticate the MHRA PDF directly.

The FCDO’s general guidance permits various documents certified by UK solicitors or notaries. However, the receiving organisation may specify who must sign.

We therefore identify any notarial requirement before submission. Express solicitor certification is available where suitable; a specifically required notarial act must be completed by a notary.

Express 2-working-day FCDO apostille service

Once your documents are fully prepared, Ginkgo Advisory offers an express 2-working-day apostille service for eligible applications.

We handle the FCDO submission and arrange the next stage or return of your documents. Learn more about our UK apostille service.

The FCDO checks the relevant signature, stamp or seal against its records. An apostille authenticates that element of the document; it does not grant medical device marketing authorisation.

What does the express timescale include?

The two-working-day timescale applies to the apostille stage after preparation is complete. It excludes:

• Obtaining a new MHRA certificate.
• Waiting for authenticity confirmation.
• Completing any necessary notarisation.
• UAE Embassy and MoFA attestation.
• Translation and courier delivery.

We confirm the expected schedule after reviewing your documents. Additional FCDO signature checks can extend processing.

UAE Embassy and MoFA digital attestation

Ginkgo Advisory can arrange the UAE attestation stage after the required UK preparation and apostille.

The UAE Embassy in London provides a combined digital attestation service. The completed document receives attestation from both the Embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commonly called MoFA.

Where this combined service applies, both attestations form part of the London process.

Our UAE Embassy attestation service can assist with document review, application preparation, submission handling and delivery of the completed digital attestation.

Does digital attestation still require a physical document?

Yes. The Embassy’s published instructions say that the physical document is required to issue the digital attestation. Therefore, receiving a digital result does not mean the application uses only an uploaded PDF.

We explain which prepared documents are needed before you send them.

How long does UAE attestation take?

The London service publishes a typical processing time of 2–3 working days. This is separate from our apostille timescale. Collection, return delivery and additional checks can affect the overall schedule.

For further background, read our post on digital attestation through the UAE Embassy in London.

Prepare the complete certificate and product schedules

Send the original MHRA PDF with all its annexes and product schedules.

Before certification, check that the information matches your intended submission. In particular, review:

• Manufacturer names and addresses.
• Product names and model numbers.
• Relevant manufacturing sites.
• Certificate validity.
• The complete list of products being submitted.

If you find a discrepancy, resolve it with the appropriate issuer or applicant first. Solicitor certification cannot correct the underlying MHRA certificate.

Also, tell us if your application includes several CFS documents or supporting letters. We will review how each document should be prepared and submitted.

Does the certificate need an Arabic translation?

Ask the UAE recipient whether the English certificate is sufficient for its particular submission.

If a translation is requested, obtain instructions covering the translator’s qualifications and any certification requirements. Also, confirm whether the product schedules, professional certification and attestation must be translated.

Send those instructions at the beginning. This allows the translation and legalisation stages to be planned together.

Why choose Ginkgo Advisory?

Ginkgo Advisory coordinates solicitor verification, certification, FCDO apostille and UAE attestation support.

Our certification and apostille work is overseen by KH Lam, a practising solicitor in England and Wales. He is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and registered with the FCDO for apostille purposes.

We explain the proposed steps, required documents and quotation before proceeding. For urgent applications, we identify which stages can use our express service.

You can also explore our guides to UK apostilles for the UAE and UK MHRA Certificates of Free Sale compared with EU certificates.

What should you send us?

To request verification and legalisation of an MHRA Certificate of Free Sale for the UAE, please provide:

1. The complete MHRA PDF, including every schedule and annex.
2. The intended use, such as a regulatory submission or tender.
3. The recipient’s written requirements, including any prescribed certification wording.
4. Confirmation of certificate acceptance, particularly where manufacture takes place outside the UK.
5. Your deadline and any translation requirements.
6. The delivery address for completed paper documents.

If a previous submission was rejected, include the rejection notice and the previously certified document. We can then assess the stated problem before recommending further work.

Frequently asked questions

Can Ginkgo Advisory verify an electronic MHRA certificate?

Yes. Send the complete PDF and the recipient’s requirements. We assess the appropriate authenticity checks and explain what evidence is needed.

Is solicitor certification the same as notarisation?

No. These are different professional acts. We review the applicable requirements before recommending the appropriate preparation.

Does an apostille guarantee UAE acceptance?

No. The certificate must satisfy the recipient’s document and regulatory requirements. Any required UAE attestation must also be completed.

Is UAE digital attestation the same as a UK e-Apostille?

No. They are separate services issued by different authorities. Confirm the required FCDO format before proceeding; a digital UAE result does not establish acceptance of a UK e-Apostille.

Can the whole process finish in two working days?

The two-working-day service covers the eligible apostille stage. Verification, notarisation, UAE attestation and delivery require separate time.

Does attestation mean the device is approved for sale?

No. Attestation concerns document authentication. The EDE separately assesses the marketing authorisation application and supporting evidence.

How much does the service cost?

We provide a quotation after reviewing your documents. The price depends on the number of certificates and the verification, certification, apostille and attestation stages required.

Request MHRA certificate verification for the UAE

Send Ginkgo Advisory your MHRA Certificate of Free Sale for the UAE, the recipient’s instructions and your deadline.

We will explain the appropriate route for solicitor verification, express certification, our express 2-working-day apostille service and UAE Embassy and MoFA attestation.

Email: apostille@ginkgoadvisory.com
WhatsApp: +44 7388 833283
Enquiries: Contact Ginkgo Advisory