Certificate Attestation by Country
A document issued abroad becomes usable in the UAE only after it has travelled a chain: it is authenticated in the country that issued it, legalised by the UAE mission accredited to that country, and attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) once it arrives. What changes from country to country is the first leg — which authority signs, and whether that country issues an apostille or a consular legalisation. Because the UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille never replaces the UAE steps. Pick your country below for its route, or read the full attestation process.
Asia
The home-country step varies most in this region — an apostille in some countries, a ministry authentication in others — but the UAE legs are the same in every case.
Europe
Nearly every country here belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention, yet a UAE-bound document takes an apostille in some and a non-apostille legalisation in others.
Middle East
Non-Convention neighbours where documents move on consular legalisation — and where the GCC routes run in both directions.
Africa
A mix of Convention and non-Convention states, each routed through the UAE mission accredited to that country.
Americas
Whether the home step is an apostille or an authentication certificate, the UAE mission and MOFA legs still apply.
Oceania
Australia issues both an apostille and an authentication certificate — for the UAE it is the authentication that counts.