What is the Dubai attestation process checklist?

Attestation January 31, 2020

The beauty of the Dubai is boundless. It has everything from picturesque skylines to pristine coastline, from vast deserts to tall mountains. Dubai offers great opportunities for businesses, work, and studies. It is one of the best countries for business. And it is home to some of the best universities for overseas students. Dubai has a high standard of living which attracts many people who wish to settle for a long time here. It has a rich history with its ancient forts and museums signifying traditional Arabic culture. It has some of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, great shopping destinations and lots of activities to fill your time.

But staying for a long duration involves some lengthy formalities. Dubai is no different. In order to get a business or study visa, there are multiple processes and steps. There are many documents to be submitted. Copies of documents are to be attested by multiple authorities at home. Missing even one of them would mean going through the whole process again. You might miss some timelines for your business or studies. It is easy to get confused.

First, you need to understand why is attestation necessary. If you are seeking work opportunities, or you might have a job offer in Dubai, the authorities need to authenticate your documents and certificates before giving you a visa. This is to ensure that you do not end up in legal trouble once you enter Dubai. It is to show the authorities that you have a genuine reason to enter their country. The same goes for businesses and studies. If you are a student, they need to ensure that you have the concerned documents for admission, and they are genuine.

Levels of attestation in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, UAE

There are various levels at which attestation in Dubai is required. The seal of these authorities on your copies are proof that your documents are verified and genuine.

Regional level: This is the starting of your attestation process. The regional level authorities include your university, a notary. The university has to be the university that has issued your academic documents. A notary can be easily found in district courts or any government offices.
State-level: Three departments comprise of the state-level attestation procedure: The State Home Department(SHD) and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate(SDM).
Chamber of Commerce: Only in case of business, Attestation from the Chamber of Commerce is required.
Ministry of HRD: Documents related to academics are attested by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA): After all the documents have been attested in the previous levels, and before submitting the documents at the Dubai embassy, MEA verifies and attests all the documents.
Dubai Embassy: All the required documents, after attestation, are submitted to the concerned embassy. They will verify your application with the concerned authorities before issuing a visa.

Note: If you belong to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar or any other country that is not a signatory of the Hague convention, there is another step, i.e. MOFA verification (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of UAE).

Attestation process in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, UAE depends upon the purpose of visit

Different people have different reasons for their visit to Dubai. There are 3 major reasons in case you want to stay for a long duration, for which you may require a visa:

Business
Employment
Study

The attestation processes, authorities, and documents are different for each of these. For example, a student who wishes to study in Dubai does not need attestation from the Chamber of commerce. You have to carefully follow the instructions, so you don’t miss any document.

Study

Dubai has some of the very best universities and institutions in the world. They have great infrastructure. There are a lot of opportunities in case of work as well as leisure. As a prospective student in Dubai, you need to take care of various documents that need to be verified and attested. These are:

Degree Certificate/ Diploma Certificate of the previous qualification
College/School Id Card
Aadhaar Card
Bonafide Letter
Transfer Certificate
HSC/SSC Certificate
School/College Leaving Certificate
Cover Letter

Work Visa

If you are seeking work opportunities, or you already have employment, these are some of the documents you need to get attested by the concerned authorities before your arrival in Dubai.

Degree Certificate
Birth Certificate
Medical Certificate
Bank Statement
Relieving Letter from the previous job
Resume/CV
Aadhaar Card
Income Certificate
Cover Letter

Business

Dubai is a great place for doing business. It has great infrastructure, facilities, healthcare, and education. The laws are very investor-friendly, and it doesn’t take a long time to start a business in Dubai. You can either open a new business altogether or open a branch.

A business visa in Dubai requires attestation of all the concerned documents before the person enters the country.

Here are some documents if you are going to start a business in Dubai

Article of Incorporation
Intellectual Property (IP) assignment agreement
Non-disclosure agreement
Employee contract
Operating agreement/ founder’s agreement
Shareholder agreement
Offer letter

If you already have a business and you need to open a branch in Dubai

Establishment License
Board resolution
Get GST registration

In the case of import/export business

Bill of Entry
Commercial Invoice
Purchase order/Letter of Credit
Bill of Lading / Airway bill
Industrial License.
Import License
Insurance certificate

Resident visa

Resident status is different from a tourist. Residents stay for a much longer duration. They also have different opportunities allowed as a resident. Below are some of the documents needed for verification in case you are applying for a resident visa.

Birth certificate
Marriage certificate/Single Status certificate
Aadhaar Card
Bank Statement
Police Clearance Certificate
Passport Copies
Good Conduct Certificate

As you can see there quite a lot of documents that need to be verified. There is a need for carefully reading the list in order to avoid the hassle. Getting all the documents attested by the right authority is a long process, and you are advised to start the whole process long before your arrival in Dubai.

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