As the UAE is not a signatory to the Hague Convention, documents that are certified with an apostille are not legally recognized in the country and still need to undergo legalization.
The process of legalizing a document varies depending on the country where it is issued and where it will be used, as well as the type of document (personal or corporate).
The process of legalization of foreign corporate documents for the use in the UAE
01
Certification by Relevant State Authority
Ensure your document is officially certified by the appropriate state authority.
02
Notarization and Ministry Certification (if required)
If the document hasn't been certified yet, start by creating a notarized copy and have it certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country where the document was issued.
03
Certification by Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Obtain certification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country where the document originated.
04
Certification by UAE Consulate
Have the document authenticated by the UAE consulate in the country where it was issued.
05
Certification by UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Once certified by the UAE consulate, get the document further authenticated by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
06
Legal Translation (if required)
Translate the document into English or Arabic through a legal translator, if necessary.
The process of legalization of corporate documents obtained in the UAE for the use abroad
01
Certification by UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Make sure the documents are authenticated by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
02
Certification by the Consulate of the Destination Country in the UAE
Have the documents certified by the consulate of the country where they will be used, located within the UAE.
03
Delivery to the Relevant Country
Send the certified documents to the country where they are intended to be used.
04
Translation (if necessary)
If required by the destination country, arrange for the documents to be translated.
The process of legalization of natural persons' foreign documents
The procedure differs based on the location of an individual's original personal documents.
If the documents are in the country where they were issued, the process resembles the legalization procedure for corporate documents.
When the documents are located within the UAE:
01
The original documents should be presented to the consulate of the country of origin of the documents in the UAE
02
Once the copies of the documents have been certified, you should contact the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to finalize the legalization process
03
If the personal documents are not in English, the final step will be to have them certified by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then translated into English or Arabic by a certified translator
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