Last updated: 24 September 2026
No. A UK apostille from the FCDO is not enough on its own for a document to be used in the UAE. The UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostilled UK document still needs two more steps: attestation by the UAE Embassy in London, and the final stamp from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in the UAE.
The good news: if your document already has an apostille, that stage is done. You only need the remaining steps.
Why the apostille is not the final step for the UAE
An apostille is a certificate that lets a document move between countries that have signed the Hague Apostille Convention. Between two member countries, the apostille is the whole process.
The UAE has not joined the convention. UAE authorities use their own legalisation chain instead, and they only accept a foreign document once it carries the stamp of the UAE embassy in the issuing country and then the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The apostille is still useful — it is how the UK authenticates the document — but it is one stage, not the last.
The full route for a UK document
| Stage | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Solicitor or notary | UK | Confirms the document or signature, where required |
| 2. FCDO apostille | UK | The UK government certifies the document |
| 3. UAE Embassy attestation | London | The UAE’s mission in the UK attests the document |
| 4. MOFA attestation | UAE | The final stamp that makes it valid for UAE use |
Most UAE departments also ask for a certified Arabic translation after attestation.
My document is already apostilled — what now?
This is common. Many people apostilled their degree or certificate for another country, or before they knew they would move to the UAE.
In that case stages 1 and 2 are complete. What remains is the UAE Embassy in London and MOFA in the UAE. You do not need to apostille it again.
Which documents this applies to
- Degrees, diplomas and transcripts — for employment visas and professional licensing
- Birth and marriage certificates — for family sponsorship
- Police clearance (ACRO) — for some visas and licences
- Company documents — incorporation certificates, board resolutions and powers of attorney
For regulated jobs such as teaching, healthcare and engineering, an attested UK degree usually also needs equivalency — recognition as equal to a UAE qualification, issued by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
How long it takes
As an indicative guide, the full UK route takes around 15–25 working days, depending on the document and which stages are already done. An already-apostilled document starts further along.
Common mistakes
- Stopping at the apostille and submitting it to a UAE department — it will be sent back.
- Apostilling a copy the UAE will not accept — check which version of a certificate the UAE authority wants before you start.
- Forgetting the Arabic translation — many departments need it after attestation.
- Name differences between the certificate and your passport — flag them early.
Not on its own. The UAE is not a Hague Apostille Convention member, so the document also needs UAE Embassy (London) attestation and the MOFA stamp in the UAE.
No. The apostille stage is complete. What remains is the UAE Embassy in London and MOFA in the UAE.
No. The UAE Embassy stage can be handled on your behalf. We manage it from Dubai.
It depends on embassy and MOFA workloads. Message us for a current timeline.
For regulated jobs, usually yes. Equivalency is a separate step after attestation.
Often yes, after attestation. A certified legal translation is usually required by UAE departments and courts.
- HCCH — Apostille Convention status table
- UK Government — Get your document legalised (FCDO apostille)
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Attestation
