COUNTRY PROFILE – UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)
The United Arab Emirates (often called the UAE) is located in the Middle East and is situated between Oman and Saudi Arabia. The seven emirates that make up the UAE are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fukairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain.
| AT A GLANCE – NOTARISATION AND LEGALISATION FOR UAE: | |
| Official language(s): | Arabic |
| Legalisation requirements: | Foreign Office apostille and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy legalisation. The UAE Embassy will usually take one day to legalise documents. |
| Translations required?: | Translation is not required for legalisation purposes at the UAE Embassy in London. However, please check with the recipient in case a translation is required once the document reaches the UAE. |
| Legalisation fees: | Foreign Office charges £30 per document for their standard postal service or £75 per document for their London-based same-day service UAE Embassy in London charges either £500 or £37.50 (see below for further details). N.B. All legalisation fees are based on information available at the time of writing but can change from time to time. |
| Address and contact details: | Embassy of the United Arab Emirates: 30 Princes Gate, London SW7 1PT Legalisation Department: 48 Princes Gate, London SW7 2QA T: 020 7808 8306 Website: http://www.uae-embassy.ae/embassies/uk/content/592 Nearest tubes: Knightsbridge or South Kensington |
COMMON DOCUMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS:
A large quantity of documents submitted to the UAE Embassy are for individuals that have been offered a new employment opportunity in the UAE. The specific documents required will vary depending on the employer but it is very common to have your educational documents notarised and legalised. The notary is able to notarise the original or a copy of your educational document, however it is advisable to check what your employer has requested. Additional documentation may be required, depending on visa requirements such as marriage certificates, birth certificates (if you have children that will also be moving to the UAE) and certified copies of passports.
The Embassy has introduced new requirements in relation to the notarisation and legalisation of educational documents. The notarisation must be completed on either the original document itself or on a copy and will not be accepted by the Embassy if it is on a separate notarial certificate.
UK companies that wish to conduct business in the UAE will first need to submit documents to the Embassy. These typically include the certificates of incorporation, memorandum and articles of association and powers of attorney.
Before documents can be submitted to the UAE Embassy they will first need to be ‘apostilled’ by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) or other relevant authority depending on where the document originates. These include the Governors’ Office of Jersey, Guernsey & Isle of Man, the Irish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland. The majority of documents will need to be notarised before they can be submitted to the FCO and then the UAE Embassy. The exceptions are original documents which have been signed by a Registrar of Companies or a Registrar of Births, Marriages & Deaths which can be submitted to the Foreign Office directly without the need for notarisation.
If the document is from a British Overseas Territory (for example Bermuda or the British Virgin Islands) then it will first require attestation by the Government of the territory in question before it can be submitted to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for legalisation.
If a document is from any other jurisdiction than those mentioned above then the UAE Embassy in London will not accept the document for legalisation.
Please note that shipping documents, commercial invoices and certificates of origin are not accepted by the UAE Embassy from individuals or businesses. Instead, these will first need to be submitted to the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) which in turn will refer the documents to the Arab British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) where they will then consign the document to the Embassy.
It is important to remember that the UAE Embassy requires each document to be notarised and apostilled separately, therefore documents cannot be attached together to save on legalisation fees.
Lastly, the UAE Embassy in London closes during Ramadan and other religious holidays so it is best to check with the Embassy before submitting documents to avoid any unexpected delays.
FEES:
As documents for the UAE need to be submitted separately, the UAE fees are per document.
Most corporate documents are charged at £500 per document and these include documents such as:
- Certificate of incorporation
- Memorandum and Articles of Association – these now are treated as two separate documents
- Company Trade or Financial Report
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Commercial Power of Attorney
- Company Contract
- Assignment/Authorisation for registering Trade Marks and Patents
- Certificate of Incumbency
- Any other corporate document
Documents for individuals such as birth certificates, personal powers of attorney (to buy/sell property) and educational documents are charged at £37.50 per document.
For a full updated list of fees please visit the legalisation page of the UAE Embassy website.
Our notaries are very familiar with the procedure to have documents certified and legalised for use in the UAE, as well as the associated fees and time frames. Do not hesitate to get in touch by e-mail, telephone or via our contact form if you need assistance with documents for the UAE.
A COUPLE OF FACTS ABOUT NOTARIES IN THE UAE:
- What is the Arabic word for notary? كاتب العدل.
- Do you require a notary in the UAE to set up a company there? Yes, but if you cannot attend personally then you can grant a power of attorney to allow an authorised representative to appear on your behalf.