Commercial Document Attestation in UAE
Commercial Document Attestation Services in Dubai and UAE
GloboPrime provides commercial document attestation services in Dubai and across the UAE for certificates of incorporation, memoranda and articles of association, board resolutions, shareholder resolutions, commercial powers of attorney, trade licences, agency agreements and other company documents.
For foreign-issued company documents intended for use in the UAE, we coordinate the required verification in the issuing country, UAE Embassy or Consulate attestation and final attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). We also assist with UAE-issued commercial documents that require MOFA attestation and embassy legalisation for use in another country.
Commercial invoices and certificates of origin follow a separate digital process through MOFA’s eDAS 2.0 system. The required stages, government fees and processing time depend on the document type, issuing country and country where it will be used. Send us a copy of your document to confirm the correct attestation route and cost.
Commercial Document Attestation for Use in the UAE
Foreign-issued company documents may need attestation before they can be submitted to UAE licensing authorities, free zones, banks, courts or other receiving organisations. Attestation confirms the authenticity of the signatures and official seals on the document. The attested document may then be used to demonstrate that the overseas company is registered, that a corporate decision was properly issued or that a named person is authorised to act on the company’s behalf.
Common situations where attested company documents may be required include:
- registering a foreign company branch or representative office on the UAE mainland;
- establishing a free-zone branch or subsidiary where an overseas company will be the parent or corporate shareholder;
- supporting a corporate bank account application where the bank requests attested incorporation documents, a board resolution or authorised-signatory evidence;
- submitting company documents as part of public- or private-sector tenders;
- legalising agency, distribution or franchise agreements for registration, submission or official use in the UAE;
- presenting foreign corporate records in commercial litigation before UAE courts or in arbitration proceedings;
- completing corporate ownership, authorised-signatory, due-diligence or transaction verification.
The required documents depend on the receiving authority, company structure and intended transaction. A mainland branch application does not have the same document requirements as a DMCC or DIFC registration, while a bank’s compliance team may request records that a licensing authority does not.
GloboPrime checks the document type, issuing country, receiving authority and intended use before starting the attestation process. This helps the company avoid legalising unnecessary documents or discovering after payment that an additional corporate record is required.
Commercial Document Attestation for a Foreign Company Branch in the UAE
A foreign company opening a branch in the UAE may need authenticated corporate documents from its parent company. Current Ministry of Economy and Tourism requirements include a board resolution establishing the branch and appointing its manager, together with copies of the parent company’s articles of incorporation and commercial registration attested by the UAE Embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Additional documents or approvals may be required depending on the proposed activity, licensing authority and emirate. View the Ministry of Economy and Tourism requirements
Before the licensing application begins, GloboPrime reviews the parent company’s commercial registration, constitutional documents, board resolution and any power of attorney issued to the branch manager or filing representative. We then coordinate the applicable authentication in the issuing country, UAE Embassy or Consulate attestation and final MOFA attestation in the UAE.
Commercial Documents We Can Attest in the UAE
MOFA charges AED 2,000 to attest a standard commercial document, while commercial invoices and Certificates of Origin are handled separately through eDAS 2.0. We handle attestation and legalisation for a wide range of company and commercial documents, including:
- Memorandum of Association (MOA)
- Articles of Association (AOA)
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Certificate of Incumbency
- Board Resolutions
- Shareholder Resolutions
- Shareholder Certificates
- Shareholder Registers
- Commercial Powers of Attorney
- Manager or Director Appointment Documents
- Minutes of Meetings
- Trade Licences
- Commercial Invoices
- Certificates of Origin
- Agency and Distribution Agreements
- Corporate Tax Certificates
- Company Name Change Documents
- Branch Registration Documents
Commercial Documents Attestation in Dubai
Commercial Document Attestation Process
For a company document issued outside the UAE, the attestation process usually starts in the country where the document was issued and finishes with UAE attestation. The steps are not the same for every country or document type. However, most foreign company documents follow the process below.
- 1. Certification in the country of issue A notary, solicitor, company registrar or local Chamber of Commerce certifies the document or the signature on it. Incorporation documents, board resolutions, powers of attorney and commercial agreements may have different certification requirements.
- 2. Authentication by the relevant government authority The document is then authenticated or legalised by the authority responsible for document legalisation in that country. This may be the FCDO in the UK, a Secretary of State in the United States, the Ministry of External Affairs in India, Global Affairs Canada or a provincial authority, DFAT in Australia, or the relevant authority in an EU country.
- 3. UAE Embassy or Consulate legalisation The UAE Embassy attestation stage confirms the authentication completed by the relevant foreign authority. Some countries accept applications through an approved service provider or the UAE digital attestation service. The UAE mission checks the official signature and stamp on the document. It does not confirm every statement contained in the company document.
- 4. Final UAE MOFA attestation The final MOFA attestation in Dubai is completed by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In countries covered by the digital attestation service, UAE Embassy and MOFA attestation may be completed through one online application. In other countries, the document is submitted to MOFA after it reaches the UAE. The attested document can then be presented to the relevant UAE authority, free zone, bank or other organisation. The receiving organisation may also request an Arabic translation or supporting company documents.
Most differences occur during the first two steps. Some countries require a Chamber of Commerce stamp before the foreign ministry will authenticate a commercial document. In other countries, certification by a notary, solicitor or company registrar may be sufficient.
Commercial invoices and Certificates of Origin follow a separate process through the UAE MOFA eDAS 2.0 system.
Foreign Commercial Documents for Use in the UAE
The examples below show how commercial document attestation steps differ between countries.
- The UK document attestation process for a Certificate of Incorporation depends on the signature appearing on the document. A certificate carrying an accepted Companies House or registrar signature may be legalised directly by the FCDO, while other company documents may first require certification by a UK solicitor or notary. After FCDO legalisation, UAE Embassy and final UAE MOFA attestation may be completed through the applicable digital service.
- For Memorandum of Association attestation from India, the document must complete the required Indian certification before attestation by the Ministry of External Affairs. The UAE digital attestation service in India allows one application to cover UAE Embassy attestation in New Delhi and final UAE MOFA attestation.
- The US document attestation process for a board resolution normally requires notarisation and authentication by the Secretary of State in the state where it was issued. Since 21 August 2025, corporate document attestation applications for the UAE Embassy in Washington have been submitted through VFS Global. The document then completes the applicable UAE MOFA attestation process.
The country where the document was issued determines the authorities involved, government fees and processing time. A document handled by one central authority may be completed faster than a document requiring state and federal authentication. If there is no UAE Embassy in the country of issue, the document may need to be submitted to the UAE Embassy responsible for that country.
GloboPrime checks the required commercial document attestation steps before processing begins. We coordinate the necessary certification, government authentication, UAE Embassy or Consulate legalisation and final UAE MOFA attestation.
Any Certificate Attestation from the following Countries
What are the UAE’s commercial invoice attestation rules?
Commercial invoice attestation is mandatory in the UAE for imported goods valued at AED 10,000 or more. This requirement applies to eligible import customs declarations and came into effect from 1 February 2023. The attestation is completed through the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs eDAS 2.0 system. The official fee is AED 150 per commercial invoice. Once the invoice is attested, the electronic attestation reference number must be linked to the relevant customs declaration where required.- Applies to: Commercial invoices for imported goods valued at AED 10,000 or above.
- Authority: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs through eDAS 2.0.
- Fee: AED 150 per commercial invoice.
- Customs link: The attestation reference number may need to be entered into the customs declaration system.
- Deadline: The attestation fee should be completed within the permitted period after customs declaration.
- Penalty: Failure to complete the required invoice attestation within the allowed period may result in an administrative fine of AED 500 per invoice.
Can I attest commercial documents online in the UAE?
Yes, but the online route depends on the type of commercial document. Commercial invoices and Certificates of Origin are processed through the UAE MOFA eDAS 2.0 system. Companies must register using their trade license, submit the invoice or Certificate of Origin details, pay the attestation fee, and receive the digitally attested document. Other commercial documents, such as MOA, AOA, trade licenses, board resolutions, powers of attorney, shareholder certificates, contracts, and company registration documents, may follow the standard MOFA attestation process. Depending on the document format and authority requirement, the process may be digital, courier-based, embassy-based, or require physical submission. GloboPrime can review your commercial document and confirm whether it should be processed through eDAS 2.0, MOFA attestation, Chamber of Commerce attestation, embassy legalization, or courier-based attestationReady to Get Started?
Contact GloboPrime today for a free consultation and personalized quote. We’ll guide you through the process and ensure your documents are attested accurately and efficiently. Visit our office or call us today!
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