A birth certificate issued abroad needs attesting before UAE authorities will accept it for a child's residence visa, Emirates ID or school admission. We check the certificate, plan the route for the country that issued it and handle each submission, and the attestation itself is done by the authorities in that country, the UAE embassy there and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
Your child's birth certificate is the document that proves who their parents are. When you sponsor a child for UAE residence, enrol them in school or apply for their Emirates ID, the authority needs to know the certificate is genuine. For a certificate issued in another country, attestation is how that is shown.
The usual route for a foreign birth certificate is the foreign ministry of the country that issued it, then the UAE embassy or consulate in that country, then MOFA. Some countries first need the certificate certified by the civil registry or a notary. These home-country steps are not the same everywhere, so we confirm them for your country before you send the original.
Children born in the UAE are a different case. Their birth certificate is attested by the issuing health authority and then by MOFA, and some recent certificates are issued with a digital MOFA attestation already attached.
You hold UAE residence and want to add a child born abroad to your visa.
You're relocating and want your children's documents ready before the visa and school process starts.
Your child was born here and you need the certificate attested, or checked for a digital attestation.
You need your own birth certificate attested for a residence, family or legal process.
Clear boundaries, so you know exactly what you're paying for and who decides each step.
Some countries ask for extra documents, such as a recently issued extract from the civil registry; we tell you before you send anything.
Government fees, paid at cost
MOFA charges AED 150 to attest a personal document such as a birth certificate. Home-country and UAE embassy fees vary by country, are paid at cost and are confirmed with you before you pay.
Global Sky PRO service fee
Quoted in writing before we start, so you know the full cost up front.
Timing
Timing depends mostly on the issuing country and its embassy procedures. We give you a realistic estimate once we know where the certificate was issued, and we keep you updated at every stage.
Each step shows who does what, so you always know where things stand.
Send a photo of both sides of the birth certificate on WhatsApp and tell us where it was issued and what you need it for.
We confirm which stages your certificate still needs, list any extra documents and send a written quote that keeps government fees apart from our own.
We match names and dates with the passports, flag any differences and prepare the certificate for submission.
The authorities in the issuing country and the UAE embassy there attest the certificate under their own rules and timelines.
MOFA completes the UAE attestation. For a UAE-issued certificate, this follows the issuing health authority's attestation.
We return the attested original and arrange an Arabic legal translation if the visa office or school asks for one.
The most common hold-up with birth certificates is a mismatch between the certificate and the passports. A parent's name spelt differently, a missing middle name or a surname that changed after marriage can all prompt questions later in the visa or school process.
We check this before submission. If there is a difference, we explain what can be done to correct or explain it, so you can decide whether to fix it first or go ahead with supporting documents.
If your child was born in the UAE, the attestation route stays inside the country: the issuing health authority first, then MOFA. Some certificates are now issued with digital MOFA attestation built in, and these can be checked through UAE PASS.
Older UAE certificates, or ones that were never attested, still go through the standard route. Send us a photo and we'll tell you which applies before you pay for anything.
Keep the apostille, but plan for the UAE stages as well. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille does not take the place of UAE embassy and MOFA attestation. We confirm how the apostille fits into the route for your country.
Short answers here. Your situation may differ, so ask us before you decide.
Because UAE authorities need proof that a foreign certificate is genuine before they rely on it. An attested birth certificate is usually requested when you sponsor a child's residence visa, apply for their Emirates ID or register them at school. Attestation confirms each official stamp in the chain, ending with MOFA.
It normally goes to the foreign ministry of the country that issued it, then the UAE embassy or consulate in that country, then MOFA in the UAE. Some countries add a local step first, such as civil registry or notary certification. We confirm the exact route for your country and handle the submissions for you.
Some are. Certain UAE birth certificates are now issued with a digital MOFA attestation, so they need nothing further for use in the UAE. Older certificates, or ones without it, are attested by the issuing health authority and then by MOFA. Send us a photo and we'll check which applies to yours.
Only if the certificate isn't in English or Arabic, or the receiving authority asks for an Arabic version. MOFA accepts English or Arabic originals and expects an official translation of other languages. Where a translation is needed, we arrange it through a legal translator registered with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ).
Usually, yes. MOFA lets another person submit an attestation on your behalf, so either parent, or we, can handle the UAE stage. Some home-country authorities have their own rules on who may apply, and we tell you early if both parents need to sign anything.
If the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) issued the birth certificate, MOFA can attest it digitally together with the UAE embassy in the destination country, through MOHAP's website or app with UAE PASS. MOFA lists the total as AED 300: AED 150 for MOFA and AED 150 for the embassy. Attestation follows within minutes of the health authority's approval, and once payment is confirmed the request can't be cancelled. Older certificates without it use MOFA's standard service.
Source: MOFA: attestation FAQs
MOFA charges AED 150 to attest a birth certificate, because it counts as a personal document. For a certificate issued abroad, the foreign ministry and the UAE embassy in that country set their own fees, which vary and are paid at cost. Courier delivery inside the UAE is charged on top, and MOFA says delivery fees are not refundable. Our service fee is quoted in writing before we start and shown separately.
Source: MOFA: attestation FAQs
MOFA's FAQs say a MOHAP-issued birth certificate that has been digitally attested has no expiration date once attested. Whether an older attestation is still acceptable for a particular application is up to the receiving body, such as the visa authority or your child's school. If your certificate was attested some years ago, ask the receiving body whether it will accept it before you pay for anything new.
Source: MOFA: attestation FAQs
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Attestation is performed by the issuing authorities, the relevant embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We handle preparation, submission and collection. Last reviewed 31 October 2026 by the Global Sky PRO team.