A passport with travel stamps
Personal attestation

Marriage certificate attestation in the UAE

If you plan to sponsor your husband or wife in the UAE, an attested marriage certificate is usually the first document the visa authority asks for. We prepare the certificate, confirm the route for the country where you married and manage each submission, with the attestation carried out by that country's authorities, the UAE embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

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Overview

What marriage certificate attestation involves

A marriage certificate is the proof UAE authorities rely on when one spouse sponsors the other. If you married outside the UAE, the certificate has to carry a full set of attestation stamps before the residence visa application can move forward. The same applies when you need it for a bank, an employer's family benefits or a legal matter.

For a certificate issued abroad, the chain runs from the foreign ministry of the country where you married, to the UAE embassy or consulate in that country, and finally to MOFA. Many countries ask for a step before the foreign ministry, such as registration of the marriage with a civil authority or a notary's certification. Because these steps vary, we confirm the requirements for your country first.

A marriage registered in the UAE follows the local route instead: the authority that issued the certificate attests it, and MOFA completes the process.

Who it's for

Who it's for

  • 01

    Residents sponsoring a spouse

    You live and work in the UAE and want your husband or wife to join you on your visa.

  • 02

    Couples relocating together

    You're moving as a family and want the marriage certificate ready before the visa process begins.

  • 03

    Employees claiming family benefits

    Your employer asks for an attested certificate before adding your spouse to housing, medical or travel benefits.

  • 04

    Spouses with a name change

    Your passport shows a married name and an authority needs proof linking it to your birth name.

Our part

What we do, and what we don't

Clear boundaries, so you know exactly what you're paying for and who decides each step.

Included

  • Reviewing the certificate and both spouses' passports for name and date mismatches
  • Confirming the attestation route for the country where you married
  • Submitting the certificate at each stage and arranging courier of the original
  • MOFA submission through its online channels
  • Arranging an Arabic legal translation by a translator registered with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
  • Coordinating with your family visa application if we're handling it too
  • Progress updates and return of the attested original

Not included

  • Registering a marriage or issuing a marriage certificate
  • Deciding the spouse visa, which rests with the visa authority
  • Legal advice on the validity of a marriage
  • Attesting a certificate that has been laminated or altered
Documents

Documents you'll need

  • The original marriage certificate, not laminated
  • Copies of both spouses' passports
  • A copy of the sponsoring spouse's UAE residence visa or Emirates ID, if available
  • Any earlier attestation or registration stamps already on the certificate
  • An authorisation letter if a home-country authority requests one

Some countries require a recently issued copy from the marriage registry rather than the ceremony certificate; we check this for your country before you send the original.

Fees and timing

Two fees, shown separately

  • Government fees, paid at cost

    MOFA's fee for a marriage certificate is AED 150, as it counts as a personal document. Fees in the country of marriage and at the UAE embassy vary, are paid at cost and are confirmed with you first.

  • Global Sky PRO service fee

    Quoted in writing before we start, so you know the full cost up front.

  • Timing

    How long it takes depends on the country where you married and its embassy's procedures. We estimate it honestly once we know your route and tell you as each stage completes.

Process

How it works, step by step

Each step shows who does what, so you always know where things stand.

  • You
  • Global Sky PRO
  • Authority

  1. Step 1: Send a photo

    You

    Share both sides of the marriage certificate and tell us the country where you married and why you need it attested.

  2. Step 2: Confirm requirements

    Global Sky PRO

    We check names and dates against both passports, confirm the route for your country and send a written quote, with government fees itemised separately.

  3. Step 3: Home-country stages

    Authority

    Any local authority your country requires, and then that country's foreign ministry, attest the certificate.

  4. Step 4: UAE embassy

    Authority

    The UAE embassy or consulate in the country where you married adds its attestation.

  5. Step 5: MOFA

    Authority

    MOFA completes the final UAE stage once every earlier stamp is in place.

  6. Step 6: Translation and return

    Global Sky PRO

    If the visa authority or another receiving body needs an Arabic version, we arrange a legal translation, then return everything to you.

Good to know

Details that save time

Where translation fits in

If your certificate is in a language other than English or Arabic, MOFA expects an official translation with it, so the translation has to be sorted out before the MOFA stage. Depending on your country, it may be prepared and attested at home or arranged here, and we confirm which before you start.

If the certificate is already in English, MOFA can attest it as it is. Some receiving authorities, including the courts, may still want an Arabic legal translation afterwards, and that is prepared by a legal translator registered with MOJ.

Common reasons for delay

Most of these are visible from a photo, which is why we ask for one before you post the original.

  • Names on the certificate spelt differently from the passports
  • A ceremony or religious certificate submitted where the issuing country expects the civil registration record
  • A laminated or damaged original
  • A missing stamp from an earlier stage in the chain
  • A certificate in another language sent without the official translation MOFA asks for

Sponsoring your spouse after attestation

Once attested, the certificate joins your family visa file alongside passports, photos and proof of your own residence and income. The visa decision is made by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) or, in Dubai, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs Dubai (GDRFA Dubai). If you'd like us to prepare the visa application too, our family visa service picks up where the attestation ends.

FAQs

Marriage certificate attestation: your questions

Short answers here. Your situation may differ, so ask us before you decide.

Still have a question?

An adviser replies during opening hours, Mon–Sat 10:00–21:00.

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What are the requirements for marriage certificate attestation in Dubai?

You need the original certificate, not laminated, carrying every earlier stamp in its chain, plus copies of both spouses' passports. For a certificate issued abroad, that means the issuing country's foreign ministry and the UAE embassy there before MOFA. If it isn't in English or Arabic, MOFA expects an official translation. We confirm any extra home-country requirements.

Do I need it to sponsor my spouse?

In most cases, yes. When you sponsor a husband or wife for UAE residence, an attested marriage certificate is normally part of the application. The decision on the visa rests with ICP or GDRFA Dubai. We can attest the certificate and, if you wish, prepare the family visa application alongside it.

Does it need translating into Arabic?

Not always. MOFA attests certificates in English or Arabic as they are, and asks for an official translation of other languages. Separately, the authority receiving the certificate, such as a court, may want an Arabic legal translation. We check who will rely on it and arrange the translation through an MOJ-registered translator if it's needed.

Do both spouses need to be present?

Usually not. MOFA allows someone else to submit an attestation for you, so one spouse, or we, can handle the UAE stage. Some home-country authorities set their own rules on who may apply or sign, and we flag those at the start so neither of you makes an unnecessary trip.

How much does MOFA charge to attest a marriage certificate?

MOFA charges AED 150, because it treats a marriage certificate as a personal document. Home-country and embassy fees vary and are paid at cost. We quote our service fee in writing before we begin and keep it separate from every government fee, so the breakdown is clear.

Can I attest my marriage certificate online in the UAE?

Yes, for the UAE stage. MOFA takes applications on its website and the UAE MOFA app, with UAE PASS sign-in, and a courier collects and returns the original certificate. The stages abroad work differently: you apply through selected UAE missions, and where a mission doesn't offer online submission, MOFA says you visit it in person. The foreign ministry in the country where you married sets its own process, which we confirm for your country.

Source: MOFA: documents attestation service

How long does marriage certificate attestation take in Dubai?

It depends mainly on the country where you married, because its foreign ministry and the UAE embassy there work to their own schedules. Once the certificate carries those stamps, MOFA's service page gives 1 to 3 business days for courier-based attestation inside the UAE at the time of writing. We estimate the full timeline when we know your country, and we update you as each stage completes.

Source: MOFA: documents attestation service

What if our names on the marriage certificate differ from our passports?

Sort it out before attestation if you can, because MOFA only certifies the seals and signatures and won't correct the certificate. MOFA also lists mismatched details among the common reasons it rejects applications, so what you enter must match the certificate exactly. A spelling difference from your passports can raise questions later with the visa authority, and any correction has to come from the registry or authority that issued the certificate.

Source: MOFA: documents attestation service

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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.

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