What is attestation, and why is it required for UAE visa?

Whether you are seeking to move to the UAE for education purpose, for setting up your business or work in a job, you need to get your documents and certificates attested. The process of attestation must be completed even before you apply for a visa. Ignoring the task of getting your documents properly attested can land you in a spot of bother later on when the embassy rejects your visa application. Therefore, you must understand the various aspect of attestation and why is it a must before you move to the UAE.

What is attestation?

In the present times, verifying the authenticity of the documents by just having a look at them is not possible. Some unscrupulous elements end up preparing fake copies of the documents and certificates that look just like the original. This is where the need for attestation arises. It is the process through which relevant authorities verify the details mentioned in the particular document and declare it as an authentic document by placing the sign and seal of the presiding officer. But it must be noted that no authority will place their signature and seal on the

original copies of the documents. Attestation is done only for the duplicate copies of the documents as their authenticity needs to be verified. In order to get the documents attested, the applicant needs to submit the original documents along with copies. Once the presiding officer has verified the copies, he/she will attest it as per the prevailing rules and regulations.

Importance of attestation for UAE visa

If you are planning to move to the UAE for any purpose, be it business, holiday, or professional requirements, you need to apply for a visa. The visa for the UAE will be issued by the embassy in the respective country. The embassy requires the attested and verified copies of the documents and certificates to be attached with the visa. Once the officials at the embassy have verified the documents, they will issue the visa. But if the applicant fails to attach the attested copies of the documents, the visa will not be granted.

Documents that need an attestation

In order to avail the visa for UAE, a lot of documents need to be submitted by the applicant. The specific documents vary on a case to case basis. Following are some of the basic documents that need attestation from the relevant authorities:

• Identity Proof and Address Proof
• Educational documents
• Experience certificates
• Employment offer
• Marriage certificate
• Birth certificate

What is the process for document attestation from the UAE embassy?

The process for getting the documents attested from the UAE embassy in your country is extremely crucial and important. When you apply for a visa, you must provide the attested copies of the documents. The seal of attestation from the UAE embassy on your documents conveys that the authenticity of your documents has been thoroughly checked and they are true copies of the originals. Here are the various stages involved in the process for document attestation for the UAE:

• Notary Attestation:- First of all, you need to get your documents attested from the office of the Public Notary in your country. A notary can be found at the courts or near various government offices. After checking your documents, the notary will place the seal on it.
• Home Department Attestation:- The next step in this process is to get the documents attested from the home department in the state or province you live in. You need to submit the personal documents with the department, and the presiding officer will verify it.
• HRD Ministry Attestation:- Documents that pertain to educational qualifications will be certified and attested by the Human Resource Development Ministry in the country. The officer will check the documents and then place the stamp on the documents.
• Chamber of Commerce Attestation:- If the purpose of the visit is business, then the documents must be attested by the Chamber of Commerce in the country and not the HRD ministry.
• MEA Attestation:- Before submitting the documents to the UAE embassy, the documents need to be attested by the Foreign Ministry or the Ministry of External Affairs in your country.
• UAE Embassy Attestation:- After the attestation from all the above entities has been completed, the documents must be submitted with the embassy of the UAE in your country. The embassy will verify the attestation from concerned ministries and departments and would then attest the documents.
• MOFA Attestation:- Once the embassy has attested the documents, the documents are then to be finally attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country you are planning to visit. This step is essential for nationals of those countries only who are not under the purview of the Hague convention.

Why you need professional assistance for attestation?

The process of getting the documents attested from different departments, ministries, embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE is a time consuming and resource-intensive task. So, instead of burdening yourself with this task it is advisable that you seek the services from a professional attestation agency for your requirements, these agencies have all the know-how regarding the attestation process for the UAE and will get the task completed in quick time. You just need to provide them with your documents and your requirements, and they will handle the task for you.

That being said, you must pick the service provider after due diligence only as there are many incompetent entities also present in the market. Do your research, select the best service provider with proven credentials for complete peace of mind. It is advisable that you start the attestation process a few weeks before you plan on applying for the visa to avoid any last-minute hurdles.