How much does UAE attestation cost from the UK in 2026? The standard UK FCDO paper apostille fee is £45 per document, before return postage or courier. UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) fees are listed at AED 150 for personal documents and AED 2,000 for commercial documents. Other official attestation stages, certification, translations and handling can increase the total.
A UK birth or marriage certificate, university degree and company document may each take a different route. The figures below are published authority fees, not an all-inclusive price from Diplomat Translation. Fee rules, document classifications and accepted formats should be checked before payment.
Last checked: October 2026. Send us a clear scan, document type and intended UAE use for a route-specific quote, or request a tailored attestation quotation.
UAE attestation cost from the UK: official fees in 2026
| Official stage | Published fee | Important condition |
|---|---|---|
| UK FCDO paper apostille | £45 per document | Return postage or courier is extra. |
| UK FCDO e-Apostille | £35 per document | Only for eligible documents and if the receiving authority accepts that format. |
| UAE MoFA — personal document | AED 150 | Fee for an applicable individual attestation stage; the embassy stage may also be payable. |
| UAE MoFA — commercial document | AED 2,000 | Check classification and all applicable stages. Commercial invoices follow different rules. |
| Certification, translation, courier, agency handling | Varies | Not included in the published authority fees above. |
The UK Legalisation Office publishes the apostille fees. UAE MoFA publishes its attestation fees. The UAE Embassy in London explains the route for UK-issued documents. These are official base fees, not a guaranteed total or a quote for every document.
Example: one UK marriage or birth certificate
For one eligible certificate, a £45 UK paper apostille may be followed by UAE attestation charges. If the relevant MoFA and UAE Embassy personal-document stages are both charged at AED 150 each, their combined published fees would be AED 300 before any UK FCDO delivery fee, courier, preparation, translation or agency service. This is an illustration of applicable fee components, not a fixed price: use the current payment application and confirm the required stages for your document.
Example: a UK university degree for use in Dubai
A degree may first require an appropriately certified signature or copy before FCDO legalisation. The cost therefore includes any required certification, the applicable FCDO fee, relevant UAE attestation fees and handling or translation only where needed. Read our UK educational document attestation route for more on preparation.
Example: a UK company document
Commercial documents can be subject to the published AED 2,000 MoFA commercial-document category rather than the personal-document category. Powers of attorney with commercial content and company records need careful classification. Commercial invoices and certificates of origin are handled separately through MoFA’s eDAS system; do not assume they follow the ordinary company-document fee.
What happens after UK apostille legalisation?
For UK-issued documents, the UAE Embassy in London requires the relevant UK FCDO legalisation first. Its current digital attestation route is applied for online via MoFA, with a service provider collecting the physical document and a digitally attested copy issued for use in the UAE. For official personal certificates such as birth and marriage certificates, the embassy says the original document must be submitted. Check the latest embassy instructions before you post anything.
A £35 e-Apostille should not automatically be treated as a substitute for the paper route: confirm with the UAE authority and the receiving organisation that the digital FCDO format is acceptable.
The main parts of a UAE attestation cost from the UK
A useful quote separates the required stages instead of presenting one unexplained figure. Not every document needs every stage below.
Certification or notarisation
Some documents can go directly to legalisation, while others first need a solicitor, notary or other authorised certification step.
FCDO legalisation
Eligible UK documents may require an apostille from the UK Legalisation Office. The exact preparation depends on the document and signature.
Mission and MOFA requirements
Foreign-issued documents may need additional UAE attestation stages. The applicable route should be confirmed for the specific document and intended use.
Translation and courier
Translation, tracked return delivery and urgent handling are separate cost items where they are actually required.
Why document type changes the total
Registry certificates and other official records may be ready for legalisation, while copies, privately issued records or supporting documents can require an extra certification step first.
See UAE attestation for UK certificates
Extra preparation can affect cost
Educational and business records are often where blanket price guides become misleading. The issuing body, signature and document format matter.
Educational document route · Company document route
Four checks before pricing UAE attestation
This avoids unnecessary stages and makes the quote easier to understand.
Review the document
We identify what it is, who issued it and whether the original or a certified copy is required.
Confirm intended use
Employment, residency, education, family and company matters can have different receiving-authority requirements.
Map the route
We identify any certification, FCDO, UAE attestation and translation stages that apply.
Quote the live cost
You receive the current price and expected processing route based on the document supplied.
What to send before you pay for anything
A clear document review can prevent you paying for certification, translation or courier stages that the receiving authority does not require.
Clear scan of every page
Include signatures, seals, stamps and reverse-side text. A cropped image can hide details that change the route.
Receiving organisation
Tell us which UAE authority, employer, university, court, bank or other organisation will receive the document.
Deadline and destination
Share the required date and where the completed document needs to be returned so courier and urgency costs can be scoped correctly.
UAE attestation cost FAQs
How much does UAE document attestation cost from the UK?
A standard paper FCDO apostille costs £45 per document, and UAE personal-document attestation is listed at AED 150 per applicable stage. Your total depends on any embassy and MoFA stages, preparation, delivery and service fees. Company documents can be in a substantially different fee category.
Do I need both UAE Embassy and MoFA attestation?
For UK-issued documents intended for use in the UAE, the relevant UAE authority may require the combined embassy and MoFA process. The London embassy describes a digital route covering its attestation and MoFA attestation. Confirm the exact stages and charge shown in your application.
Is an e-Apostille cheaper than a paper apostille?
The UK’s published e-Apostille fee is £35, compared with £45 for a standard paper apostille. However, not every document is eligible and the UAE Embassy’s described workflow requires physical documents. Always confirm acceptance before choosing the cheaper digital option.
Does a UK degree cost more to attest than a marriage certificate?
It can. A university document may require certification or other preparation before FCDO legalisation, whereas a qualifying registry-issued marriage certificate may not. The receiving authority’s requirements and any UAE fees also affect the final price.
Do I need to send the original UK document?
A clear scan is normally enough to request a route review and quotation. For the actual UAE Embassy in London digital attestation process, physical document collection is required, and official personal documents such as birth and marriage certificates must be submitted as originals.
Are translation and delivery included in the official fees?
No. Government or embassy attestation fees are separate from translation, certification, courier and agency handling. Only pay for the extra services actually required for your document.
How long does UAE attestation take from the UK?
Processing time depends on the FCDO service selected, document eligibility and any UAE processing or courier stages. The UK Legalisation Office currently indicates that its standard service can take up to 25 working days, plus delivery, so ask for a realistic end-to-end schedule rather than assuming an urgent turnaround is available.
Related UK-to-UAE attestation services
- UAE attestation for UK certificates
- UAE attestation for UK educational documents
- UAE attestation for UK company documents
- UAE attestation services
Get a quote for your UK document’s UAE attestation
Tell us whether the document is a birth certificate, marriage certificate, degree, police certificate or commercial record; include its issuing authority, intended use in the UAE and any deadline. We can then review the appropriate route and the full current cost.
Request your UAE document attestation quote — include a clear scan of the document and the receiving authority’s instructions, if available.
