From late February 2025, the UAE Embassy in London introduced a fully digital attestation system for UK-issued documents. This new process replaces traditional ink stamps and physical seals with digital attestation, which connects directly with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also known as MOFA.
The updated workflow is designed to make the attestation process faster, more secure and easier to manage for documents required in the UAE for work visas, immigration, company formation, banking, education and other official purposes.
UK apostille is required first
Before a UK document can be attested by the UAE Embassy in London, it must first be legalised with a UK apostille.
Depending on the document type, this may involve:
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certification by a UK solicitor
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notarisation by a Notary Public
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submission to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for apostille
The UAE Embassy will not accept a document for attestation unless it already has a valid UK apostille.
This means the apostille remains the essential first step in the UAE legalisation process.
UAE Embassy digital attestation in London
Once the UK apostille has been issued, the document can be submitted to the UAE Embassy in London for digital attestation.
Under the new system, the Embassy will:
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scan the apostilled document
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apply digital Embassy attestation electronically
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approve the document for MOFA attestation in the UAE
Physical Embassy stamps, stickers or ink seals are no longer applied under the digital process.
Instead, the attestation is completed electronically and securely transmitted for the next stage with MOFA in the UAE.
Digital MOFA attestation in the UAE
After the UAE Embassy has approved the document, the final legalisation step is completed by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
MOFA then issues a digital attestation certificate as a secure PDF, which is emailed directly to the applicant or authorised representative.
This digital MOFA attestation is recognised for a wide range of official UAE purposes, including:
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work visa applications
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immigration procedures
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company formation
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banking
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education
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professional registration
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other government or administrative requirements
Why the apostille is still essential
Although the UAE attestation process has become digital, the UK apostille remains mandatory.
The apostille confirms that the UK document has been properly legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Without this step, the UAE Embassy and MOFA cannot proceed with digital attestation.
This applies to personal, educational, professional and commercial documents.
Common examples include:
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birth certificates
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marriage certificates
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degree certificates
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professional qualifications
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company documents
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powers of attorney
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certified passport copies
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employment documents
Every document must be prepared correctly before submission, otherwise the process may be delayed or rejected.
Updated UAE Embassy attestation fees
With the introduction of the digital system, the UAE Embassy has also updated its attestation fees.
Fees may vary depending on:
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document type
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whether the document is personal, educational or commercial
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Embassy requirements at the time of submission
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whether additional handling or urgent processing is required
Applicants should always check the current rates before submitting their documents for attestation.
Key points to remember
The 2025 UAE digital attestation process has changed how UK documents are legalised for use in the UAE.
The main points are:
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UK apostille is mandatory before UAE Embassy submission
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UAE Embassy attestation is now completed digitally
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physical Embassy stamps and stickers are no longer applied
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MOFA attestation is issued electronically as a secure PDF
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the process is accepted for visas, immigration, banking, company formation and education
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documents must still be correctly certified, notarised or apostilled before submission
Need help with UAE Embassy attestation?
If you require UAE Embassy attestation for a UK-issued document, our team can manage the full process on your behalf.
We assist with:
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solicitor certification
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Notary Public certification
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UK apostille through the FCDO
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UAE Embassy digital attestation
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MOFA digital attestation in the UAE
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urgent and expedited processing where available
For help with UAE Embassy attestation, contact our team on +44 (0) 204 630 7500 or email support@1stapostille.co.uk.