Degree Certificate Attestation UAE


Degree Certificate Attestation UAE is a mandatory process for professionals, students, and entrepreneurs planning to work, study, or establish a business in the United Arab Emirates. If your degree was issued outside the UAE, it must be verified and authenticated through multiple authorities before it becomes legally valid for use in the country. Our expert degree attestation services in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and across the UAE simplify this complex procedure by handling the entire legalization process from home-country verification to UAE embassy legalization and final Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attestation. This ensures your academic qualifications are officially recognized by UAE employers, government institutions, and universities.

What is Degree Certificate Attestation in UAE ?

Degree certificate attestation is the official verification of an academic qualification issued outside the UAE. The process confirms that the degree was issued by a legitimate institution and can be legally accepted by UAE authorities.

This authentication is essential because UAE authorities require proof that foreign educational certificates are genuine before issuing employment visas, professional licenses, or residency approvals.

The final authority in the UAE is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC), commonly known as MOFA. Once MOFA stamps your degree, it is legally valid across all seven Emirates.

Important: The process is different depending on whether your degree was issued outside the UAE (foreign degree) or inside the UAE (UAE-issued degree). Most people searching this topic need the foreign degree process but both are covered below.

Educational Certificate Attestation

GloboPrime Corporate Services provides reliable educational certificate attestation services in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and across the UAE, including degree attestation and diploma attestation for employment, higher education, and visa purposes. our team of attestation experts manages the complete process, including embassy verification and MOFA attestation, ensuring your academic documents are properly authenticated and accepted across the UAE.

Why Degree Attestation is Required in the UAE


Attestation is essential because government departments and employers must confirm the authenticity of foreign educational qualifications before accepting them.

The UAE government requires degree attestation for several key purposes, including:

  • Employment Visa Approval
    Most professional or skilled job roles require attested degrees before companies can process work permits or labour cards.
  • Higher Education
    Universities require verified academic records for postgraduate or professional programs.
  • Professional Licensing
    Fields such as engineering, medicine, accounting, and education often require verified credentials.
  • Residency and Golden Visa
    Applicants for long-term residency programs may need attested qualifications.

Without proper attestation, documents may not be recognized by government authorities, which can delay or prevent visa approval.

Is degree attestation mandatory for employment in the UAE?


Yes, degree attestation is mandatory for most professional and skilled employment positions in the UAE. Employers require attested degrees to verify the authenticity of your qualifications before they can process work visas and finalize employment contracts. Without attestation, your degree may not be recognized by UAE authorities, potentially hindering your job prospects.

However, certain unskilled or semi-skilled positions may not require degree attestation, depending on the job requirements and employer policies.

Degree Attestation Process for Foreign-Issued Degrees (Step by Step)

This is the correct process for degrees issued outside the UAE from India, UK, Philippines, Pakistan, Egypt, and all other countries.

Step 1: Authentication by the Issuing Country’s Education Authority

The first step is having your degree verified by the relevant education authority in the country where your certificate was issued. This confirms the institution is accredited and the certificate is genuine. India: State HRD (Human Resource Development) Department or NORKA ROOTS (for Kerala certificates). For some states, SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) attestation is an accepted alternative. UK: The FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) Apostille stamp for Hague countries. Philippines: DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) Philippines. Pakistan: HEC (Higher Education Commission) verification, then MOFA Pakistan. USA: Secretary of State of the issuing state, then US Department of State. Other countries: The equivalent national education or foreign affairs ministry. This step certifies that your institution is recognised and your certificate was legitimately issued. Without this stamp, the UAE Embassy will not proceed.

Step 2: Attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Your Home Country

After the education authority attests the document, it must be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (or equivalent) in the issuing country. This is the home government’s official endorsement that the document is authentic and ready for international use. India: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) available via RPO offices across India including RPO Cochin for Kerala applicants. MEA fee: ₹50 per document + service charge. UK/Europe: Already covered by FCDO Apostille in Step 1 for Hague countries. Philippines, Pakistan, other non-Hague countries: Separate MOFA step required after education authority.

Step 3: UAE Embassy Attestation in the Issuing Country

The UAE Embassy or Consulate in your home country then legalises the degree. The UAE Embassy confirms that the prior attestations are valid and endorses the document for official use in the UAE. This step is critical and cannot be skipped. If there is no UAE Embassy in your country, you must use a designated alternative embassy as per UAE government guidelines. 2026 Update: Digital Attestation for India: For Indian documents, the UAE Embassy now processes attestation digitally. The physical sticker/seal on documents has been replaced with an official digital attestation printout. Additionally, MOFA UAE attestation is now simultaneously completed in India meaning your document may arrive in the UAE already fully attested. Confirm the current format with your service provider or the UAE Embassy India directly.

Step 4: MOFA Attestation in Abu Dhabi (UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

This is the final and mandatory step in the UAE. Once your document has been attested in the issuing country and by the UAE Embassy, it is submitted to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) in Abu Dhabi for the final stamp. Fee: AED 150 per document (personal/educational documents) effective 2025–2026 New MOFA stamp: Blue stamp introduced June 2025, displaying the fee amount Submission method: Online via the MOFAIC digital portal (www.mofaic.gov.ae) using UAE Pass login — no physical visit required for most certificates Processing time: 2–3 working days (standard) | 1 working day (express) MOFA Abu Dhabi main office: King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street, Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi — open Monday–Thursday 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM, Friday until 12:00 PM What MOFA checks at this stage: All prior attestation stamps are present and valid Document is original (not laminated, not a photocopy) Document is in Arabic or English — or comes with a certified legal translation Name on document matches the passport and Emirates ID exactly

Degree Attestation Process for UAE-Issued Degrees

If your degree was awarded by a UAE university or institution, the process is completely different — there is no embassy step and no foreign affairs step. For degrees from public UAE universities (UAE University, Zayed University, Higher Colleges of Technology): These are automatically recognised by UAE authorities no attestation is required. For degrees from private UAE universities and institutions: MOE Attestation (Ministry of Education UAE): Submit your degree to the UAE Ministry of Education for verification. The MOE confirms the institution is approved and the degree is valid. For Abu Dhabi private schools/institutions: ADEK (Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge) handles attestation. Standard processing: 5 working days MOFA Attestation: After MOE/ADEK, submit to MOFAIC for the final stamp (AED 150). This two-step process (MOE → MOFA) is all that is required for UAE-issued degrees. There is no notary, no home country step.

How to Get Your UAE-Issued Degree Attested Online

The UAE Ministry of Education (MoE) has launched a groundbreaking e-service that allows automated attestation of higher education certificates issued by UAE universities in less than an hour. This initiative is part of the government’s digital transformation goals and is powered by UAE Pass and blockchain technology, ensuring both speed and security.

  • Download UAE Pass: If not already registered, sign up via UAE Pass.
  • Log in to MoE Portal: Visit the Ministry of Education’s e-services portal.
  • Select Certificate Attestation: Choose your university and upload your degree.
  • Automated Verification: The system verifies your credentials electronically.
  • Receive Attested Certificate: Your attested degree will be stored and accessible in your UAE Pass app.
Variety of international degree certificates with official UAE attestation stamps.

Which Degree Types Can Be Attested?

All of the following can be attested through the standard process above:
Degree Type Notes
Bachelor’s Degree (B.A., B.Sc., B.Com, B.Tech, B.E.) Standard process applies
Master’s Degree (M.A., M.Sc., MBA, M.Tech) Standard process applies
MBBS / Medical Degrees Must also include medical council registration for DOH/DHA licensing
Nursing Degree (B.Sc. Nursing, GNM) Nursing council registration (e.g. KNMC for Kerala) required alongside degree
Engineering Degrees (B.E., B.Tech) Standard process; equivalency also needed for UAE engineering licence
Pharmacy Degree Pharmacy council registration required for MOH/DOH licensing
Diploma Certificates Same process as degree — HRD → MEA → UAE Embassy → MOFA
Distance Learning Degrees (e.g. IGNOU, Annamalai) Accepted if institution is UGC-recognised
Postgraduate Diplomas Same chain as degrees

Documents Required for Degree Attestation in UAE

Document Details
Original degree certificate Physical original only no photocopies, no laminated documents
All mark sheets / transcripts Semester-wise or year-wise; consolidated transcripts accepted in most cases
Valid passport copy Bio page; must match name on degree exactly
Emirates ID copy Required for MOFA online portal submission
UAE Pass account Mandatory for MOFAIC digital submission
Prior attestation documents All prior stamps/digital printouts must accompany the original

Which Educational Certificate Can Not Be Attested Know Before You Start

This is one of the most important sections and no competitor covers it clearly. Submitting a document that cannot be attested wastes weeks and money.

Your degree CANNOT be attested if:

  • It is laminated:  Lamination must be removed. If the certificate is damaged when de-laminated, a fresh original must be requested from the issuing institution.
  • The university is not recognised:  Degrees from de-recognised institutions, unaccredited colleges, or fake universities will be rejected at every stage.
  • The name doesn’t match your passport:  Any spelling difference between your degree, passport, and Emirates ID causes rejection. Get this corrected at the issuing institution before starting.
  • It has visible corrections or overwriting:  Struck-through text, whiteout, or handwritten corrections are grounds for rejection.
  • It is a photocopy or certified copy:  Only original physical documents are accepted.
  • It is a consolidated mark sheet:  In Kerala/India, consolidated mark sheets are generally not attested. Individual semester/year mark sheets are required.
  • The provisional certificate is older than 6 months:  For Kerala (NORKA), provisional certificates must be submitted within 6 months of issue.
  • The degree is in a language other than Arabic or English without a certified translation — A certified Arabic or English translation must accompany it.

Degree Attestation vs. Degree Equivalency What Is the Difference?

These are two separate processes that are frequently confused:
Degree Attestation Degree Equivalency
What it proves The degree is genuine and from a recognised institution What it proves The degree is equivalent to a UAE qualification of the same level
Who issues it UAE Embassy + MOFA Who issues it UAE Ministry of Higher Education (MOHESR)
Who needs it Everyone applying for a UAE employment visa or residency Who needs it Professionals in regulated sectors: doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, pharmacists
Required for work visa? Yes all skilled roles Required for work visa? Not always
Required for DHA / DOH / MOH licence? Yes Required for DHA / DOH / MOH licence? Yes (both required)
Required for Golden Visa? Yes Required for Golden Visa? Usually not but for Professional categories its required

If you are a healthcare professional or engineer applying for a UAE licence, you need both attestation and equivalency in that order. Attestation comes first.