If you're a South African citizen planning to migrate to the UAE for work, study, or other reasons, you'll need to get your documents attested in South Africa. Document attestation confirms their authenticity and ensures acceptance by UAE authorities. Commonly attested documents include:
- Educational certificates (degrees, diplomas, and transcripts)
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Police clearance certificates
- Medical certificates
What are the steps to certify personal documents in South Africa for use in the UAE?
- Notarization: Obtain a certified true copy of your documents from a notary public in South Africa.
- High Court Certification: Get the documents certified by the South African High Court.
- DIRCO Authentication: In South Africa, get your documents authenticated by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
- UAE Embassy Legalization: Have the documents attested by the UAE Embassy in Pretoria.
- Final Attestation: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) in Dubai is responsible for attesting your documents.
What is the procedure for the attestation of documents in South Africa for use in the UAE?
- Verify Qualifications with SAQA: Begin by obtaining a Verification Report from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This report confirms the authenticity and recognition of your qualifications from a legitimate educational institution in South Africa.
- Attestation by DIRCO: Next, have your educational documents attested by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in South Africa. This step ensures that your documents are validated by a reliable country authority.
- UAE Embassy Authentication: After DIRCO attestation, submit your documents to the UAE Embassy in South Africa. The embassy will authenticate the documents, certifying them for official use in the UAE.
- Final Attestation by MOFA Dubai: After the UAE Embassy authenticates your documents, submit them to MOFA Dubai, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dubai, for the final attestation. The UAE government officially recognizes your documents in this step, enabling their legal use within the country.
What are the steps to obtain Apostille certification for documents in South Africa?
- Identify the documents that require Apostille certification.
- Submit these documents to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) for initial verification.
- Obtain the Apostille seal from DIRCO to guarantee international recognition of your documents in nations that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention.
The South African Embassy in Dubai offers a quick and easy document attestation service using Benchmark
Streamline your document attestation in South Africa with Benchmark's services at the Embassy of South Africa in Dubai. Simply send your documents to Benchmark, and they'll handle the entire attestation process with the South African Embassy or Consulate in Dubai. Once verified and authenticated, you can conveniently collect the documents, fully prepared for use in the UAE.
In the UAE, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the main authority for document attestation. However, documents issued in South Africa may require further attestation by other UAE authorities, and sometimes a legal translation is necessary. Benchmark guarantees prompt and effective document attestation in South Africa for UAE work visa requirements, enabling you to commence your stay in the UAE without any delay.
For free certificate collection in Dubai and Sharjah, please contact us at 052-888-4714.
