Attestation of Powers of Attorney in the UAE
The Stage That Allows a Power of Attorney to Cross a Border
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is the federal authority responsible for attesting documents that move between the UAE and other jurisdictions. Attestation confirms that the signatures and seals on a power of attorney are authentic. It does not verify the content of the document or the powers it grants. The service fee applied by the Ministry is AED 150 for a personal document and AED 2,000 for a commercial document.
EGSH submits attestation applications through the official MOFA platform and arranges certified Arabic legal translation where the document is not in Arabic. The Ministry issues the attestation. EGSH prepares the file, verifies compliance, and submits it through the correct channel.
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According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attestation requests are processed within three business days of complete submission.
Attest Your Power of Attorney in Dubai
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How to Attest a Power of Attorney in the UAE
Step-by-Step POA Legalisation Through EGSH
01
Visit EGSH
Book an appointment online or visit the centre during working hours, where a consultant confirms whether your power of attorney requires attestation and which stage of the process applies.
02
Document Review
Your consultant checks the notarisation, the prior legalisation and the language of the document against the conditions the Ministry of Foreign Affairs applies at submission.
03
Application Submission
EGSH submits the application through the official MOFA platform, settles the government fee, and arranges certified Arabic legal translation where the document is not drafted in Arabic.
04
Receive the Attested POA
Collect the power of attorney carrying the MOFA attestation, together with the certified Arabic translation, ready for submission to the receiving authority.
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Documents Required for Power of Attorney Attestation
Prepare a Complete File Before Submission
Original Power of Attorney
The original physical document, notarised by the competent authority and, where issued abroad, legalised by the foreign ministry and the UAE embassy in that country.
Identification Documents
A valid passport or Emirates ID for the principal, together with the identification details of the appointed attorney exactly as they appear in the document.
Corporate Supporting Documents
For a company power of attorney, a valid trade licence and a board resolution or authorised signatory list confirming the signatory’s authority to act.
Certified Arabic Translation
A legal translation prepared by a translator licensed by the Ministry of Justice, required whenever the power of attorney is not drafted in Arabic.
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Why Choose EGSH for Power of Attorney Attestation
Authorised Submission at Officially Regulated Government Fees
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Personal assistance and priority processing with no queues.
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Official government rates with transparent, fixed pricing.
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Comprehensive range of UAE government services under one roof.
One-Visit Completion
Most procedures are completed in a single visit to the centre.
What Is Power of Attorney Attestation in the UAE
Attestation is the confirmation by a competent authority that the signatures and seals on a document are genuine. It is a verification of form rather than content. A power of attorney carries legal effect from the moment it is properly notarised, and attestation exists to allow that document to be recognised outside the legal system that produced it.
When Attestation Is Required and When It Is Not
A power of attorney notarised through the Dubai Courts Notary Public, a licensed private notary or the eNotary platform is a domestic instrument of the UAE. It takes effect immediately and does not pass through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before it can be used inside the country. Receiving authorities confirm its validity through the issuing authority's official electronic portal.
Attestation applies in two situations. The first is a power of attorney issued in the UAE that will be used in another country. The second is a power of attorney issued abroad that will be used in the UAE.

The Hague Apostille Convention and the UAE
The UAE is not a contracting party to the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. An apostille issued in another country carries no standing before UAE authorities and does not replace consular legalisation. Documents originating in Hague member states, including the United Kingdom, the United States, India and the countries of the European Union, follow the same consular chain as documents from any other jurisdiction.
Powers of Attorney Issued Abroad for Property Transactions
On 16 July 2025 the Dubai Land Department issued Circular No. 29/R/2025, governing the acceptance of powers of attorney in real estate dispositions including sale, purchase, gift, mortgage, usufruct and musataha. A power of attorney issued abroad is accepted only where it was issued within the two years preceding submission, has completed notarisation, foreign ministry legalisation, UAE embassy attestation and MOFA attestation, is presented as a physical original, and is accompanied by a full legal translation where it is not in Arabic.
The Circular also requires the document to authorise the specific transaction being registered. Wording such as management of property is not sufficient to complete a sale, and the registrar verifies the document through the issuing authority's official portal. A power of attorney for property sale must name the property as recorded on the title deed. Different wording applies where an agent acts under a power of attorney for property purchase.

Arabic Translation Requirements
Arabic is the language of official and judicial proceedings in the UAE. A power of attorney drafted in another language requires a legal translation prepared by a translator licensed by the Ministry of Justice. The original and the translation are submitted together. Where the Arabic and the foreign language versions diverge, the Arabic text governs.
Official Fees
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs applies a service fee of AED 150 for a personal document and AED 2,000 for a commercial document. Classification follows the purpose of the power of attorney, so a document granted for corporate purposes falls into the commercial category.
Consular legalisation fees are set by each embassy and are settled in the country of issue before the document reaches the UAE. Legal translation is charged according to the length of the document. The EGSH service fee is quoted separately. Government fees are regulated and subject to change, and the applicable amounts are confirmed before submission.

Common Rejection Triggers
Applications are refused where the document arrives without the UAE embassy attestation from the country of issue, where a copy is presented instead of the original, or where the document has been laminated. The Ministry does not attest laminated documents.
A name on the power of attorney that does not match the passport or Emirates ID also leads to refusal, as does a translation prepared by a translator who is not licensed by the Ministry of Justice.
Validity and Renewal
Attestation does not expire and is not renewed. What expires is the power of attorney itself. The document takes effect for the period stated within it, and where no period is stated the receiving authority applies its own limit.


Frequently Asked Questions
Is power of attorney attestation required for a document notarised in Dubai?
A power of attorney notarised through the Dubai Courts Notary Public or the eNotary platform is a domestic instrument that takes effect immediately, and receiving authorities verify it through the issuing authority’s official electronic portal. Attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required only where the document will be used in another country.
Can a power of attorney issued abroad be used in the UAE?
Yes, once it has completed the full legalisation chain. The document must be notarised in the country of issue, legalised by that country’s foreign ministry, attested by the UAE embassy or consulate there, and then attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE. A certified Arabic translation is required where the document is not in Arabic.
What happens if a foreign power of attorney arrives without embassy attestation?
It cannot be submitted. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the final stage of the legalisation chain rather than the entry point, and it does not accept a document that has not been legalised in the country where it was signed. The document must return to that country to complete the missing steps, or a new power of attorney must be issued.
Does an apostille replace attestation in the UAE?
No. The UAE is not a contracting party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille carries no standing before UAE authorities. Documents originating in Hague member states follow the same consular legalisation chain as documents from any other country.
Is a power of attorney treated as a personal or a commercial document?
Classification follows the purpose of the document rather than its title. A power of attorney granted for personal matters is treated as a personal document, while one granted for corporate purposes is treated as a commercial document. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs applies a different service fee to each category.
How long does attestation take?
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attestation requests are processed within three business days of complete submission. Time spent on notarisation and consular legalisation in the country of issue is separate and depends on the procedures of that country. Legal translation and courier delivery also fall outside the ministry processing window.
Why are powers of attorney refused at submission?
The most frequent reasons are a missing UAE embassy attestation from the country of issue, presentation of a copy instead of the original, and lamination of the document. A name that does not match the passport or Emirates ID is also a common cause, as is a translation prepared by a translator who is not licensed by the Ministry of Justice.
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