An education certificate proves that you completed a course or qualification. It can be a degree, diploma, school certificate or another academic document.
When you plan to use this certificate in the UAE, you may need to get it attested. But what does an attested education certificate actually mean?
In simple words, an attested certificate has gone through the required authentication process. The relevant authorities check the document and its official seals or signatures.
This helps confirm that the certificate is genuine and can be used for its intended purpose in the UAE.
What Is an Attested Education Certificate?
An attested education certificate is an academic document that has completed the required attestation process.
The process helps confirm the authenticity of the certificate. It also checks the official seals and signatures on the document.
Common education certificates include:
• Degree certificates
• Diploma certificates
• School certificates
• Bachelor’s certificates
• Master’s certificates
• Doctoral certificates
• Educational transcripts
For example, imagine you completed a degree in India and received a job in Dubai. Your employer may ask you to submit an attested degree certificate.
Your original degree is not automatically an attested document. It must go through the required authentication and attestation stages.
After the required stages are completed, the certificate can be used for its intended official purpose.
The exact process depends on the country that issued the certificate and the type of document. UAE MOFA also states that educational certificates and transcripts are treated as documents for attestation.
What Does “Attested” Mean?
The word attested means that the document has gone through an official authentication process.
In simple terms:
• Your certificate proves your qualification.
• Authorities check the document and its official details.
• The required authorities complete the authentication stages.
• UAE MOFA can then complete its applicable attestation stage.
Attestation does not mean that the academic qualification has been evaluated. Qualification recognition or equivalency can be a separate process.
How to Get Your Educational Documents Attested?
The steps depend on where your certificate was issued.
For a certificate issued outside the UAE, the process generally involves the following stages:
1. Prepare Your Original Certificate
Keep your original education certificate ready.
Check the following details:
• Your name
• Course or qualification details
• Institution details
• Certificate condition
The document must meet the requirements of the authorities handling the attestation.
2. Complete Authentication in the Issuing Country
Your certificate may need authentication from the relevant authority in the country where it was issued.
For Indian educational certificates, the process can involve authentication by the concerned State Government authority and the Ministry of External Affairs before UAE Embassy or Consulate attestation.
3. Get UAE Embassy or Consulate Attestation
The next stage may involve the UAE Embassy or Consulate in the country where the certificate was issued.
The exact requirements can vary based on the issuing country and document.
4. Complete UAE MOFA Attestation
The final UAE stage may involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
UAE MOFA states that documents issued outside the UAE must first receive the required authentication from the issuing country before UAE Embassy or Consulate attestation.
Once the required stages are complete, you can submit the attested certificate to the organisation that requested it.
Get Help With Educational Certificate Attestation in the UAE
Educational certificate attestation can involve several authorities. The correct process also depends on your document and its country of issue.
Helpline Group UAE can help you through the process.
Our team can support you with:
• Checking your educational documents
• Document preparation
• Submission support
• Coordination with the required authorities
• Educational certificate attestation for use in the UAE
You do not have to figure out every step alone.
Share your certificate details with our team. We can help you understand the applicable attestation process and the next steps.