Degree Certificate Attestation in UAE — 2026 Guide
How academic qualification legalisation works in the UAE, country by country.
Reviewed by: Attestation Specialist, Benchmark·Updated 28 January 2026
If you plan to work, continue your studies or apply for professional licensing in the UAE, you may be required to submit an officially authenticated academic degree certificate.
This guide explains how degree attestation in the UAE is structured, when it's required, what documents are involved and what typically happens at each stage of verification.
Quick overview
| Key Information | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Mandatory For | Employment, education, licensing, visas |
| Governing Authorities | MOFA (UAE), MOE, UAE Embassy |
| Applies To | Foreign and specific UAE-issued degrees |
| Final Validation | MOFA Attestation (UAE) |
| Processing Time | 7–20 working days (average) |
Stages of degree attestation
- Notarisation in the country of issue
- State / HRD or Apostille (depending on the country)
- Country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- UAE Embassy attestation in the issuing country
- Final MOFA UAE attestation in the Emirates
- MOE Equivalency where required for licensing
Documents required
- Original degree certificate
- Original transcripts / marksheets
- Passport copy of the applicant
- Authorisation letter (if Benchmark is collecting)
- Sometimes: HEC / WES verification or university confirmation letter
When MOE equivalency is required
If you intend to use your degree for licensing in healthcare, engineering, law, teaching or government work, you'll also need MOE equivalency on top of the embassy and MOFA chain.
Professional attestation, handled end-to-end.
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