A marriage certificate is an essential requirement for all marriages in UAE. Whether you are an expat or national, it is necessary that you register your marriage and get the certificate attested. Attestation of the marriage certificate is a mandatory legal requirement in UAE to make it authentic and valued as legal. Expats getting married in UAE require an attested marriage certificate to make their marriage legal in their home country. There is no requirement for attestation for UAE authority for marriage certificates issued in the UAE, especially if you are going to use them locally.
What is a Marriage certificate?
Marriage certification is an official document that certifies that two individuals are married. In UAE, the marriage certificate is recorded and issued by the public-government department. It consists of the couple’s name, time of marriage, place of the marriage ceremony, and other details. To make it legal, you must get it attested.
Why is it necessary to get your certificates attested?
Document attestation is an essential service that helps authenticate your documents and credentials. It validates the information on the document, such as signatures, name, etc. Apart from the marriage certificate, several other certificates issued in UAE need mandatory attestation. Generally, in UAE, the types of documents attested fall into three categories—personal, educational and commercial.
You may require the attested marriage certificate for the following purposes.
- To bring your spouse on a residence visa.
- To add your spouse to your health insurance.
- To add the spouse’s name to the passport.
- To apply for divorce.
- To apply for your children’s passport.
- To buy a property jointly with a spouse.
What is the Attestation Process in UAE?
Following is the overview of the three-step process for the attestation of a marriage certificate:
- Attestation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Home country: A marriage certificate must be attested in order to be recognized internationally. The legality of this procedure varies from nation to nation. The ministry of external affairs of the nation issuing the document is the highest authority for authorization.
- Attestation from the embassy of UAE: Once the attestation is done in the home country’s ministry, the documents are then delivered to the UAE embassy. The authorities in the embassy certify the certificate after confirming that it has received the attestation from the relevant authorities from the home country.
- MOFA attestation for a marriage certificate in UAE: The ministry of foreign affairs reviews and validates the documents’ contents as a final check. The ministry confirms that the certificate has been notarized and attested by a stamp in the issuing country or home country.
What is the cost of marriage certificate attestation?
The attestation fee varies based on the state department involved and your home country. It is often advised to seek the help of a marriage registration lawyer in the UAE.
Requirements for Marriage Certificate Attestation in UAE
The applicant must ensure that the marriage certificates have the following details before sending them in for attestation; otherwise, they can be invalid.
- The name of the couple.
- Age and marital status of both spouses.
- Place of the marriage ceremony.
- Date of the marriage.
- Addresses of both bride and groom.
- Name of the witnesses on both sides.
- The name of the person or organization that performed the marriage ceremony.
Documents required for the marriage certificate attestation
- Original marriage certificate
- Passport copy (for expats)
- Visa copy (for expats)
- 2 photographs
- Authorization letter
- Government ID to prove your nationality and the age of the couple.
Attestation Services in UAE
Prior to the new law in 2021, if a couple wanted to live together in the United Arab Emirates, the authorities required a marriage certificate. It is now not mandatory for co-living. However, it is still needed for several other important reasons. Even though the process may sound a bit intimidating to you, it is a daily task for our marriage registration lawyers in Dubai and other emirates. We can assist you in various services at each step of attesting transfer certificates in all embassies. The state department does not require personal presence. You can let us do the hard part while tracking the process online. We also update you about every step.
We offer attestation and apostille services for all three categories of documents, including those used for commercial, educational, and personal purposes. We ensure authentic and hassle-free certificate attestation. If you have experience dealing with authorities or know the attestation process, you can also go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website and apply for attestation.
Conclusion
A marriage certificate without attestation holds no legal ground in UAE. The local authorities do not regard a document as legal without the seal of attestation. You must make sure that all of your paperwork, including the marriage certificate, have already been attested before leaving for the UAE. If not, at least while you are in the emirate. The UAE authorities are quite picky about documents. UAE authorities accept only attested marriage certificates.