Consular regulations: UAE (United Arab Emirates)

Please note:

• The recipient address in the UAE must be stated on all documents.
• All commercial documents, such as commercial invoices, certificates of origin and packing lists, must be pre-certified by the responsible Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
• Commercial invoices and certificates of origin are only legalized together.
• Health certificates - health certificates and food certificates must be pre-certified by the responsible health or veterinary office.
• All official documents, such as agency contracts, declarations of commitment, powers of attorney, etc. must be pre-certified by the notary and district court (copied stamps and signatures cannot be certified).
• Extracts from the commercial register are pre-certified by the local court and patent applications by the patent office.
• Copies of translations of original documents/certificates must be pre-certified by the issuing office and joined to the original document. Both documents must then be pre-certified by the district court.
• All documents (except certificates of origin and commercial invoices) must be pre-certified by the BfAA (Federal Office for Foreign Affairs). SERVISUM will be happy to do this for you. Due to the gradual digitalization of the application procedure for pre-certification at the BfAA, we ask that you send the document to be legalized in full by e-mail to SERVISUM in advance.
• All commercial documents must be pre-certified by GHORFA. SERVISUM will also be happy to take care of this step for you.

Please submit one copy of each document for retention at the embassy.

Processing time (without guarantee):
approx. 1 week
plus 1-3 working days processing time for the GHORFA and, if applicable, the BfAA of approx. 2-3 weeks