United Arab Emirates is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille will not be accepted there. A U.S. document going to United Arab Emirates needs legalization instead: certification by the state that issued it, authentication by the U.S. Department of State, and then legalization by United Arab Emirates’s embassy or a consulate in the U.S.
All U.S. documents for United Arab Emirates are legalized at the Embassy of the UAE (attestation through VFS Global) in Washington, D.C., whichever state they come from.
Since 21 August 2025 the embassy's document attestation is handled by VFS Global in Washington, D.C.
At a glance
Which mission takes your document
| Mission | States it covers |
|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. Embassy of the UAE (attestation through VFS Global) |
Every U.S. state and federal documents |
From the mission’s own published information, checked October 2026. Federal documents such as an FBI check go to the embassy in Washington.
Documents we legalize most for United Arab Emirates
| Document | Usually for |
|---|---|
| University degree | Employment visas for skilled roles. See UAE employment visa |
| Marriage and birth certificates | Family residence visas |
| Company documents | Setting up a branch or free zone company |
| Power of attorney | Property and banking |
Things worth knowing
- Every U.S. state goes to Washington. The UAE consulates do not attest U.S. documents.
- One more step in the UAE. After the embassy, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attests the document again once it is in the country.
- Arabic translation is usually done in the UAE by a translator licensed by the Ministry of Justice.
How it works
Step 1
Notarize if needed
Private documents only. Vital records and court records skip this.
Step 2
State certification
By the Secretary of State of the issuing state. Federal documents skip this.
Step 3
U.S. Department of State
Federal authentication in Washington, D.C.
Step 4
United Arab Emirates embassy or consulate
The mission in Washington, D.C..
United Arab Emirates Embassy Legalization: common questions
Can I get an apostille for United Arab Emirates instead?
No. United Arab Emirates is not in the Apostille Convention, so it needs the legalization chain ending at its embassy or consulate.
Does it matter which consulate I use?
No. There is one mission for the whole U.S.
How long does it take?
The state and federal stages take one to three weeks together, and the embassy stage adds its own time, which varies. Plan for several weeks in total, and longer around holidays.
Official sources
Requirements, fees and processing times are set by the authorities below and can change without notice. Verify anything time-critical directly with them.
United Arab Emirates mission in the U.S.
Ready to get started?
Tell us the document and its state, and we will run the whole chain to the right United Arab Emirates mission.
Related: Embassy legalization · Non-Hague countries · Country checker · Translation requirements