Who Can Certify a True Copy in the UAE?

Who Can Certify a True Copy in the UAE: Lawyers and Legal Consultants

Certifying a true copy is a lawyer’s function. The lawyer or legal consultant looks at your original document, compares it with the copy, and states in writing that the copy is a true copy of the original. That is all the certification says. It does not say the original is genuine, and it does not approve what the document contains.

This is the answer most people need when they ask who can certify a document for a bank, an employer, a university or a company registry. We check your original, we certify the copy, and we book your appointment.

Is a notary public the same thing?

No. Notarization is a notary public’s function and a different act. Notarial acts in the UAE are regulated by Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 on the regulation of the notary profession. If the office that receives your copy asks for a notary public, that is a separate step, and you should check what that office requires. Our page on certified true copy vs notarization vs attestation sets out the three side by side.

Government Authorities That Issue Their Own Copies

Some authorities certify copies of documents they issued themselves. Two examples:

• Dubai Development Authority (DDA): it offers true copy attestation for documents DDA itself issued, such as a commercial license or a certificate of incorporation. It does not apply to a passport or an Emirates ID. The DDA true copy attestation service lists AED 100 per document, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham per transaction, so AED 120 for one document in one transaction.
• DIFC Courts: its Notary Service can certify and attest true copy documents for DIFC matters, and says the receiving authority decides whether to accept anything it certifies.

If your document came from one of these bodies, ask it first. If it came from anywhere else, such as a passport office or a university, a lawyer’s certification is the normal route.

What a Receiving Office Usually Asks

Receiving offices differ on who can certify a true copy in the UAE, so the list below is a guide, not a rule. Ask the office before you book.

1. Who may certify the copy: a lawyer, a notary public, or only the issuing authority.
2. Whether the copy must be certified against the original or against an earlier certified copy.
3. Whether the certification must carry a stamp, a signature and a date.
4. Whether a translation is needed. A translation for official use is done by a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice.
5. Whether the copy needs a further step after certification, such as MOFAIC attestation.

Attestation is its own step. MOFAIC needs the original in Arabic or English, or with a legally certified translation, and the document must not be laminated. Its fee is AED 150 for a personal document and AED 2,000 for a commercial document, separate from any certification fee.

How to Check the Certifier

A copy can be refused because the certification is incomplete, not because the document is wrong. Before you hand it in, check these points:

• The certifier is a named lawyer or legal consultant, or the issuing authority.
• The certificate says the copy was checked against the original.
• The date, signature and stamp are there. See what a certified true copy stamp says for what to look for.
• The copy is complete, with every page and both sides where the original has text on both.
• Nothing has been added or crossed out after certification.

If you are unsure, ask the certifier to explain who they are and in what capacity they certify. A genuine certifier answers plainly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Certifying the copy before asking the receiving office who it accepts.
• Bringing a copy of a copy instead of the original.
• Laminating the document before attestation.
• Assuming a company stamp alone is enough. A stamp on a copy does not tell the receiving office who checked it.
• Treating certification, notarization and attestation as the same step.