Certified True Copy of Birth Certificate: Is It an Original, and How to Get One

What a certified copy of a birth certificate is

A certified copy of a birth certificate is a copy with a certification added. We check your original, we compare it line by line with the copy, and we certify the copy as a true copy. The certification shows that the copy matches the original on the day we saw it.

The certification does not make the birth certificate itself more official. It only confirms that the copy is faithful. Whether the receiving body accepts it is that body’s decision, so it is wise to ask them what they require before you book.

Is a certified copy the same as the original?

No. The original birth certificate is the document issued by the civil registry. A certified true copy is a copy of it. Here is how they differ.

A replacement birth certificate is different again. It is a new document that the issuing registry produces when the original is lost or damaged. A certified copy never comes from the registry. It always starts from an original you hold.

Who asks for a certified birth certificate copy

Several bodies ask for a certified copy so that you can keep your original safe. The most common cases are:

• Schools and nurseries, for admission files. See our page on a certified copy of a birth certificate for school admission.
• Insurance, visa or passport applications for a baby. See our page on a certified true copy of a newborn birth certificate.
• Banks, employers and immigration offices in other countries.
• Court or estate filings that need proof of a family link.

Each body sets its own rules. Some accept a certified copy as it is. Others also ask for attestation or notarization, which is a separate step.

How to get a certified true copy of birth certificate in Dubai

The process for a certified true copy of birth certificate is short when you bring the right items.

1. Message or call us and tell us which document you need certified and where it will be used.
2. Choose how you want to meet us: in person at our office, online or on a home visit.
3. Bring the original birth certificate and your own ID.
4. We check your original and compare it with the copy.
5. We certify the copy, and you take it with you.

Our fee depends on the document and the number of copies, and we confirm it when you book. Timing depends on the document and on appointment availability. If your request is urgent, call or WhatsApp us and see our page on urgent certification.

What to bring

• The original birth certificate. Do not laminate it.
• Your own ID.
• The copy you want certified, or ask us to prepare it.
• The name of the school, bank or authority that will receive it.

Certified copy, notarization and attestation

These three are different acts, and mixing them up is the most common mistake. Certifying a true copy is done by a lawyer. Notarization is done by a notary public. Attestation is done by an authority such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If the receiving body asks for notarization or for MOFAIC attestation, that is a separate step, so check what they require first. MOFAIC attestation needs the original in Arabic or English, or with a legally certified translation, and the document must not be laminated. Our page on certified true copy vs notarization vs attestation explains the difference in more detail.

Birth certificates issued abroad

If your birth certificate was issued in another country, the receiving body may want more than a certified copy. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so a foreign document is normally attested in the issuing country, including at the UAE embassy there, and then by MOFAIC in the UAE.

We can certify a copy of a foreign birth certificate, but we cannot replace those attestation steps. Read our page on a certified copy of a foreign-issued birth certificate to see how the steps fit together.

Common mistakes

• Bringing only a photocopy and no original. We cannot certify without the original.
• Laminating the original, which can stop later attestation.
• Assuming a certified copy counts as notarization.
• Not asking the receiving body what it accepts before you book.