# Self Certified True Copy: When It Is and Is Not Accepted - Canonical URL: https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/self-certified-true-copy/ - Description: Is a self certified true copy accepted in Dubai? See when it works, when it fails and the safer option. Read this before you submit. - Language: en-AE - Last updated: 2026-11-01 [Home](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/) / **Self Certified True Copy: When It Is and Is Not Accepted** Certified True Copy | 4 min read A self certified true copy is a photocopy that you sign yourself as a true copy of your original. Most banks, authorities and employers want an independent person to certify the copy instead. Our own licensed lawyers and legal consultants certify true copies in house, in person at our office, online or on a home visit. [Start My Request](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/contact-us/) [WhatsApp us](https://wa.me/971524841790) WhatsApp or call +971 52 484 1790 and tell us which document you need certified. ## What a Self Certified True Copy Means A self certified true copy means you write “true copy of the original” on a photocopy, then sign and date it. Nobody else has checked the copy against the original. The only proof is your own word. That is the catch. A receiving office wants a person who is not the document holder to look at the original and confirm the copy matches. Your own signature does not give it that. ## Why Most Offices Want an Independent Certifier A certified copy has value because someone other than the holder checked it. If you certify your own passport copy, you are vouching for yourself. A bank, a ministry or a foreign embassy cannot treat that as a check. Some bodies do accept a signed copy from the holder for low risk purposes. Each body sets its own rule, and the rule is often not published. Ask the receiving office in writing what it accepts before you submit anything. ## Is a Self Certified True Copy Accepted? You can sign your own copy, but acceptance is decided by the office that receives it. Treat a self certified true copy as a risk, not a shortcut. | Situation | Is a self certified copy likely to work? | | --- | --- | | Internal use with a person you know | Sometimes, if they agree | | Bank account opening | Check the bank first; many ask for an independent certifier | | Visa or immigration file | Check the authority first | | University or professional body | Check the admissions or licensing rules first | | Use abroad | Rarely; the foreign body usually names who may certify | ### Talk to us Call or WhatsApp +971 52 484 1790, or email info@certifiedtruecopydubai.ae. [Call us](tel:+971524841790) [WhatsApp us](https://wa.me/971524841790) ## When Your Employer or Company Can Certify Some organizations accept a copy signed by an employer or company officer, but only when the receiving body says so. Your employer is not automatically an accepted certifier. Ask the receiving office these questions: 1. Who may certify the copy? 2. Does the certifier need to add a stamp, a title or a date? 3. Do you need the original shown to the certifier in person? If the answer is “a lawyer”, our lawyers and legal consultants can do that. If the answer is “a notary public”, that is a separate step. Check exactly what the body asks for. ## Risks of Certifying Your Own Documents - The copy is rejected and you lose time on a resubmission. - A deadline for a visa, bank or application passes while you wait. - The receiving office asks for a stamp from an independent person anyway. - Your signature on a copy of a document you hold may raise questions you could avoid. Some documents have their own route. A true copy of a commercial license or certificate of incorporation can be attested by the Dubai Development Authority for documents it issued itself. The fee is [AED 100 per document, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham per transaction](https://dda.gov.ae/en/registration-licensing/existing-businesses/other-services/true-copy-attestation), which is AED 120 for one document in one transaction. That figure does not apply to a passport, an Emirates ID or any other document DDA did not issue. ## What Is Safer Than Self Certifying The safer route is a certified true copy from an independent legal professional who has checked your original. Our own lawyers and legal consultants do this in house. We check your original, we certify the copy and we book your appointment. 1. Message us the document name and where it will be used. 2. Bring the original and your ID. 3. We check the original against the copy and certify it. ![Three steps to get a certified true copy instead of a self certified true copy](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/steps-b7b845e915f9-1024x556.png) ![Hand holding a pen over documents in a folder during a certification appointment](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/hand-holding-a-pen-over-documents-in-a-folder-during-a-certification-a-1024x684.jpg) Our fee depends on the document and the number of copies and is confirmed when you book. For an urgent request, call or WhatsApp and see our [urgent certification options](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/certified-true-copy-attestation-dubai/). ## Certified True Copy, Notarization and Attestation Compared These are three different steps. A certified true copy confirms that a copy matches the original. Notarization is a notary public’s act. Attestation by MOFAIC is a separate government step; its fees are [AED 150 for personal documents and AED 2,000 for commercial documents](https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation). Read our comparison of [certified true copy, notarization and attestation](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/certified-true-copy-vs-notarization-vs-attestation/) to see which one you need. Keep Reading ## Related Pages - [Corporate and Business Document Certification Dubai](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/corporate-document-certification-dubai/) - [Certified True Copy Services Dubai for Individuals](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/individual-document-certification-dubai/) - [Certified True Copy Stamp: What It Says and What to Check](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/certified-true-copy-stamp/) - [Certified True Copy vs Notarization vs Attestation](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/certified-true-copy-vs-notarization-vs-attestation/) - [Certified True Copy Attestation Services Dubai](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/certified-true-copy-attestation-dubai/) - [Certified True Copy of Passport in Dubai | In House](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/certified-true-copy-of-passport-dubai/) Questions ## Frequently asked questions You can sign your own copy, but the office that receives it decides whether to accept it. Many ask for an independent certifier. Check with them before you submit. Only if the receiving body accepts it. Ask which person and which title they require. If they want a lawyer, our lawyers and legal consultants can certify the copy. Many banks do not. Ask your bank what it accepts before you submit. See our page on a [certified true copy of a passport for a bank account](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/certified-true-copy-of-passport-for-bank-account-opening/). A copy certified by an independent lawyer who has checked your original. Our [certified true copy services for individuals](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/individual-document-certification-dubai/) cover personal documents, and our [corporate document certification](https://certifiedtruecopydubai.ae/corporate-document-certification-dubai/) covers business documents. Get In Touch ## Book Your Certified True Copy WhatsApp or call +971 52 484 1790, or email info@certifiedtruecopydubai.ae. Tell us which document you need certified and where it will be used, and we will book your appointment in person at our office, online or on a home visit. Our office is on the 10th floor, Battuta Gate offices, Dubai. Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7. ## Talk to us [+971 52 484 1790](tel:+971524841790) [WhatsApp us](https://wa.me/971524841790) [info@certifiedtruecopydubai.ae](mailto:info@certifiedtruecopydubai.ae)