The Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduces an expedited digital attestation service, cutting wait times from days to hours for residents and businesses.
ABU DHABI, August 4, 2026: The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an expedited certificate attestation service that processes official documents within two hours, significantly reducing wait times for residents, students, and businesses across the country.
The new express service applies to a wide range of official documents, including educational degrees, marriage certificates, commercial papers, and birth certificates. Under the updated system, applicants submitting their requests through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) digital portal or mobile application can receive fully attested digital documents within two hours of payment, provided all submission requirements are met.
The initiative is part of the UAE’s broader digital transformation strategy aimed at eliminating bureaucratic delays and enhancing administrative efficiency. Previously, standard attestation procedures could take anywhere from one to three business days, depending on the volume of requests and the origin of the certificates.
Ministry officials noted that the streamlined workflow leverages automated verification systems linked directly with issuing bodies and partner agencies. Applicants upload clear digital copies of their documents, pay the designated processing fees online, and track the status of their requests in real time.
For foreign-issued documents, the standard prerequisites remain mandatory. Certificates originating outside the country must still be legalized by the issuing country’s embassy and foreign ministry before undergoing final attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The expedited service is expected to benefit newly arriving expatriates securing employment visas, students enrolling in UAE universities, and corporate entities completing commercial registrations. The Ministry confirmed that standard processing options remain available for applicants who do not require priority handling.
