How to Process UAE Attestation in the Philippines

Based on the 2023 statistics from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), there are nearly 1.8 million overseas Filipino workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states –  Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Although second only to Saudi Arabia, the UAE recorded 250,600 Filipinos who sought employment between January and October of the given year. This was a significant increase from 166,200 during the previous year.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven (7) emirates – Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaiman, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain – along the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. In 1971, Filipino engineers, architects, medical professionals, and other skilled workers flocked to the UAE to help build the country’s foundations, with the UAE government recognizing their contributions to the Gulf state’s development.

Per latest estimates, Filipinos are the third largest expatriate group in the UAE after Indians and Pakistanis, according to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). In 2021, 575,622 Filipinos were already given residence visas, while 462,632 received short-term or tourist visas, putting the number of Filipinos in the UAE to approximately one million (pco.gov.ph).

To get a valid work visa, Filipinos must first have a confirmed job offer from a legally established business entity in the UAE. While the employers may process the entry permit and residence visa on behalf of the Filipino applicants, documentary requirements, such as passport, medical clearances, and other professional and employment certifications, must be processed by the latter in the homeland.

UAE follows very strict guidelines for the entry of foreign nationals and legalization of documents. Whether you’re planning to travel, work, study, stay, or even make legal transactions with the government, authentication or attestation of Philippine documents is a crucial part of the process, thus requiring technical knowledge and serious attention.

Read on, as this article provides a comprehensive guide for the legalization of Philippine documents for use in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). You might also just skip it and contact FILEDOCSPHIL, the leading and trusted documentation service provider, to guide you through and do the processing of your documents on your behalf.    

How to attest documents in the Philippines?

In a nutshell, to make the documents from the Philippines legally valid for use in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), these must first be validated by concerned government agencies and private institutions (i.e., issuance of CAV by CHED, CANA, etc.), authenticated or apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), legalized by the UAE Embassy in Makati, and finally, attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in the UAE. 

What is ‘embassy legalization’?

In international law, embassy or consular legalization, which also goes with other terms such embassy attestation and authentication, is the alternative method for authenticating a document that will be used in countries that are not party to the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, or the Hague Apostille Convention. These are the countries that do not recognize the apostille and still require the documents to undergo a long chain of authentication, including the legalization or attestation by their respective embassies or consulates in the origin countries.

In the case of apostille, however, the documents can be readily used in any country party to the convention, provided that these have been issued an apostille certificate by the authority in the origin country (e.g., the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines). Thus, the apostille, which replaces the “red ribbon,” removes the need for further authentication or legalization by the  destination countries. 

What is the purpose of attestation or embassy legalization?

The embassy legalization is the process of attesting to the authenticity of the last seal or signature on documents issued in the origin country, as performed by the embassy of the destination country. Its purpose is to ensure that these documents can be acknowledged, their legal effects will not be affected by doubts about the authenticity of the seal or signature thereon, and they are suitable for use in their country. Thus, it shows that (1) the document was issued by an official authority, (2) the signatures, seals, and/or stamps are genuine, and (3) the formats are correct.

It is, however, the responsibility of the issuing institution, not the embassy, to certify the content of the documents. If content is later changed or altered after the legalization, the legalization document becomes invalid. 

What documents are subject for attestation?

Generally, there are two (2) types of documents accepted at the UAE Embassy for legalization: individual affairs and commercial documents. Although the UAE is not party to the convention, its embassy in the Philippines requires the documents to be first authenticated or apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). These must also be original and in English or Arabic (or in an official translation).  

• Individual Affairs Documents. These include civil register documents (e.g., birth, death, and marriage certificates), educational documents (e.g., transcripts of records, educational certificates, Forms 137, etc.), employment documents, (e.g., employment certificates, contracts, etc.), bank statements, personal tax certificates, NBI and police clearances, individual and family visas, court-issued documents, special powers of attorney (SPAs), and other personal documents. 

• Commercial Documents. These include but are not limited to contracts or agreements, commercial or business registrations, appointment papers, minutes of meeting, corporate insurance certificates, corporate tax certificates, board resolutions and decisions, partnership or shareholder certificates, annexes and appendices in commercial documents, memorandums, bankruptcy documents, financial statements, patent registrations or waivers, powers of attorney of commercial nature, and any other documents of commercial nature (Commercial contracts or agreements may be considered as multiple documents based on content) . 

What are the requirements and step-by-step process of attestation?

As explained in other articles here, document authentication varies depending on the membership of the destination country to the 1961 Apostille Convention. An apostille certificate for the document is enough for countries that are party to the convention. For other countries, embassy legalization is still required, and the process varies per embassy. Thus, it is always recommended to contact the concerned embassy for the requirements and step-by-step attestation process.  

1. Secure the DFA Apostille for the document. The UAE Embassy in the Philippines requires documents, both private and public, to be apostilled first by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The apostille process requires validation of the documents by the concerned government authorities or private institutions (e.g., CANA from RTC for most legal documents, and CAV from CHED for school records), filing of the documentary requirements at the DFA Consular Office, and payment of fees. Check other articles in this blog for guides based on specific documents.        

2. File the application with the UAE Embassy. The application may be filed either online or onsite. If filed online, the pickup of the documents must be arranged after successful request through the official website of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). If onsite, the documentary requirements must be submitted personally to the UAE Embassy at 16th Floor Commerce and Industry Plaza Building, 1030 Campus Corner Park Avenue, Mckinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Metro Manila from 09:00 AM to 04:00 PM. Additional documents such as checklists and declaration forms may also be provided onsite.   

3. Pay the processing fees. After the submission of the documentary requirements, proceed to the payment of fees. Based on their official website, the current authentication fees for documents classified as Birth Certificate, Diploma, and Marriage Contract, etc. is PHP 2,350.00 per document. After payment, an email asking for additional information will also be received. Check the inbox, spam, or junk folders to complete the transaction. The delivery address provided should be serviceable by the partner courier. 

4. Receive the legalized documents. The legalized or attested documents may be received at least three (3) to five (5) working days from the date of application. 

What is MOFA Attestation?

For the UAE and other gulf countries (i.e., Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attestation is the final authentication or verification of documents by the authority in the country. After the embassy legalization or attestation of the documents in the origin country, the MOFA attestation, which is usually done by affixing a stamp on the backsides, must be processed upon arrival in the country in order to make the documents legal and valid. 

Final Thoughts

The processing of public and private documents for use abroad, e.g., for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), may include translation, notarization, validation by concerned government agencies and private institutions,  apostille by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and legalization by the UAE Embassy in the Philippines. The final attestation will be completed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in the UAE. 

The UAE Embassy legalization can be daunting and confusing, thus reflecting the intricate intersection of the bureaucratic procedures and diplomatic protocols. These challenges encompass a range of issues, including navigating complex documentary requirements, adhering to specific embassy regulations, and managing time-consuming procedures. Moreover, factors such as language barriers, cultural differences, and evolving legal frameworks further compound the difficulties encountered in the legalization. Thus, it may be more practical to hire a document attestation service provider, who has broad knowledge about the requirements and experience in navigating the transactions with the UAE Embassy, DFA, and other government agencies involved.  

Sounds Overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be!

FileDocsPhil is a trusted & leading service provider that provides hassle-free assistance services in processing your documents. Our team has extensive experience in handling the apostille and attestation process, ensuring that your documents are authenticated and legalized for use abroad. Since the entire legalization process involves multiple steps, this should be approached diligently. 

With our well-versed knowledge and expertise on the requirements and procedures from different countries, we are confident that we can provide quality service throughout the entire process, including the preparation of documents, obtaining the necessary certifications and notarizations, and submitting them to the appropriate authorities. We at FileDocsPhil will do our best to assist you with your request. We can guarantee fast, easy, accurate, and secure apostilled or attested official documents.

Let FileDocsPhil Do the Work!

Need further information and assistance in processing the UAE Attestation of your Philippine documents? Talk to our team at FILEDOCSPHIL to know more about the requirements and process. Call us today at  (+63) 917 149 2337 or send an email to info@filedocsphil.com or simply message us through the live chat for more information.