By issuing country
Attestation for documents issued in Australia
Short answer
The UAE Embassy in Canberra tells applicants to obtain DFAT Authentication, not an Apostille, for Australian documents. After DFAT, pay through the UAE MoFA portal and post the authenticated original, payment receipt, covering letter and prepaid return envelope to the embassy. The document must be Australian-issued.
- DFAT output
- Authentication, not Apostille
- Mission
- UAE Embassy Canberra
- Submission
- Post after online payment
- Foreign-issued documents accepted?
- No, except mission-listed island states
Authentication is the route-defining word
DFAT can issue different outputs for different destinations. The Canberra mission removes the ambiguity for UAE use by writing “Authentication not Apostille.” Check that wording before posting the original; the wrong DFAT output means repeating a paid national stage.
The embassy package is physical
Online payment does not turn the Canberra route into an upload-only service. The mission asks for the authenticated original and a return arrangement. Use tracked post or a suitable courier and keep a complete scan of what leaves your possession.
Australian police checks and educational records
The mission’s non-commercial list includes Australian qualifications, academic transcripts, police checks and fingerprint certificates. That confirms the category at the embassy; it does not remove any issuer, regulator or receiving-authority requirement that applies before or after legalisation.
The process, step by step
Prepare the Australian document for DFAT
Follow DFAT’s rules for the document type and obtain Authentication rather than an Apostille for UAE use.
Choose the document category on the UAE MoFA portal
Select Australia and the UAE Embassy Canberra, then classify each document as regular or commercial. Upload the DFAT authentication page in the requested scan.
Pay online
Keep the payment receipt. The embassy excludes DFAT and notary pages from the count for its own payment.
Post the physical package
Include the authenticated document, payment receipt, prepaid self-addressed return envelope and covering letter with contact and enclosure details.
Complete the UAE-side MoFAIC requirement
Follow the result and receiving-authority instructions for the final UAE use. Verify the attestation reference when complete.
Get the exact cost for your document
Tell us what you have and where it was issued. We reply with the route, a realistic timeline and the full cost — including the fees most quotes leave out.
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Common questions
Do Australian documents need an Apostille for the UAE?
Can the UAE Embassy Canberra legalise a document issued outside Australia?
What must be posted to the embassy?
How is a commercial document classified?
Sources and last review
- UAE Embassy Canberra — legalisation requirements
- Australian DFAT — documents in Australia
- UAE MoFA — Documents Attestation
Reviewed 28 August 2026. Fees and procedures in this area change without notice — always confirm against the authority's own published information before paying. This page is general information, not legal advice.