By issuing country
Attestation for documents issued in Canada
Short answer
Canadian-issued personal documents must first be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada and are then mailed to the UAE Embassy in Ottawa with online-payment proof and a prepaid return envelope. For a Canadian degree or diploma, the institution must send an official sealed transcript directly to the embassy; the mission says e-transcripts are not accepted.
- Canadian stage
- Global Affairs Canada authentication
- Degree transcript
- Sealed and sent directly by the institution
- E-transcript accepted?
- No, per the mission FAQ
- Embassy processing
- Minimum 3–5 business days
Canada-to-UAE and UAE-to-Canada are opposite routes
Canada generally does not require authentication of foreign public documents for Canadian use, but a Canadian document going into the UAE follows the UAE’s consular chain. Direction changes the answer. Do not use advice about a UAE degree for Express Entry to prepare a Canadian degree for a UAE employer.
The transcript rule is easy to miss
The applicant handles the authenticated degree, payment and return package, while the Canadian institution sends the sealed transcript directly. Coordinate both deliveries and give the university the exact Consular Section address. An incomplete package is returned, and the 3–5-day embassy window only starts being useful once every required piece has arrived.
Commercial-content documents
The mission treats documents with a potential business transaction as commercial. It lists general commercial powers of attorney, good-standing and incorporation certificates, resolutions, distribution agreements, price lists and trademarks among the examples. These use the commercial tariff rather than the AED 150 personal line.
The process, step by step
Authenticate the Canadian document
The UAE Embassy Ottawa requires Global Affairs Canada authentication before embassy submission.
For a degree, arrange the sealed transcript separately
The Canadian institution must mail an official sealed transcript directly to the UAE Embassy, attention Consular Section. The mission says e-transcripts are not accepted.
Pay online through the UAE MoFA channel
The mission accepts online payment and publishes AED 150 per educational or personal document plus the service fee.
Mail the authenticated document package
Include the payment receipt and prepaid return envelope. Have Global Affairs Canada return the authenticated document to you rather than sending it directly to the embassy.
Allow the published embassy processing window
The mission publishes a minimum of 3–5 business days after a complete package reaches it.
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
Does a Canadian degree need a sealed transcript for UAE attestation?
Can Global Affairs Canada send the document directly to the UAE Embassy?
How much does the UAE Embassy Ottawa charge for a personal document?
Can Ottawa attest a degree issued outside Canada?
How long does UAE Embassy Ottawa attestation take?
Sources and last review
- UAE Embassy Ottawa — attestation FAQs
- UAE Embassy Ottawa — legalisation guidance
- Global Affairs Canada — document authentication
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.