Taking UAE documents abroad
Attesting a UAE school or university certificate
Short answer
Start with the UAE education authority responsible for the issuing institution, not automatically with MoFAIC. MoE maps Grade 12 records to ADEK in Abu Dhabi, KHDA in Dubai, SPEA in Sharjah, RAK DOK in Ras Al Khaimah and MoE elsewhere. UAE higher-education recognition through MoHESR is AED 50 per document. Destination legalisation, if required, comes later.
- MoE Grade 12 attestation/equivalency card
- AED 50; 5 working days
- MoHESR UAE qualification recognition
- AED 50 per document; 3 working days
- KHDA school certificate
- AED 120; 3 working days
- KHDA higher education
- AED 220; 2 working days; 2006–07 cut-off
- ADEK report card
- AED 15; from 2012 onwards
The authority map
| Issuing institution | First authority to check |
|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi school | ADEK through TAMM |
| Dubai private school | KHDA |
| Sharjah school | SPEA |
| Ras Al Khaimah school | RAK Department of Knowledge |
| School in another emirate | Ministry of Education |
| UAE university licensed by MoHESR | MoHESR recognition service |
| Dubai higher-education institution regulated by KHDA | KHDA higher-education attestation service |
This is a routing table, not a claim that every destination demands every stage. Start with the body receiving the document abroad and work backward from its written requirement.
Recognition is not the same as MoFAIC attestation
MoHESR recognition says the UAE qualification comes from a licensed, accredited institution and issues a QR-coded outcome. MoFAIC attestation certifies the signature and seal in the legalisation chain. A foreign evaluator may want neither, one or both.
The destination comparison is stark: an assessor in Canada may want the university to send records directly; UK ENIC accepts uploaded evidence; Germany publishes consular legalisation after MoFAIC. Buying all possible UAE stamps “just in case” can produce the wrong evidence and unnecessary cost.
The process, step by step
Identify the institution and emirate
The regulator follows the issuing institution, not the student’s current address.
Use the responsible education authority
Abu Dhabi: ADEK. Dubai: KHDA. Sharjah: SPEA. Ras Al Khaimah: Department of Knowledge. Other emirates: Ministry of Education for the Grade 12 route.
For a UAE higher-education qualification, check MoHESR recognition
MoHESR publishes recognition of qualifications issued by licensed and accredited UAE institutions at AED 50 per document with a QR-code outcome.
Ask the foreign receiving body what comes next
Canada, the UK and Australia often use recognition or assessment rather than consular legalisation. Germany publishes a legalisation chain. Do not add MoFAIC automatically.
If legalisation is required, use MoFAIC after the UAE authority
MoFAIC publishes AED 150 per educational document and treats a certificate and transcript as two documents.
What it costs
| Item | Payable to | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MoE Grade 12 service card Published service time: 5 working days. | Ministry of Education | AED 50 |
| MoHESR recognition of a UAE higher-education qualification All transcript pages count as one document in this service; published time 3 working days. | MoHESR | AED 50 per document |
| KHDA private-school certificate AED 100 plus AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation; 3 working days. | KHDA | AED 120 |
| KHDA-regulated higher-education certificate AED 200 plus AED 20; 2 working days. Documents before academic year 2006–07 are not attested. | KHDA | AED 220 |
| ADEK attested report card For report cards from 2012 onwards; published time 6 minutes. | ADEK/TAMM | AED 15 |
| Optional MoFAIC line shown by TAMM on the ADEK service TAMM labels MoFAIC optional. This appears to represent a two-leg outbound bundle, not MoFAIC alone. | MoFAIC route shown in TAMM | AED 300 |
Figures: MoE Grade 12 service card; MoHESR recognition service; KHDA school and higher-education attestation services; ADEK/TAMM attested report-card service; MoFAIC attestation service. · Checked 28 August 2026. Government fees change — confirm with the issuing authority before you pay.
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
Which authority attests a UAE school certificate?
How much does KHDA certificate attestation cost?
Can KHDA attest a Dubai university certificate issued before 2006?
How does MoHESR count a transcript?
Does an ADEK certificate automatically need the AED 300 MoFAIC option?
Sources and last review
- Ministry of Education — Grade 12 certificate/equivalency service
- MoHESR — recognition of qualifications issued inside the UAE
- KHDA — attestation of school certificate
- KHDA — attestation of higher education certificate
- TAMM/ADEK — attested academic certificate
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.