MOFA — UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (formerly MOFAIC)
Updated
MOFA is the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) until May 2023. It is responsible for the country's diplomatic relations, consular services, and — most relevant to residents — the official attestation of documents for international use.
What it does
Foreign-issued documents (degrees, marriage certificates, birth certificates, professional qualifications) that need to be used in the UAE typically pass through a multi-step attestation chain that ends at MOFA. Applications go through MOFA's website or app with UAE PASS, and for documents from several countries, including the UK and India, the UAE embassy and MOFA stamps come in one online application. UAE-issued documents that need to be used abroad similarly start at MOFA and proceed to the destination country's embassy. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille does not shorten the chain.
Key facts
| Type | Federal ministry |
| Former name | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC); renamed under Federal Decree-Law No. 3 of 2023, announced on 22 May 2023 (MOFA statement) |
| Jurisdiction | Federal — diplomatic and consular affairs, document attestation |
| Apostille recognition | No — the UAE is not a Hague Apostille Convention party |
| Official portal | mofa.gov.ae |
Where MOFA appears on this site
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