Attestation and Legalization of Certificates
Legalization (or attestation as it's commonly known in the UAE) is the process of authenticating a document from a foreign country. The document goes through several steps that prove it's genuine and fit for purpose in the UAE.
Before we can elaborate on the need for document attestation, let's first understand what document attestation is. It's a process through which you can get your documents officially recognized by the governing bodies in the Emirates. Also known as legalization (or authentication), certificate attestation is a way of verifying the documents you bring into the UAE for legal use and official purposes from your country of origin. So, for instance, if you're shifting from the UK to the UAE, you'll need to have all your relevant UK-issued documents attested before they can be officially recognized in the UAE.
This makes understanding the need for document attestation a lot easier. Document or Certificate attestation is typically the first thing you need to do before relocating to the UAE temporarily or permanently. Whether you're pursuing a career opportunity, are on an extended business trip, are coming for higher education, or moving to the Emirates post-retirement, you'll need to bring along your paperwork. Now, if this paperwork isn't recognized in the UAE, it will not help you. This is why to have your certificates authenticated, you need to get them from relevant authorities both in the UAE and in the country of origin that issued those documents.
Not getting your documents attested on time and through the proper channels can have a list of consequences. It can lead to you missing out on opportunities and may even result in fines.