Before the UAE will accept your Austrian degree, marriage certificate or other official documents, they must be attested — passed through a legalisation chain that proves they are genuine. For Austrians moving to Dubai, attestation is usually required for the degree behind your work visa, and for marriage and birth certificates if your family is joining you. The process runs through Austrian authorities first, then the UAE mission, and finishes with attestation inside the Emirates. Here is how to do it without delays.
Which Documents Need Attestation
Employment visas in professional roles normally require your highest relevant degree or diploma to be legalised. Family sponsorship requires an attested marriage certificate, and your children’s school enrolment and visas require attested birth certificates. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need a police clearance certificate (Strafregisterauszug), medical documents, or — for business owners — company papers such as trade licence extracts. Always get the exact list from your employer, sponsor or the UAE authority requesting the documents before you start, because each attestation costs money and time.
The Legalisation Chain, Step by Step
- Obtain the original document: request fresh originals or certified copies from the issuing Austrian authority or university if your copies are old, damaged or laminated.
- Pre-authentication in Austria: documents are first authenticated by the competent Austrian authority — depending on the document type this may involve the issuing body, a provincial government, or a court. The Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA) publishes guidance on which office handles which document.
- Legalisation by the BMEIA: the ministry’s legalisation office confirms the Austrian authentication, which makes the document ready for foreign use. Note that an apostille alone is generally not the final answer for the UAE — the UAE typically requires consular legalisation on top, so follow the UAE-specific chain rather than the simpler Hague route used for many other countries.
- UAE Embassy legalisation: the document is then legalised by the UAE’s diplomatic mission responsible for Austria. Confirm the current submission method, fees and processing times on the mission’s official website before sending anything.
- MOFA attestation in the UAE: the final stamp is applied inside the Emirates by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), available through its service centres, website and app — many residents complete this step after they arrive.
- Translation: documents in German may need a legal Arabic translation performed by a UAE-licensed legal translator for certain uses; confirm whether your employer or the receiving authority requires it.
Using an Agent Versus Doing It Yourself
Specialist attestation agents handle the entire chain for a fee — collecting your documents, moving them through each office, and delivering the legalised originals to you in Austria or Dubai. As a guide, expect total costs per document (government fees plus agent charges) to run into the low hundreds of euros, with processing commonly taking around two to four weeks. Doing it yourself is cheaper but involves multiple offices, appointments and postage. Whichever route you choose, use tracked delivery for originals, keep scans of every document at every stage, and choose agents with a verifiable business registration and reviews.
Common Mistakes That Cause Delays
- Starting too late: attestation is the most common bottleneck in relocation timelines — begin the moment your job offer is signed.
- Laminated documents: lamination prevents stamps and seals and often leads to outright rejection.
- Name inconsistencies: your name must match your passport exactly across all documents, including umlaut spellings (ä/ö/ü rendered as ae/oe/ue).
- Wrong chain: getting only an apostille when the UAE requires full legalisation means starting again — verify the UAE-specific requirement first.
- Stale police certificates: clearance certificates have a limited validity window; time them near your application date.
FAQ
Can I complete attestation after arriving in Dubai?
The Austrian and UAE Embassy steps must be done in Austria (or by an agent on your behalf); only the final MOFA step happens inside the UAE. Many people arrive on an entry permit and finish MOFA attestation afterwards.
How much does attestation cost per document?
As a guide, a few hundred euros per document all-in through an agent, less if you do it yourself and pay only official fees. Check the BMEIA and UAE mission websites for current fee schedules.
Do German-language documents need translation?
For some uses, yes — a legal Arabic translation by a UAE-licensed translator. Employers often accept English translations for internal purposes, but government transactions follow the official requirement, so confirm in advance.
For more step-by-step paperwork and relocation guides, visit DXB Talk and browse the How-To category.
