If you're moving from Spain to the UAE, you'll need to know about document attestation.
It's the process of taking documents (such as birth certificates, qualifications, or business documents) that were issued in one country and then making them legally recognised in another. So, say you have a degree from a Spanish university. While that would be recognised by other institutions within Spain, it will need to go through the process of attestation before it is recognised by institutions in other countries.
The UAE is one of the most popular destinations for expats in the world, and we help countless people every year complete their move to the Emirates. If you're considering making the move and you've got Spanish documents that need attesting, read on. We'll go through the process of attesting Spanish documents for use in the UAE and guide you through everything you'll need to know!
Attesting Spanish documents for use in the UAE
The first thing you'll need to know is that the attestation process for any documents from any country can be quite difficult to navigate. There are multiple different steps that the documents can go through before they are able to be attested.
Step 1 - Notarisation
Firstly, depending on the document types, you might need to have them 'notarised'.
This is the process of getting a registered Spanish notary public to check over your documents and verify their authenticity. The notary will inspect the document, confirm that it is genuine, and then add their seal and signature to the document, thereby certifying its legitimacy.
Step 2 - Translation
The likelihood is that any Spanish documents will be in Spanish. This means that you'll need to have them translated before they can be presented for use in the UAE.
Any documents in Spanish will first need to translated into English - then the English translation is processed rather than the original.
Step 3 - Getting an Apostille
An Apostille is a recognised certificate or little stamp that's attached to your documents. It's applied by the Government and it verifies the legitimacy of your document. An Apostille stamp is the heart of the attestation process.
To get an Apostille in Spain you'll need to take your documents to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid, known as the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperatción (MAEUEC). They'll check over your documents and, once they're satisfied that they're official, they'll apply the Apostille. Now your documents have been approved by the Spanish Government, they're well on their way to being accepted in the UAE.
Step 4 - UAE Embassy Attestation
But you aren't finished yet!
Next, you'll have to have the document attested by the UAE Embassy in Madrid. The Embassy will check over your documents, verify the authenticity of the Apostille, and then add their own seal and signature
With the Apostille certificate and translated documents (if applicable) in hand, you'll need to visit the UAE embassy or consulate in Spain. At the embassy, you will submit your documents for attestation. The embassy will verify the authenticity of the Apostille and the translation (if required). They will then attach their own seal and signature to the documents, confirming their validity for use in the UAE.
Step 5 - UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs Attestation
Although that's the end of the attestation process in Spain, there's still one more step to complete.
Your document will need to go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in the UAE. They'll check that all the proper processes have been followed up until this point and that your document has all the required stamps - if so, they'll add their own stamp and you're ready to go!
Is there an easier way?
As you've probably noticed, the process of attesting Spanish documents for use in the UAE is quite long and complex. Trying to sort the attestation out yourself can be tricky. But luckily there is an easier way!
Vital Certificates can sort it out for you. As document attestation experts, we attest documents daily. We know all the ins-and-outs of the attestation process of Spanish documents for the UAE and we're more than happy to take care of it for you.
Our service is simple. You send us your documents and we have them attested on your behalf. We'll take your documents to the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación, the UAE Embassy, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE. We can even have them translated on your behalf too. That means that you don't need to worry about any of it!
So, if you have any Spanish documents that need to be legalised for use in the UAE, all you need to do is get in touch with us. We'll be able to advise you on the next steps to have your documents attested as soon as possible.
