We're in a unique position at Vital Certificates. Through our Corporate Club clients, we get an early insight into upcoming trends and happenings in the UAE.
In the past few weeks, a number of schools in the UAE have started asking their staff to present their birth certificates. We've seen a noticeable rise in teachers having their birth certificates attested, and interestingly it's been from people already living in the UAE.
But why? We wanted to know, so we reached out of our Corporate contacts and asked they why it was happening.
Why are some schools in the UAE requesting their employees birth certificates?
They're carrying out internal safeguarding checks. As part of these checks staff are required to provide a copy of their birth certificate to verify their identity.
One school decided to do an internal safeguarding audit in order to stand out. By proving to the parents of any potential students that they take safeguarding seriously, they set themselves apart from other schools in their area. But now, other schools are following their example.
No one wants to be left behind. No one wants to be the only school that hasn't carried out safeguarding checks. Think of it this way. Imagine you and your family are moving to Dubai and you're looking to enrol your child in a school. You have a choice between 5. Of those 5, 4 of them have carried out internal safeguarding checks. 1 hasn't. That's probably going to impact your decision, isn't it?
The Domino Effect is in full flow, which is why we've seen such a significant increase in the number of replacement birth certificates being ordered.
My employer has requested I provide my birth certificate. What do I need to do?
First things first you'll need to get a copy of your birth certificate.
You might already have a copy, but if you do you'll need to check whether it's the correct type. There are two different types of birth certificates - short-form or long-form. If you're presenting your certificate for any official purpose, you'll likely need a long-form certificate. It might be worth double checking with your employer, though.
If you weren't born in the UAE you'll need to have your birth certificate attested. That's the process of taking a document issued in one country and making it legally recognised in another. It's so that organisations and companies in the UAE know that what they're looking at is legitimate. Your employer will require you to attest your birth certificate before you present it.
If you've never dealt with attestation before, it's likely you'll run into difficulties trying to figure it out. The process is complex and tricky, involving the application of an Apostille and a UAE Embassy stamp (in whichever country the certificate was issued in). Vital Certificates are experts in attestation, so if you'd like us to handle the attestation on your behalf just get in contact with us.
I work for a school in the UAE and we're carrying out internal safeguarding checks - can you help?
Yes, we can. We can source birth certificates from many countries and we can attest them for anywhere in the world. To see if we can source a copy of your birth certificate, visit our certificate replacement page.
You might be interested in joining our Corporate Club. It's completely free and we makes anything involving attestation a lot easier for you. Through your membership, your employees will be entitled to reduced attestation fees and a dedicated account manager to oversee their attestation.
Whether you're carrying out an internal safeguarding check or hiring from overseas, joining our Corporate Club helps you avoid delays and ensure the process goes smoothly. We offer a 100% Acceptance Guarantee.
If you have any further questions about attesting birth certificates, get in touch today.
