Guide to Consular Attestation Application
2026-07-03 14:31

Guide to Consular Attestation Application

(Updated July 2026)

Consular attestation refers to the activity by which consular attestation agencies, upon application by natural persons, legal persons, or other organizations, confirm the authenticity of the last seal or signature on domestic notarized documents, other evidentiary documents, or relevant foreign documents. The purpose of consular attestation is to ensure that documents issued by one country are recognized in other countries, and that their legal validity abroad is not affected by doubts about the authenticity of the seals or signatures. Consular attestation does not certify the matters proven by the notarized documents or other evidentiary documents, and is not responsible for the authenticity or legality of the document's content; the content of the document is the responsibility of the issuing agency.

Documents issued by relevant government agencies and notary offices in the UAE, if intended for use in China, must first be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then undergo consular attestation by the Chinese Embassy or Consulate General in the UAE.

I. Scope of Accepted Documents

The Chinese Embassy in the UAE accepts documents attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Documents must be legally held by the applicant and related to the applicant, and their content must not violate Chinese laws, regulations, or relevant policies, nor harm China's national or public interests.

The embassy does not accept consular attestation applications for documents issued by China or third countries.

Documents attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dubai should be submitted to the Consulate General of China in Dubai for consular attestation (through Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Dubai).

II. Application Materials

consular attestation application materials

1

Original and photocopy of the document certified by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (i.e., the document with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation sticker).

Reminders:

① Documents of two pages or more should be  binded using methods that are difficult to tamper with, such as velo binding, eyelet binding, sealing with sealing wax, affixing a seal across the binding, or affixing a steel stamp. Simple staple binding is not acceptable. Documents that do not meet the binding requirements will not be accepted.

② If the document is valid indefinitely, it can be accepted as long as the signature and filing of the UAE certification authority official on the document are still valid.

If a notarized certificate of marital status used for marriage registration is more than three months from the date of notarization, it will not be attested, and the parties involved will need to reapply for notarization and attestation.

Certificates of marital status, health, property, income, and no criminal record used for adoption in China will not be attested if the period between the date of notarization and the date of application for adoption registration (excluding the processing time of the adoption center in my country) exceeds six months.

2

Please fill out the "Application Form for Consular attestation by Embassies and Consulates of the People's Republic of China Abroad" truthfully, completely, and accurately (see attachment).

reminders:

① The "Applicant's Signature" and "Agent's Signature" columns in the application form must be originals signed by the applicant and cannot be replaced by faxes, photocopies, etc.

② For applications of documents related to minors (such as birth certificates), the application should be processed by the guardian (parents). Proof of guardianship (such as a birth certificate) is required, but a power of attorney is not necessary. The applicant information should be the minor's information, and the agent information should be the guardian's (parents') information. The "Applicant's Signature" field should be signed by the guardian (parents). If the document contains the guardian's (parents') information, the guardian (parents) can also be the applicant (e.g., if the minor's birth certificate contains the parents' information, one parent can be the applicant). The guardian (parents) may authorize someone else to process the application on their behalf.

③ For applications of the death certificates, the process must be handled by the deceased's close relatives. Proof of kinship is required, or a notarized written statement from the deceased's close relatives confirming their kinship with the deceased. The deceased's close relatives may authorize someone else to handle the process on their behalf.

3

Original and photocopy of the applicant's valid identification document

① The applicant is a natural person

Submit a valid identification document such as a passport or UAE ID card.

② The applicant is a company or organization

Submit the company's business license/institutional qualification certificate/institutional registration documents, as well as the identification documents of the person in charge of the company or institution.

4

Agent's relevant materials

If the applicant is unable to submit the application in person, they may designate an agent to submit the application on their behalf. The following materials are required:

① A power of attorney signed or stamped by the applicant. If the applicant is a company or organization, a power of attorney issued by the person in charge of the company or organization, or a letter of authorization issued by the company or organization, is required.

② The original and a copy of the agent's valid identification document (passport, UAE ID card, etc.).

reminders:

① If the application is submitted by an agent, the original of the applicant's ID is not required; only a photocopy is needed.

②Under normal circumstances, powers of attorney or authorizations do not need to be notarized. However, if the document involves the direct disposal of property (e.g., relinquishing inheritance rights, disposing of real estate, etc.) or other significant matters, the power of attorney or authorization must be notarized.

III. Processing Time

The processing time refers to the time required from when the embassy receives the required application materials to when the consular attestation certificate can be obtained.

Under normal circumstances, the processing time is 4 business days. In special circumstances, with the embassy's approval, expedited processing (3 business days) can be requested.

IV. Fee Standard

Consular attestation fee schedule

Applicant's nationality

Document Types

cost

China

Civil

27 AED/attestation

Business

54 AED/attestation

UAE

Civil

160 AED/attestation

Business

2150 AED/attestation

Third Country

Civil

80 AED/attestation

Business

165 AED/attestation

Remark:

1. If the applicant is an individual, the fee standard for civil documents applies. If the applicant is a company or other for-profit organization, the fee standard for commercial documents applies. If the applicant is a non-profit organization, the fee standard is determined based on the specific content of the document.

2. Whether an organization is Chinese or foreign is determined by its place of registration or incorporation, and is unrelated to the nationality of its legal representative or person in charge.

V. Reminders

Documents that have undergone consular attestation by the embassy must not be disassembled or reassembled for reasons such as photocopying. Any problems or legal liabilities arising therefrom shall be borne by the individual involved.

Embassy hotline for inquiry about documents : +971-24481907(weekdays 9:00-13:00), email: abu-dhabi@csm.mfa.gov.cn.

 

Note: For the attestation application process of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, please contact the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Detailed information can be found on their website.

https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation