Corporate Document Certification & Legalisation

Business-focused legal support for document certification & legalisation in the UAE, helping companies reduce risk and move forward with

Corporate Document Certification & Legalisation

Corporate documents crossing borders need to be properly certified and legally recognised in their destination country. We manage the full chain: true copy certification, embassy and consulate legalisation, foreign document attestation, legal witnessing, and certified Arabic translation.

In-depth description

Corporate documents – incorporation certificates, board resolutions, shareholder agreements, powers of attorney – often need to be officially certified, attested, or legally translated before they can be used for government filings, banking purposes, or cross-border transactions. We manage the entire documentation process for corporate clients.

Certifying True Copies (Passports, Company, Academic, Legal Documents)

Our authorized legal professionals provide official certification that a copy of a document is a true and accurate reproduction of the original and affix a stamp and signature to certify its status as an original, legitimate instrument. This service is essential for submitting applications to government bodies, banks, and other institutions that require authenticated documents without retaining the original. We handle a wide range of documents, including passports, academic degrees, title deed, or contract, and corporate licenses.

Scope of work

  • The client presents the original document and the copy to our authorized lawyer.
  • Our lawyer meticulously compares the copy to the original document.
  • Upon verification, our lawyer will stamp and sign the copy, certifying it as a “true copy” of the original.

Deliverables

  • The officially stamped and signed Certified True Copy of the document.

Pricing

  •  AED 500 per document, Fixed Fee
 

 

Embassy & Consulate Legalisation

For documents intended for use in countries not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, we manage the complete embassy and consulate legalisation process. After attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), we handle the final, crucial step of submitting your documents to the specific embassy or consulate of the destination country in the UAE, ensuring they meet the precise requirements for full legal recognition abroad.

Scope of work

  • Review the document to ensure it has the prerequisite UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attestation.
  • Submit the document to the specific embassy or consulate of the destination country located in the UAE.
  • Manage the payment of consular fees and all follow-up.
  • Collect the fully legalized document once the process is complete.

Deliverables

  • The document fully legalized by the required embassy or consulate, ready for international use.

Pricing

  • AED 2,500 – AED 4,000, billed Lump Sum per document.
    Dependant on country of origin / destination and urgency.
 

 

Foreign Document Attestation

This service is essential for making documents issued outside the UAE legally valid for official use within the country. We manage the complex “chain attestation” process, guiding you through the required steps in the document’s country of origin (Foreign Ministry and UAE Embassy) and then handling the final, mandatory attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) upon its arrival, ensuring your document is fully compliant and recognized by all UAE entities.

Scope of work

  • Manage the full “chain attestation” process.
  • This scope includes: attestation by the relevant authority in the country of origin (e.g., State Dept), attestation by the UAE Embassy in that country, and the final attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) once in the UAE.

Deliverables

  • The foreign document fully attested and legally valid for official use within the UAE.

Pricing

  • AED 2,500 – AED 4,000, billed Lump Sum per document.
    Dependant on country of origin / destination and urgency.
 

 

Legal Document Witnessing

This is a comprehensive service where our legal professionals act as independent, credible witnesses to the signing of important documents, such as wills or commercial agreements. Concurrently, we can also attest to the authenticity of the document and certify true copies, providing an all-in-one solution that ensures the integrity of the signing process and the validity of the associated copies for distribution and record-keeping.

Scope of work

  • Our authorized lawyer acts as an independent, credible witness to the signing of a legal document.
  • The lawyer will sign and stamp the document as a witness, confirming they were present and observed the signing.
  • This service adds a layer of formality and legal integrity to the execution of the document.

Deliverables

  • The client’s legal document, properly executed and witnessed by a legal professional.

Pricing

  • AED 1,000 – AED 35,000, billed Hourly or Lump Sum.
  • Lawyer to attend signing as witness, AED 1,000 Lump Sum per document.
    Dubai / Abu Dhabi notary public / Freezone attestation ranges between AED 1,500 – AED 5,000.
    Dubai / Abu Dhabi notary public / Freezone attestation with Urgency and Complexity ranges between AED 5,000 – AED 35,000.
    officials / Notary fees range between AED 250 – AED 7,500.
 

 

Legal Translation Certification

We facilitate and certify the translation of legal documents for official use in the UAE. Our process involves engaging sworn legal translators accredited by the UAE Ministry of Justice to translate your documents into Arabic (or another required language). Our firm then certifies with the Ministry of Justice that the translation was completed by a qualified professional, ensuring the document will be accepted by UAE courts, ministries, and government departments.

Scope of work

  • Engage a sworn legal translator accredited by the UAE Ministry of Justice.
  • Certify that the translation was completed by a qualified professional.
  • Submit the translation to the Ministry of Justice for their official stamp, if required for court purposes.

Deliverables

  • An official legal translation of the document, certified by our firm and/or the Ministry of Justice.

Pricing

  • AED 50 – AED 150 per page, Fixed Fee.

Do your corporate documents meet international legal standards?

Are you sending corporate documents to a foreign authority?

Corporate documents used abroad require official certification or embassy legalisation. Errors cause costly rejections and delays.

Do you need Arabic-certified translations of legal documents?

UAE courts, ministries, and government bodies require Ministry of Justice-certified translations for all non-Arabic documents.

Are you signing a power of attorney for use overseas?

POAs must be properly witnessed, attested, and legalised to be enforceable in the destination country's legal system.

Do you have foreign documents needed for UAE government use?

Chain attestation from the country of origin through to UAE MOFA is required. We manage the full process on your behalf.

Frequently asked questions

For foreign corporate shareholders, typically required: certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles of association, certificate of incumbency, and board resolution authorising the UAE investment. Each must be notarised, apostilled (or fully legalised) and officially translated into Arabic if the originals are in another language.
An apostille is a simplified form of authentication accepted between Hague Convention member states. Full legalisation, via Ministry of Foreign Affairs plus the destination country’s embassy, is required for countries outside the Convention. The UAE is a Hague Convention member; not all corporate counterparties’ home jurisdictions are.
 
Yes. UAE banks require authenticated corporate documents for KYC purposes. For a UAE subsidiary, the parent entity’s documents must typically be legalised in the country of origin and officially translated. Requirements vary by bank, but the legalisation chain and translation are virtually always required.
There is no universal re-legalisation schedule, but legalised documents are often only accepted if issued recently, typically within 3 to 6 months by some UAE authorities. For ongoing operations, maintaining a current set of legalised parent company documents is good practice to avoid delays when they are suddenly needed.

For UAE government authority purposes, electronic signatures on powers of attorney are generally not accepted. A wet ink signature, notarisation and legalisation remain required. Some private commercial transactions may accept electronically authenticated documents, but this should be confirmed with the specific counterparty before relying on it.

Key contacts:

Romain Astruc

Managing Partner – Generalist, Advisory & Litigation

Osama Morsi

Legal Associate – Family, Corporate and Litigation Lawyer

Robin Cordeiro

Associate – Corporate and Regulatory Consultant

Get in touch

Other services you might need

Corporate document certification is required at every major business milestone – from incorporation through to banking and M&A.

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UAE banks require fully authenticated corporate documents. We prepare the complete legalisation file for your bank.
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M&A transactions generate extensive document authentication requirements. We manage all certification in the deal process.
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WHAT SET US APART

Why ASTRUC & Co

Corporate document legalisation looks routine but creates real delays when handled incorrectly. We get it right first time.

1.

End-to-end handling

We manage the full authentication chain for corporate documents – notarisation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassy legalisation and official translation

2.

French-UAE fluency

French corporate documents used in the UAE require specific procedures that non-specialist firms regularly get wrong. We handle the exact requirements in both directions

3.

Integrated service

Document certification rarely stands alone. We handle it as part of a wider transaction – incorporation, banking, M&A or regulatory approval – completed correctly and on time

More than legal counsel

With you, all the way

Life in the UAE brings extraordinary opportunities — and equally complex legal realities. Whether you’re relocating your family, navigating a divorce across jurisdictions, or structuring an inheritance that spans continents, you deserve a legal partner who understands both the technicalities and the human side of what you’re going through. At ASTRUC & Co, we treat every client’s situation as if it were our own.

From our offices in Dubai to our network spanning Riyadh, Paris, and Luxembourg, we bring senior-level attention to every matter — personal or financial. We believe the best legal advice is honest, clear, and delivered by someone who genuinely cares about the outcome. That’s why our clients stay with us, and why they come back when life presents its next chapter.

Ready to move forward?

Book a consultation with our team to discuss your situation and explore the right legal and strategic approach for your business.

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Merger and Acquisition
  • Set-up of the Workstreams related to the Transaction
  • Legal Due Diligence
  • Tax Due Diligence
  • Negotiating and Drafting the SPA
  • Assistance related to Conditions Precedents
  • Registration of the Transaction with the Authorities
Private Equity
  • Advisory on PE life cycle from Fund Formation, Capital Deployment, M&A, etc.
  • Advisory on Financing Rounds and Execution
  • Drafting of Prospectus, Investment Case, Risk Warnings and Investment Disclaimers, etc.
  • Drafting of Shareholders Agreements
  • Advisory on Board of Directors Structuring and Execution
  • Drafting of Policies, Charts and other JVAs
  • Litigation/Arbitration
Banking &Finance
  • Banking loan documentation negotiation and review including requested securities
  • Account opening requirements and forms
  • Compliance controls upon onboarding as a bank customer and regular updates to allow flawless funds repatriation
  • Escalation if needed with banking authorities and preparing file for litigation
  • Arabic speaker for immediate translation or intermediation with third parties including local authorities.
Commercial
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  • Rent-Sales Contract – Contract Drafting, Contract Management and Litigation
  • Logistic Services Contract
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Construction
  • FIDIC Short Form of Contract
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  • FIDIC EPC/Turnkey Contract
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  • Litigation/Arbitration
Employment Relationship
  • Assistance during Recruitment Phase with Executive Search Agents or Recruitment Agency
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  • Registration of Company with Labour Authorities
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  • Termination Strategy and Execution
  • Litigation Services
HR Strategy – Advisory Services
  • Labour Market Analysis
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Business Set-Up and Maintenance
  • Comparative Study on Options Available
  • Legal Memorandum on Corporate and Tax Laws
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  • Nominee Services (Regulated Activity)
  • Shareholders Agreements
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  • Dissolution, Liquidation, Bankruptcy Proceedings
  • Litigation/Arbitration (Manager or Shareholders Dispute)
  • Redomiciliation
Joint Venture and Investors Relationship
  • Set-up of Joint Venture Company
  • Drafting Joint Venture Agreement
  • Drafting of Prospectus, Investment Case, Risk Warnings and Investment Disclaimers, etc.
  • Drafting of Shareholders Agreements
  • Advisory on Financing Rounds and Execution
  • Advisory on Board of Directors Structuring and Execution
  • Drafting of Policies, Charts and other JVAs
  • Litigation/Arbitration
Expatriation Services
  • Employment Package and Contract Review
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  • Banking Advisory
  • School Advisory
  • Logistic Advisory
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Relocation
  • Resignation Strategy
  • Tax Situation Review
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  • FX Exchange Advisory
  • Administration of the Departure and Legal Representation
Advisory
  • Advisory Services on the Developer (reliability check)
  • Review of Contract with Developer
  • Conveyance of Property and Supervision of the Sales Process
  • Legal Representation for the Purchase/Sales
  • Assistance with Engineers and Contractors
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Litigation
  • Cancellation of Contract
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Civil Status
  • Amendment of Civil Status (divorced/married) in Home Country
  • Change of Name
  • Transcription of Marriage or Divorce
  • Legalisation Services with Consulate and Embassies
Nationality and Immigration
  • Application for Nationality due to family reasons
  • Coordination Services for Obtaining Nationality based on Investment (more than 40 countries)
  • Immigration Services to Schengen Country (Tourist, Business, Long Term, Residence, Nationality)
  • Immigration Services to the USA, UK, Canada, Australia (Tourist, Business, Long Term, Residence, Nationality)
  • Immigration Services to GCC countries (Tourist, Business, Long Term, Residence, Golden Visa, Nationality)
Succession Planning
  • Overall Estate Planning with Financial and Legal Experts
  • Set-up of Shariah Compliant Foundation or Holding Structure
  • Set-up of Trust (DIFC, UAE, ADGM, Foreign based)
  • Set-up of Holding Structure
  • Set-up of Last Wills in the UAE, Qatar, KSA and various territories, as needed
  • Family Counseling - Mediation of dispute between family members
Inheritance Proceedings
  • In any country where there are assets
  • Court proceedings based on Shariah Law
  • Court proceedings based on Deceased Law
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Crime against the Person and Narcotics
  • Assault, Sexual Abuse, Murder
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Business Crimes
  • AML issues
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Marriages
  • Marriage between French nationals
  • Marriage involving a French national and a non-French national
  • Marriage involving two persons of the same nationality
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  • Marriage involving a Muslim
  • Brief on matrimonial regimes and applicable laws
Divorces
  • Divorce between French nationals
  • Divorce involving a French national and a non-French national
  • Divorce involving two persons of the same nationality
  • Divorce involving two persons of different nationality
  • Divorce involving a Muslim
  • Brief on matrimonial regimes and applicable laws