Why is Dubai Chamber Attestation Required, and What is the Procedure?

Attestation March 1, 2020

With Dubai turning into a land of opportunities, in terms of jobs and businesses, there are thousands of people that migrate there from other countries, with the intention of earning a better livelihood and setting up a successful business.

If you are not a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and seek entry as a foreign national, there are certain rules and regulations to adhere to and certain procedures to follow. As someone looking to start their own business in Dubai, you would need to go through a long process of seeking permission from the Dubai government as well as other government and government-sponsored agencies, both in your home country as well as in Dubai.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a public, non-profit organization established in the 1960s, which is responsible for supporting the business community in the Emirate and also works to promote Dubai as a business hub. Given the rate at which Dubai is replacing many places as a leading business destination, there needs to be an organization or agency which oversees all the activities pertaining to the businesses, how they are established and how they are run. The main objectives of the Chamber are:

To create a suitable and encouraging environment for businesses to run
Help in the establishment and expansion of businesses
Manage resources efficiently and to attain excellence
To promote Dubai as a leading international business hub

What is Meant by Attestation in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, UAE?

As a foreign national seeking entry into another country for any purpose such as education, work, business, family, etc., you need permission. While the permission comes in the form of a visa, there are steps to getting the visa. A key process is attestation. You have certain documents that you would need to use for legal purposes in that country, and for them to be considered valid, they need to be verified by certain government and government-sponsored agencies. This verification process is called attestation. Your documents and certificates must be checked and stamped by the concerned authorities not only to be able to use them outside but also to provide the authorities key information about yourself. Without getting all the required documents attested in Dubai, chances are, your visa will get denied.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry Attestation Requirements in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, UAE

If you plan on moving to Dubai with the intentions of starting a new business there, you need to get your documents attested by different authorities, but one of the main ones is the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry since it is the organization responsible for overseeing the establishment and functioning of businesses in the Emirate.

Some of the documents you would need to present to the Chamber for attestation are:

Company Financial Budget
Certificate of Incorporation
Invitation Letter
Company Profile
Inspection Certificate
Authorization letter
No Objection Letter
Certificate of Origin
Bill of Exchange
Banking documents
Financial Statements
Commercial Invoice etc.

You might be required to present other kinds of commercial documents depending upon the nature of your business and the kind of activities you intend to engage in, while in Dubai. However, the Chamber shall not attest to other kinds of documents. Some of them are as follows:

Birth Certificate
Marriage and/or Divorce Certificates
Educational Certificates
Foreign Invoice and Certificate of Origin for Trading Companies
Passport copies
Employment contract etc.

The attestation of these documents is the responsibility of other authorities.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry Attestation Procedure in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, UAE

Even though it is the Chamber that needs to attest your commercial documents in Dubai for you to finally set up your business, there are other steps involved in the process. The following are the authorities that need to attest your documents for you to actually set up your business in Dubai:

Notary Department Attestation: Irrespective of the kind of document or certificate, the Public Notary in your state or city must attest your documents. For this, you must go to the Public Notary office or the Collector’s office, and without the Notary’s stamp of authenticity, the subsequent authorities shall not stamp your documents.
Home Department/ HRD Attestation: Even though your primary reason for going to Dubai is to set up a business, you must have your personal and educational certificates attested by the State Home Department and the Ministry of Human Resource Development, respectively.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Attestation: This is the last agency of the home government, which must perform the attestation procedure for your documents and certificates. All your documents must be stamped by the Ministry of External Affairs since it is a department of the government responsible for overseeing the foreign matters of the country. Once it verifies your documents, you move on to the authorities of Dubai government.
Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry Attestation: Before Dubai Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can attest your documents, it is the Dubai Chamber of Commerce which needs to go over all your commercial documents and stamp them, stating that you are now allowed to establish your business in or extend commercial activities to Dubai. Without the Chamber approving your documents and certificates, other authorities shall not approve your visa.
Dubai Embassy Attestation: It is the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates that will check your documents and attest them. Once the Chamber approves your papers and allows you to carry out your business activities in Dubai, the embassy, too, will stamp your documents.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Attestation: Since Dubai is not part of the Hague Convention and is a Gulf country, you need to get your documents attested by the MOFA in the Dubai. It is a department of the government which is responsible for the country’s foreign matters, and for your visa to be approved, the MOFA must attest your documents and allow you to establish a business in Dubai. You do not need to be physically present there for the procedure.

If you wish to establish a business in Dubai, you must present your proposal to the Dubai Chamber, get all your commercial documents attested by it and seek permission to carry out commercial activities in the country. Without that, you cannot set up your business there.

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