# Getting documents Attested in th UK



## Shlind (Jul 25, 2013)

Hi Guys,

My move is all happening very quickly and I have only just come across this term 'Attested' for my certificates

Please can anyone advise, how i do this? where and how much it should cost because I googled a site and they sent a quote for £600 surely that can't be right can it?

Shlind


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## BBmover (Jun 15, 2013)

Yes it is right! I had a very quick move and used a company too.

Otherwise you can have your certs notarised by a solicitor, then take it to FCO (Milton Keynes I think) or you can post them there but not sure of turn around then final step is to take them to UAE embassy in London. 
You can contact FCO via telephone and they can advise you better of timescales etc.

Good luck with your move!


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## Shlind (Jul 25, 2013)

BBmover said:


> Yes it is right! I had a very quick move and used a company too.
> 
> Otherwise you can have your certs notarised by a solicitor, then take it to FCO (Milton Keynes I think) or you can post them there but not sure of turn around then final step is to take them to UAE embassy in London.
> You can contact FCO via telephone and they can advise you better of timescales etc.
> ...


Thank you, 

I have just had another quote for just £300 and the quote was clearer on what actually happens and time lengths ect.

Wow moving in a 4 week turn around is hard lol no one prepares you for just how much you have to do or get your head round...


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## EmilyLouise1988 (Jul 24, 2013)

Hi,

I am about to do this as well, I need to attest my marriage certificate after I marry in August before moving out to Dubai. My understanding is that anything that is already signed by a resistrar/official does not need to be signed by a notary/solicitor, just processed through the FCO (For Customers in the UK: The Legalisation Office PO Box 6255 Milton Keynes MK10 1XX) and then processed through the UAE embassy (Legalisation Department 48 Prince's Gate London SW7 2 QA). I intend to personally take my documents to each place rather than getting an agency to coordinate, thus avoiding unneccessary fees!


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## Shlind (Jul 25, 2013)

EmilyLouise1988 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am about to do this as well, I need to attest my marriage certificate after I marry in August before moving out to Dubai. My understanding is that anything that is already signed by a resistrar/official does not need to be signed by a notary/solicitor, just processed through the FCO (For Customers in the UK: The Legalisation Office PO Box 6255 Milton Keynes MK10 1XX) and then processed through the UAE embassy (Legalisation Department 48 Prince's Gate London SW7 2 QA). I intend to personally take my documents to each place rather than getting an agency to coordinate, thus avoiding unneccessary fees!


Hi Emily,

Can you just walk in and get them done? Do you need to book appointments?

Shlind


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## Windsweptdragon (Aug 12, 2012)

I used a company called JestomExpress to do it for me. It was about £180 for a 10 day service, or £250 for a five day service. No problems at all and recommended if you're in a rush like I was when I moved.


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## EmilyLouise1988 (Jul 24, 2013)

Hi Shilind,

I was going to ring ahead both places just to check that I am ok to walk in. 

FCO Telephone Enquiry Line is open from 12:00-16:00 Monday to Friday and is 03700002244

UAE Telephone Enquiry Line: Open from 13:30-15:00 Monday to Friday and is +442078088306 or +442078088351 or +442078088354 on their website

Let me know how you get on, as I will be doing mine soon!

Emily


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## BBmover (Jun 15, 2013)

Shlind said:


> Thank you,
> 
> I have just had another quote for just £300 and the quote was clearer on what actually happens and time lengths ect.
> 
> Wow moving in a 4 week turn around is hard lol no one prepares you for just how much you have to do or get your head round...


I think you can turn up to have your docs attested....well I know at UAE embassy you can. Do check with them though if they are doing Ramadan timings in London? 

You will be fine with 4 weeks to do the move in. This forum is useful for various threads and worth taking the time to read through posts. 

Once you arrive be ready for the next step of paperwork required but stay focused on why you're doing the move! It will all work out.....just remember to take a breath at times! Something I forgot to do while packing up house, working, sorting everything out and my child but once we joined my husband it was okay. 
Probably why I took the hassle free option of sending my degree docs and child birth cert to be attested as well as having to send marriage cert to Oz! Gave me breathing space and someone else sorted it while I got on with other important things.
Good luck!

Embassy of the UAE in London » Legalisation


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## stamboy (Apr 1, 2013)

Shlind said:


> Hi Emily,
> 
> Can you just walk in and get them done? Do you need to book appointments?
> 
> Shlind


As someone who has recently gone through this I can tell you that FCO only accept postal applications but the UAE Embassy in London you just turn up. You can pay GBP 10 extra per document to get the same day which is what I did as saves another trip into London and quicker.


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

stamboy said:


> As someone who has recently gone through this I can tell you that FCO only accept postal applications but the UAE Embassy in London you just turn up. You can pay GBP 10 extra per document to get the same day which is what I did as saves another trip into London and quicker.


Yup,
Did that too.
Have to hang around for ages between drop off and pick up, but Natural History museum round the corner.


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## BigAndyD (Apr 19, 2013)

The FCO website gives very good guidance on what they can legalise and whether or not you need to have documents notarised. The cost is £30 per document and a small fee for courier delivery back to you. Turnaround time is pretty good, only a couple of days. 
The UAE Embassy will charge £20 per document, unless you have one of the documents specifically listed on their website (£400!). You can do it by post or in person, but they only take cash, postal orders or bankers draft.
No need at all to use an agency and paying hundreds of pounds for that service is money wasted in my view.


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## Yorki (Feb 10, 2013)

My wife had our wedding certificate authenticated prior to her arrival...completed it by post in a matter of weeks and cost less than 60 pounds including recorded delivery postage.


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## Shlind (Jul 25, 2013)

Hi guys 

do I need to get my birth certificate and passport attested too? or just my educational certificates?


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## Windsweptdragon (Aug 12, 2012)

Shlind said:


> Hi guys
> 
> do I need to get my birth certificate and passport attested too? or just my educational certificates?


I only had to get education certificates done. Are your HR department not guiding you through this process? They should be.


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## Shlind (Jul 25, 2013)

Right I think I have made progress,

HR told me I need my education certificates attested, I had no Idea what this meant and upon doing research and speaking to people just found my self in a very confusing place. Then reading threading I became worried about other documents..

This morning I have been on the FCO website and followed the guidance, I have called a solicitor/ notary and sent my documents to him via email so he can do the work, I have an appointment tomorrow with him to produce my originals and sign the relevant pages. This part will cost £100 for the pair of certificates.

I have prepaid on the FCO website £66 (£30 each and £6 fr return recorded delivery) I have filled out the application put that, the payment confirmation and a self address envelope in an envelope ready to add my noterised copies from the solicitor. 

I should by all accounts have this back by the end of next week stamped and ready to take to the embassy. it just so happens my old work are sending me in to London for work 2 weeks today so I am going to use this to my advantage and swing in to the embassy, where as I understand the cost for documents to be attested is £20 each.

So in total for both my certificates its going to cost me £206 which is considerably less than any quote I had and I am happy in the knowledge that it is done correctly as the FCO outlines.

Thank you all for your help and guidance I will keep you posted on the progress and if the actually arrive haha

Shlind


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## BBmover (Jun 15, 2013)

No, you don't need your birth cert attested....but ask your HR department. 

Some companies or schools ask for transcript records of degrees to be attested too. Again, you would need to check but not the end of the world if not done. 

Didn't your new employers send you a letter outlying what to be attested?


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## EmilyLouise1988 (Jul 24, 2013)

Thanks for the advice. What is the turnaround time from the FCO? I get married on 28th August and then hope to fly to Dubai on 10th Sept with my marriage certificate attested! If they only accept postal applications, do I have to send my original marriage ceritificate to them and just wait for them to send it back before I can take to London to UAE Embassy?

Thanksn again


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## Shlind (Jul 25, 2013)

Hi Emily,

I sent my education certificates off on Friday (after the last post tho) they phoned me yesterday to say I had paid too much but it was being processed, then had an email today saying it has been sent in todays post so will be with me tomorrow as I paid for special delivery. So turn over is like 3 working days.

I didnt send my originals as I just need attested copies. Not sure about marriage certificates.

Check the FCO website:
https://www.gov.uk/legalisation-document-checker/y/marriage-certificate

Good luck x


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## EmilyLouise1988 (Jul 24, 2013)

Shlind said:


> Hi Emily,
> 
> I sent my education certificates off on Friday (after the last post tho) they phoned me yesterday to say I had paid too much but it was being processed, then had an email today saying it has been sent in todays post so will be with me tomorrow as I paid for special delivery. So turn over is like 3 working days.
> 
> ...


Thank you! x


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## Shlind (Jul 25, 2013)

Arrrggghhhh total nightmare!! 

So today I made the trip to London to get my documents Attested at the emabassy only to find out my Solicitor has done the notary part incorrect!! he put both certificates on one document when in fact they need to be seperate!! 

I am soooo angry right now! Stood in the middle of London crying like a baby ( clearly at the end of my emotional tether right now haha) 

I have called the solicitor who is on holiday untill tomorrow so his receptionist just got both barrels opps but she is going to sort it out and get him to re do the documents correctly this time and I will hopefully get them tomorrow morning, then I will have to resend them to the FCO and wait for them to come back but I fly out on Tuesday so simply do not have enough time left to sort the mess out! luckily I have some amazing friends who are going to take them to the embassy for me once they are back from the FCO and get them couriered to me in Dubai!! I have spoke to my HR dept and they said this was fine hew:

If I have learnt anything its next time I will forget saving money and just pay someone, who knows what they are doing, the rediculous amount of money to sort it for me!! haha


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## BBmover (Jun 15, 2013)

It won't be the end of the world if they are couriered to you a little later....not what you would have wanted to hear during your melt down and I empathise with you! Wen your friends do courier them over to you use your business address so you definitely receive them....don't want to tempt fate if you are not at your new address. 
One thing - is it possible for your friends to take them to UAE embassy or do you need to present them in person? I'm not sure of that procedure? Did UAE embassy advise? 
Hope it all goes well for you and try not to fret too much. If your HR dept are aware and supportive then you've covered bases for arrival.


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## Shlind (Jul 25, 2013)

BBmover said:


> It won't be the end of the world if they are couriered to you a little later....not what you would have wanted to hear during your melt down and I empathise with you! Wen your friends do courier them over to you use your business address so you definitely receive them....don't want to tempt fate if you are not at your new address.
> One thing - is it possible for your friends to take them to UAE embassy or do you need to present them in person? I'm not sure of that procedure? Did UAE embassy advise?
> Hope it all goes well for you and try not to fret too much. If your HR dept are aware and supportive then you've covered bases for arrival.


Yes I checked with the lady at the embassy and she said it was fine for a friend to take them  

I've calmed down a bit now, was just so overwhelmed earlier lol my HR dept were really nice about it, just hoping my conversation with the solicitor goes well tomorrow as I am really angry he gave me wrong advice so I am expecting him to ammend his error at no extra charge! We will see though haha


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