# Attestation of certificates in the UK



## Ash1980 (Jan 24, 2011)

Hi All,

I'm moving out from the UK to AD in a month and about to start the certificates attestation process. I've got few of questions and would be grateful if you can help with:

1) Can I just drop by ANY solicitor in town to verify the certificates? 
2) Do I need to legalise the transcript *AND* the certificate for each degree or just the certificate?
3) Do they legalise copies or originals?

Thanks,
Ash


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## chubunga (Feb 17, 2011)

Ash1980 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I'm moving out from the UK to AD in a month and about to start the certificates attestation process. I've got few of questions and would be grateful if you can help with:
> 
> ...


Hi,
I have just been through the attestation process myself. You need to call the solicitor first to see if they're happy to verify your certificates. The first solicitor I called refused to, saying he didn't want to be involved with such things...!?!? The second one was great, and said she'd be more than happy to - she charged us only £20 to verify 6 documents. 
We were only told to legalise the final (last year) page of our transcript of results, but also the certificate for our degrees. It might be different for you, depending on the job you're going out there for.
In answer to your final question, you need to take your originals to the solicitor who will colour photocopy them, sign the photocopies to say he/she has seen the original and can verify it's real (the whole purpose of verification), and then you take those photocopies to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office where they start the attestation process.
It is a long and expensive process, but unfortunately necessary.
Hope that helps!


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Once a solicitor has certified the copies (mine charged £5 per document) you can post them to the FCO in Milton Keynes with the necessary fee. Include a stamped addressed envelope for the UAE Embassy in London along with a postal order for the UAE Embassy fees and a stamped self addressed envelope for yourself. The FCO will forward the attested documents to the UAE Embassy for you who will then post back to you once they have certified the docs. Allow a week for the whole process. 
Legal documents (marriage certs, Birth certs etc) do not need to go to a solicitor first.


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## Ash1980 (Jan 24, 2011)

Many thanks guys! your answers have certainly clarified it all!


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