Getting Documents Legalised in Dubai

ADDITIONAL UPDATE (* AUGUST 2018) –

There has been a rather important procedural change with regards to the Power of Attorneys for property sales and specifically when the property has a mortgage levied against it.

In such instances, you might be aware that the original Title Deed is always held with the bank / mortgage provider.  Up until recently, the Notary Public were however willing to accept a stamped true copy of the Title Deed from the bank / mortgage provider for the purposes of issuing a Power of Attorney on a mortgaged property.  Things have however changed and the current options are as follows:

(1) the original Title Deed must presented at the time of signing at the Notary Public – in such cases, the bank / mortgage provider would need to be present at the Notary appointment with the original Title Deed (in practice, this is often easier said than done and it can take some time to arrange this with the bank so please keep this mind)

(2) a true stamped copy of the Title Deed by the Dubai Land Department will need to be presented to the Notary in lieu of the original Title Deed (a small fee of AED 70 applies at Dubai Land Department).

IMPORTANT – A true copy from the bank / mortgage provider is NO longer accepted by the Notary Public for the purposes of issuing a Power of Attorney for selling a mortgaged property.

UPDATE – 12/04/17

As I said in point number 6 below…Be Prepared For Changes!

The Dubai Courts have increased their fees for the stamping of Power of Attorneys from AED 50 per POA document to AED 220 per person for each individual signing the POA.  They have also added an additional e-services fee of AED 45.  Payment can be made by cash or e-dirham card.

Another additional cost unfortunately but worth bearing in mind before your next visit to the Dubai Courts.

We are all too familiar with many of the headaches facing us when visiting certain Dubai authorities. Most of us would rather run a mile than attempt to carry these out. The good news is that it is not quite as bad you think. The processes have certainly improved since my arrival in Dubai in late 2012. The Dubai Notary Public is an excellent example of this.

The Dubai Notary Public take care of the legalisation of certain documents in Dubai, including company formation documents, agent agreements, notice to vacates and of course Power of Attorney documents.

Some Useful Tips on Getting Documents Legalised in Dubai

As a legal representative of more than 600 property investors in Dubai, I have had to spend a fair share of my time both in the Dubai Notary Public and UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Our core business at Your POA Dubai depends upon this. On this basis, I will try to give you some advice on what to do/not to do based on my experiences – hopefully this will make your life a little easier…

The Earlier You Go, The Quicker You Will Finish

The Dubai Notary Public opens at 8 am on weekdays (Sunday to Thursday) and if you go close to or just after this time, you will be in and out within a few minutes. The busier times tend to be from around 9 am onwards.

Things have certainly improved, however. Previously the Notary was open for morning & evening shifts (8 am-1 pm & 4 pm-8 pm). This inevitably leads to large queues and countless waiting times once you managed to get a ticket.

Thankfully this has all changed and the process is now a great deal more speedy. There are not as many people attending the Notary now it seems so waiting times have been reduced considerably. Perhaps this is due to the extended opening hours with legalisations being spread out over the course of the day. There are also new Notary offices now open (Barsha Mall being an example). On the other side, it could be suggested that this is perhaps an indication of the drop in business in the current Dubai property market?! This is a very different debate however that is best left to another day.

Bring All Of The Correct Documents With You (And Copies Of Everything!)

This is vital unless you want to make numerous visits to complete your desired task. It is very important to bring all original documents (if applicable) and copies when visiting the Dubai Notary Public.

For Power of Attorneys, in particular, you will need to bring the original Title Deed if you are appointing someone as Power of Attorney for the sale of a property – as in the case of selling, the POA document must be specific to the property. The person giving the POA will of course also need to be present, with their original passport, in order to sign in front of the Notary.

My advice – bring as many original documents and copies as possible to save any potential hassle when you get there.

Dress Appropriately

The Dubai Notary Public is a government building so moderate dress is expected. I have had a few clients in the past, both male and female, having been turned away for wearing shorts, short dresses or low cut tops. I have even had to make a quick visit to the nearby Mall of Emirates to do some emergency trouser shopping for one or two clients! Don’t let the same happen to you.

Do A “Dry-Run”

I read another article from a year or so ago whereby the author suggested doing a “dry run” in advance to make sure all of the documents are in order and again to avoid any unnecessary surprises further down the line. Not a bad idea at all – if you have the time to do so.

Customer service does also seem to be improving across the board so it is also worth a quick telephone call to the Notary should you have any further questions or issues.

Be Polite, Courteous And Friendly

I am sure I don’t need to tell you this but if you want to get things done quickly and as smoothly as possible, it is a good idea to smile and be friendly when at the Notary Public. From my experiences, the staff at the Notary are very friendly and accommodating if you act in the same manner.

Be Prepared For Changes

This is Dubai. Practices, procedures and indeed costs can change at a moment’s notice. Sometimes it is impossible to predict or anticipate but always be prepared for the possibility of a new fee being levied or a different set of processes being introduced overnight.

Enjoy The Experience!

Don’t laugh. When I go to the Notary, I try to take in the whole experience. As an expat living overseas, I enjoy visiting these government offices, getting to meet and work alongside local Emiratis and other nationalities. It is also a great place to people watch!

I hope the above helps you in some capacity. I have had some clients in the past who have been put off by the thought of handling these formalities, but if you know what you are doing and are prepared in advance, it will be a very easy process I can assure you.

For overseas attestations, things do vary a little but again are very straightforward if you know what to expect. Taking Power of Attorneys as an example, the POA simply needs to be signed in front of a solicitor or Public Notary before being certified by the foreign office and attested by the UAE Embassy in that particular country. Once completed, it can then be returned to Dubai to be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs before being translated into Arabic.

At Your POA Dubai, we specialise in this kind of work and can certainly assist if needed. We are open to any questions or enquiries you may have. Get in touch anytime! All the best.

Your POA specialise in representing national and international clients as Power of Attorney for a wide range of property related matters; from Property Handovers & Title Deed Registrations to Sales, Purchases & Gift Transfers.

If you need a Power of Attorney or have questions on any property related matters in Dubai, get in touch!