Certificate attestation in Sharjah is the official chain of verification that lets a degree, family certificate or company document be accepted by UAE authorities or by another country. Wordcraft runs that chain from Business Tower in Al Majaz 2: we check the document, plan each authority in the right order, handle the submissions and return it attested, with an Arabic translation if the receiving office wants one.
Attestation in Sharjah Today: Key Facts (September 2026)
For most Sharjah residents the process is simpler than it was a few years ago. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs now runs attestation as a digital service, and documents from abroad usually reach Sharjah with the ministry step already done. This is what applies this month, based on MOFA's published service rules:
- Digital applications: MOFA attestation is requested on the ministry's website or app with a UAE PASS login, and our Al Majaz team can file it for you.
- QR-coded UAE documents go online: a Sharjah or other UAE document issued digitally with a QR code, reference number or barcode can be attested without handing over any paper.
- Keep certificates unlaminated: laminated documents are refused, so never laminate an original you may need to attest later.
- Arabic or English only: a document in any other language needs a certified translation, which our Sharjah legal translators can produce.
- The embassy abroad covers MOFA: for most foreign documents, the UAE Embassy or Consulate in the issuing country includes the MOFA attestation when it legalizes the document.
A foreign apostille still has to be followed by UAE Embassy legalization, because the UAE has not signed the Apostille Convention. Source: UAE MOFA attestation services; more background in our article on MOFA attestation in Sharjah. Your written quote sets out the timing for your own document. Last reviewed: September 2026.
Which Route Your Sharjah Document Takes
Match your document to a row. The right-hand column shows whether anything is left to do at MOFA once the document is inside the UAE.
| Your document | Route we arrange from Al Majaz | MOFA needed in the UAE? |
|---|---|---|
| Issued in Sharjah or elsewhere in the UAE as a digital document (QR code or reference number) | Filed online with MOFA through UAE PASS; no paper leaves our office. | Yes, completed online |
| UAE paper certificate, such as a Sharjah school record, a UAE birth certificate or a UAE degree | Verified by the issuer first (SPEA or the Ministry of Education for school records, MOHAP for birth certificates, the university or MOHESR for degrees), then attested by MOFA. | Yes, once the issuer has verified it |
| Foreign document legalized by a UAE Embassy that now includes MOFA | Authenticated in the issuing country, then legalized by the UAE Embassy or Consulate there, with MOFA part of that step. | Usually not |
| Foreign document legalized the old way, or from a country on a different route | We review the embassy legalization and add MOFA attestation in the UAE where it is missing. | Yes, when the embassy step left it out |
| Sharjah or UAE document going abroad | MOFA attestation, then legalization by the destination country's embassy in the UAE. No apostille is issued. | Yes, ahead of the embassy |
What Certificate Attestation in Sharjah Covers
- Education: degree and diploma certificates, transcripts, school leaving and transfer certificates, grade 10 and grade 12 certificates, and professional qualifications.
- Personal: birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates, police clearance and good-conduct certificates, medical reports, and experience or salary certificates.
- Commercial: trade licenses, memorandum and articles of association, board resolutions, powers of attorney, certificates of incorporation and good standing, invoices and certificates of origin.
SPEA and Sharjah School/University Documents
Families leaving Sharjah, or moving a child to a school in another country, often need Sharjah-issued school records attested. The education authority responsible for the certificate verifies it first: the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) for private schools, or the Ministry of Education for other school records. Degrees issued in the UAE go through the university and, where required, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR). MOFA attestation follows, and the destination embassy legalizes the file if that country asks for it. The free quote names the right authority for your certificate.
Graduates of foreign universities working in Sharjah usually need the reverse: an attested foreign degree and, for teaching, engineering or health licensing, an equivalency certificate. We plan both together so the attested degree is ready for the equivalency application.
Our Sharjah Office in Al Majaz
Our Sharjah branch is at Office 3107, Business Tower, Corniche Street, Al Majaz 2, Sharjah, open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 19:00 and Saturday from 8:30 to 16:00. It works to the same standards and online order system as our Dubai head office and handles every Wordcraft service, from attestation to company formation. Call or WhatsApp +971 54 544 0234, or the toll-free line 800 9673.
Documents that also need an Arabic version go to our legal translation team in Sharjah, made up of MOJ-certified legal translators, and sworn declarations can be arranged with a notary public in Sharjah through the same office. One visit can cover attestation, translation and notarization.
Checklist Before You Visit Al Majaz
- The original certificate, since attestation is never done on a photocopy
- A clear passport copy of the person named on the document
- An Emirates ID copy for UAE residents
- Mark sheets or transcripts, when the school, employer or licensing body wants them attested along with the certificate
- For company files: the trade license and the signatory's passport copy
- A signed authorization allowing our Sharjah branch to submit the document for you
How an Order Runs from Al Majaz
- Tell us what you have: WhatsApp a photo of the document to the Sharjah branch or bring it in. The route and a written quote reach you in 10–30 minutes.
- Hand over the original: after you approve and pay, leave it at the office or book free collection anywhere in Sharjah.
- We work through the authorities: the document goes to each authority in turn, and your online order updates at every stage.
- Collect or receive it: pick up the attested document at Business Tower or have it delivered free, with the Arabic translation attached if you ordered one.
Attestation Services for Ajman Residents
We do not have an office in Ajman, but many of our Sharjah customers live there. Ajman residents use our Sharjah branch in Business Tower, Al Majaz 2, a short drive away, or send everything digitally and request free document collection. The same attestation, MOFA and legal translation services apply, and your free quote, sent within 10–30 minutes, names the route for each document. See also legal translation in Sharjah and our Sharjah branch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get certificate attestation done in Sharjah without going to Dubai?
Yes. You hand in the document at Al Majaz or use free collection, and we deal with every authority involved. MOFA attestation is now filed online, so there is no ministry office in another emirate for you to visit.
Do you collect documents anywhere in Sharjah?
Yes. Pick-up and return are free across the emirate of Sharjah, so the originals can be handed over at home or at work instead of at our office.
Do you serve Ajman residents?
Yes, although we have no office in Ajman. Ajman residents use our Sharjah branch in Al Majaz 2, a short drive away, or book free document collection.
How long does certificate attestation take in Sharjah?
A QR-coded UAE document and a degree from overseas follow very different routes, so there is no single answer. We state the expected timing for your document in the written quote, before you pay anything.
Is MOFA attestation included when the UAE Embassy abroad legalizes my document?
In most cases it is. UAE embassies and consulates now add the MOFA attestation digitally during legalization, so a foreign degree or marriage certificate usually needs nothing more from MOFA once it reaches Sharjah. Documents legalized under the old process may still need it, and we check this for you.
How can I check that a MOFA digital attestation is genuine?
Scan the QR code on the attestation: it leads to the online record that employers and government offices use to confirm it. Our digital MOFA attestation guide explains the verification in more detail.
My certificate is laminated. What can I do?
MOFA will not attest a laminated document, and removing the lamination does not solve the problem. Request a replacement original or certified copy from the school, university or registry that issued it, and we will attest the new one.
Will a foreign apostille be accepted in Sharjah?
No. The UAE is not a signatory to the Apostille Convention, so an apostilled document still needs legalization by the UAE Embassy in the country that issued it before any Sharjah authority will accept it.
Do I have to hand over the original?
For paper documents, yes: each authority in the chain examines the original, so a copy will not do. UAE documents issued digitally with a QR code are the exception and can be attested from the digital file.
Does my attested document need an Arabic translation?
Many Sharjah and federal authorities ask for an Arabic legal translation of documents in other languages. Our MOJ-certified legal translators at Al Majaz prepare it after attestation, including the attestation text.
Last updated: September 2026
