Legal documents and the procedures that involve in processing them can be a lot to take note of and remember every time. For documents to be valid, it needs to be executed in the right way.

It is a common mistake or confusion to interchange attestation and notarization. It’s not really a shame to not know these two since they are confusing. At most times, people do not know what the exact difference is between the two and that is okay.

As one of the firms that offer attestation services in Dubai, we have encountered people who interchange the two. It is a frequent question of “What is the difference between the two?” and we happily provide them with the answer. In this case, we are laying down the information of what we usually give to people who acquire our attestation services in Dubai.

There are key differences between the two that can definitely make them distinct from each other. For those unfamiliar with these two and the areas where they differ, this article will help you understand the two more.

What is Notarization?

Notarization is basically the process of giving (anyone who asks for it like a company or a branch of a government) that a document that is related to the person is reliable and veritable. Documents are notarized when giving a power of attorney, consent for a minor to travel abroad, and other transactions.

Notarization is done in front of the notary as to ensure that the person signing the document did it on their own free will and the identity of the signee is confirmed by the notary. The notary verifies the authentication of the document that is being signed.

After the signing of the document, the notary signs it as well and puts the notary seal and any other details of the notary that are needed.

This kind of process is done to avoid any fraud. This is why this procedure can only be carried out by the notary public of a country.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the agent hired by the person who needs the documents notarized goes to the notary public with the client since this is the protocol. Without the presence of the client, the documents wouldn’t be processed at all.

In some countries, the people who need their documents to be notarized do not need to go to the notary public anymore. They can simply do it online and connect with a notary public.

What is Attestation?

Attestation seems to be a lengthier process compared to notarization. Documents that are usually attested are educational qualifications and certificates. As an example, if you are from another country and you got accepted by a new company and these credentials are asked from you, the government of Dubai cannot simply agree that it is indeed genuine. It needed to go through a couple of processes that usually takes days.

For certificate attestation in Dubai, the documents that need to be attested have to be attested by the concerned department in the home country of the person first. The second step is that the home country’s external affairs department has to attest the documents as well. Thirdly, it will go to the UAE Embassy of the home country. The last step will be the attestation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE of Mofa attestation.

Find more Info: Easy Steps for Document Attestation in Dubai

Differences between both

To clarify the two, even more, it is best to juxtapose these two things in order to further understand them. We will highlight the things that are mentioned above to see where and how they differ from each other.

With notarization, documents are notarized in front of a public notary and nowhere else. On the other hand, attestation is a document that goes through a process so a country can agree that it is indeed authentic.

It should be noted that with the process of notarization, there is no authenticating of a document that happens. The signature of the person who owns the document is the one that is authenticated. It is only in attestation that the documents are reviewed and assessed by different departments from the home country of a person to the country that the documents are needed to ensure that they are indeed genuine and can be used for legal purposes.

One should observe, however, that some countries apply the signature and seal of a notary public but there may be some countries that do not. Every state in the world has its own protocol and laws with regard to notarization and attestation.

Law Firms in Dubai

Since we are offering attestation services in Dubai, we HHS Lawyers in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi UAE can provide you with a consultation to help you with regard to your inquiries. If you still need further enlightenment, you can contact us for clarifications and further questions. We have more than 10 years of experience in running a law firm in Dubai, we have handled attestation services in Dubai, private notary services Dubai many other services. Also, our offer of attestation services in Dubai can guarantee you with smooth and quality service. Find out for yourself and call us today!