What is a Power of Attorney in the UAE?

A Power of Attorney (POA), or Wakala in Arabic, is a legal document in which one person (the principal) authorises another (the agent) to act on their behalf in defined legal, financial or administrative matters. To be valid in the UAE, a POA must be in Arabic or bilingual English-Arabic and notarised by an authorised Notary Public.

How long does it take to get a Power of Attorney in the UAE?

If you are in the UAE with valid Emirates ID and passport, a POA can usually be drafted, translated, notarised and ready the same or next working day. POAs prepared overseas take longer because of the attestation chain — typically 1–3 weeks depending on your country.

Does a Power of Attorney need to be in Arabic?

Yes. Any POA used inside the UAE must be in Arabic or bilingual English-Arabic, and the Arabic version is the legally binding text. We provide certified legal translation as part of the drafting service.

How much does a Power of Attorney cost in the UAE?

Cost varies by emirate and POA type. It has three parts: drafting, certified Arabic translation, and the government notary fee. A general POA carries a fixed notary fee, while a property-related POA may be calculated on value. Send us your requirement on WhatsApp for an exact quote.

Can I make a Power of Attorney from abroad without flying to the UAE?

Yes. The POA must be signed before a notary in your country, then attested by your country's foreign affairs ministry, then by the UAE Embassy there, and finally legalised by MOFA in the UAE. We coordinate the entire chain.

Power of Attorney Attestation UAE | MOFA & Embassy Legalisation

Power of Attorney Attestation in the UAE

A Power of Attorney executed outside the UAE must complete an attestation chain before it can be used here. POA attestation is one of the most common reasons documents are delayed — getting the order of steps right matters.

The POA Attestation Chain

The standard chain is: (1) the POA is notarised in the country where it was made; (2) it is attested by that country's ministry of foreign affairs; (3) it is attested by the UAE Embassy in that country; (4) it is legalised by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA); and (5) it is translated into Arabic by a certified legal translator.

Indian Embassy POA Attestation

We frequently handle POA attestation involving the Indian Embassy and Consulate — see our dedicated India–UAE Power of Attorney page for the full process.

How We Help

We coordinate every UAE-side step of attestation — UAE Embassy liaison, MOFA legalisation and certified Arabic translation — and advise on the origin-country steps so nothing is done out of order.

Get a fixed quote for POA Attestation & MOFA

Tell us the emirate and your timeline — we'll quote you in minutes.

Start on WhatsApp →

POA Attestation & MOFA