Embassy of the United States

Citizen Services

Authentication of Academic, Commercial or Other Credentials in the U.S.

UAE law requires that academic transcripts and diplomas, birth and marriage
certificates, affidavits, and other documents be "authenticated" by
the U.S. Government. Due to the federal nature of the United States, this process is more complicated for Americans than it is for citizens of some countries.

Your documents will need to be authenticated first by the entity that issued
them, then by the state in which that entity is located, and then by the federal government (the U.S. State Department). Only after the document has been authenticated by the U.S. State Department will the Consulate will be in a position to issue a final authentication. Many people find that it is worth hiring a courier service with experience in shepherding documents through this process; in that case, the total process can take as little as three weeks. Following is a brief outline of what will be required (though the actual requirements will vary greatly from state to state):

Vital Records: If you need to request an official copy of a vital record (birth,
death, marriage, or divorce certificates) for authentication, visit the National
Center for Health Statistics website (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm)
for more information on each U.S. state’s procedures.

for more information on what documents they will need to certify the document’s
authenticity. Some academic institutions require the submission of the original
diploma; others can issue a true copy themselves.

Other Documents: Affidavits, acknowledgements, contracts, and similar
legal documents are usually executed before a Notary Public in the U.S.

Authentication procedures vary from state to state. We strongly encourage patrons
to contact their respective state’s authentication office for more information.
Refer to the State Department’s List of State Authentication Authorities
at http://travel.state.gov/family/abduction/hague_issues/hague_issues_562.html

Step 3. Have Document Notarized, If Necessary

Depending on the state’s authentication requirements, many documents may need to be notarized by a Notary Public. Most Secretary of State offices include a statewide list of notaries on their websites. Visit http://www.firstgov.gov/Agencies/State_and_Territories.shtml
to find links to state government websites.

In some cases, the Clerk of Court in the county where the Notary Public is
commissioned is required to certify that the Notary’s term has not expired.

Step 4. Obtain Signature and Seal from State Secretary of State

The document must then be signed and sealed by the Secretary of State in the state where the Notary is located, certifying to the Notary’s current
status. For contact information, visit the State Department’s List
of State Authentication Authorities at the address in Step 2.

Step 5. Obtain U.S. Department of State Authentication

Forward all documents to the U.S. Department of State at the following address:

Department of State Documents Authentication Office
518 23rd ST. N.W., SA-1, Columbia Plaza
Washington, D.C. 20520
TEL: (202) 647-5002 or 1-800-688-9889, FAX: (202) 663-3636

The Department of State Documents Authentication Office charges a fee of $6.00.

Step 6. Obtain U.S. Embassy/Consulate Authentication

Once the documents have been authenticated by the U.S. Department of State,
bring the documents to the U.S. Consulate General Dubai for authentication during
American Citizen Services, Saturday through Wednesday, 12:30 AM – 3:00
PM. The authentication fee will be 111 AED for each document copy.

Helpline

Address: Deira, Naser Square, Dubai Tower, 4th floor, Office # 434, PO Box 41154, Dubai, UAE
Telephone: 971-4-227-9916
Email: helplinegroup@hotmail.com

Index
Address: Bur Dubai, Al Khalej Center, 4th floor, Office # 405, Dubai, UAE
Telephone: 971-4-355-0888
Email: index101@emirates.net.ae


THIS SHEET AND ALL ITS INTERNET LINKS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

http://usembassy.state.gov/dubai/aocftu.html