Expanding your business into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an exciting opportunity, offering access to a dynamic market with strategic global significance. However, before you can start operating in the UAE, it’s essential to ensure that all your Australian business documents are properly legalised. This process ensures the authenticity and validity of these documents within the UAE legal framework.
Why Legalise Australian Business Documents for the UAE?
Business Setup: Many UAE business setup procedures require legalised Australian documents, such as company registration certificates, powers of attorney, and shareholder agreements.
Visa Applications: If you’re planning to obtain a residence visa for yourself or your employees, legalised documents will be necessary.
Bank Account Opening: To open a corporate bank account in the UAE, you’ll typically need to provide legalised copies of your company’s registration documents.
Contracts and Agreements: Legalised documents can be essential when entering into business contracts or agreements with UAE-based entities.
TheLegalisation Process
The legalisation process for Australian business documents involves multiple steps:
Certification: Obtain certified copies of your business documents from the relevant Australian authorities. This usually involves a notary public or the issuing government agency.
State or Territory Government: Submit the certified copies to the state or territory government’s Department of Justice or Attorney General’s office. They will authenticate the documents and affix a state seal.
DFAT Authentication: Once the documents have been notarised, submit the documents to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for authentication. This involves verifying the authenticity of the notarised documents.
UAE Embassy: The next step is to submit the notarised and DFAT authenticated documents to the UAE Embassy in Canberra. They will verify the authenticity of the DFAT stamp and affix their seal.
Special Considerations for Entrepreneurs
As an entrepreneur, there are several additional factors to consider when legalising documents for use in the UAE:
1. Industry-Specific Requirements
Depending on your industry, specific documents may need legalisation or additional steps. Entrepreneurs in healthcare, finance, or legal sectors might need to legalise extra licenses, permits or certifications to meet UAE regulations. Research your industry’s requirements to ensure all necessary documents are properly legalised.
2. Translation of Documents
In the UAE, Arabic is the official language, and while English is widely used in business, some documents may need to be translated into Arabic. It’s essential to use a certified translator to ensure the accuracy of the translation and to have the translated documents notarised and legalised as well. This step is crucial for ensuring that your documents are fully compliant with UAE regulations and can be used without issues
3. Use of Professional Legalisation Services
For entrepreneurs who are unfamiliar with the legalisation process or who need to legalise multiple documents, using a professional legalisation service by Authentifier can be highly beneficial.
Our Australian document attestation experts will handle the entire process on your behalf, from notarisation to DFAT authentication and UAE Embassy legalisation. We will also guide specific requirements for your industry and help ensure that your documents are processed correctly and quickly. Set up a consultation now to get started.
4. Planning for Timelines and Costs
Legalising documents can be a time-consuming and costly process, especially if you require expedited services. It’s important to plan and budget for the costs associated with notarisation, DFAT authentication, and UAE Embassy legalisation. Additionally, allow sufficient time for the entire process, particularly if you have a tight deadline for starting your business operations in the UAE.
Have more questions? Explore our FAQ section or call us at +61 2 8313 7167 for more information on legalising business documents for UAE – we offer document attestation, notarisation, DFAT legalisation (authentication &apostille), and more.
