Power of attorney documents
Documents required for a power of attorney in Dubai
This is the full list of documents required for a power of attorney in Dubai, sorted by party, by residency status and by matter. It marks which items an authority is on record as asking for and which ones we ask for ourselves.
- Sorted by party
- Sourced items marked
- Print before your appointment
Power of attorney documents required in Dubai, in short
Every party needs proof of identity, and the notary verifies it from an ID card, passport or another official document issued by the State. Everything past that depends on what the power of attorney covers, and most of the extra items on any provider list are intake, not law.
Always needed
An identity document for each party
Language
Arabic, translated by a registered legal translator
Signed abroad
Attested in that country, then by MOFAIC
What each party brings
This is our intake list, grouped by who each item belongs to. Only the identity items are set by an authority. The rest is what we ask for so the draft is right the first time and the appointment is short.
You, the principal
The person giving the authority
- Passport copy, clear and current
- Emirates ID copy, both sides, if you hold one
- Your name in Arabic, if you have a spelling already on record
- A phone number and email we can reach you on
Your agent, the attorney
The person you are authorising to act
- Emirates ID number, or a copy of the card
- Passport copy where there is no Emirates ID
- Full name spelt exactly as it reads on that identity document
- Date of birth and nationality
A company as principal
When the power of attorney is given by a business
- Trade licence copy
- Memorandum of association and any amendments to it
- The board or shareholder resolution approving the power of attorney
- Passport and Emirates ID of the person signing for the company
The items an authority is on record as asking for
These are the requirements we can point to a published government source for. The Dubai Courts items come from its published power of attorney service page as it stood in February 2023, which is the most recent version we have been able to read, so confirm them against the service before you book. Everything else on this page is our own intake list, written so the draft is accurate and the appointment is short. We have kept the two apart on purpose, because most published checklists mix them together.
- Proof of identity for each party. Federal law tells the notary to verify identity from an ID card, a passport, or any other official document issued by the State.
- The agent’s Emirates ID number, or an uploaded copy of the agent’s Emirates ID card or passport, on the Dubai Courts power of attorney service.
- The property title deed, where the power of attorney terms cover a property.
- The vehicle ownership certificate, where the power of attorney terms cover a vehicle.
- The trademark registration certificate, where the power of attorney terms cover a trademark.
- Documents as PDF soft copies, translated into Arabic as a legal translation approved by the UAE Ministry of Justice.
What changes with your residency status
The identity document changes, and so does where you sign. What follows is what we see in practice, not a rule published by any one authority.
UAE resident
Emirates ID leads
You hold an Emirates ID, so that is the identity document we work from, with your passport copy behind it. You sign in Dubai before a notary public.
Not a resident
Passport leads
Your passport is the identity document. If you sign abroad, the signed power of attorney is attested in that country and then by MOFAIC in the UAE.
What the matter type adds
A special power of attorney has to name the act and the subject, so the subject document travels with it. Three of the four below are on record with Dubai Courts.
Property
Dubai Courts asks for the property title deed when the power of attorney terms cover a property. We also ask for the plot or unit reference so we name it correctly.
Vehicle
Dubai Courts asks for the vehicle ownership certificate when the terms cover a vehicle. We ask for the plate number and chassis number so the draft matches the record.
Trademark or company
Dubai Courts asks for the trademark registration certificate on a trademark power of attorney. For a company matter we ask for the trade licence and the signing authority.
Collecting documents or a passport
No authority publishes a document list for these. We ask for the reference or application number, the issuing body, and identity copies for both of you.
What sends a file back
Six problems account for most of the delays we see. The first three we can catch before you book anything. The last three are the ones that cost a second trip.
- A passport copy cut off at the edge, or a passport that expires soon
- A name spelt one way on the passport and another way on the Emirates ID
- A foreign language document sent with no Arabic translation by a registered legal translator
- A laminated document, which MOFAIC states it does not accept for attestation
- A power of attorney signed abroad with no UAE embassy attestation in the issuing country
- General wording used for an act that needs a special agency naming the act
How we work through your file
Four steps from the list above to a signed document. This page is the paperwork; the process itself sits on how to get a power of attorney in Dubai and how notarisation works in Dubai.
1
Send the copies
You send scans of the identity documents and any subject document, such as a title deed. We read them and tell you what is missing.
2
We draft the wording
We write the power of attorney so it names the act and the subject, because anything beyond management and preservation needs a special agency under UAE law.
3
Arabic translation
The instrument is in Arabic. A foreign language document goes to a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice, and both versions are signed.
4
The appointment
You attend before a notary public, in person or virtually. The notary checks identity, capacity and consent, reads the content out, and ratifies the document.
Why this list is shorter than most
Most document lists for a Dubai power of attorney are longer than anything a government body has actually published. We have kept the two apart on this page. The sourced requirements are identity for each party, the agent’s Emirates ID number or an uploaded identity document, the subject document for a property, vehicle or trademark power of attorney, and Arabic text translated by a registered legal translator.
Everything else here is our intake list. We ask for it because it makes the draft accurate and the appointment short, not because a notary has published a rule about it. One common example is the residence visa copy. It appears on many provider lists, and we could not find an official source that asks for one, so we do not list it as required.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often on this one.
What documents are required for a power of attorney in Dubai?
Identity for each party is the constant. Federal law tells the notary to verify identity from an ID card, passport or another official document issued by the State, and Dubai Courts asks for the agent’s Emirates ID number or an uploaded identity document. Anything further depends on the subject of the power of attorney.
Is attestation compulsory in the UAE?
Not for every document. It applies when a document crosses a border, in either direction. MOFAIC sets out the chain: the foreign ministry of the issuing country, then the UAE embassy or consulate there, then MOFAIC in the UAE. A power of attorney signed in Dubai before a notary public does not go through that chain.
What kinds of documents can be attested?
MOFAIC runs a service called Attestation of Official Documents and Certificates. Its own lists separate individual affairs documents, which include a power of attorney of a personal nature, from commercial documents, which include a power of attorney of a commercial nature and a general power of attorney. The fee differs between the two.
Does the document need a translation?
In Dubai the instrument is in Arabic. A foreign language document is accepted with an Arabic translation by a certified translator, and both versions are signed by the parties. For its power of attorney service, Dubai Courts asks for PDF soft copies translated into Arabic by a legal translator approved by the UAE Ministry of Justice.
Do we both have to attend in person?
The principal signs. Federal law sets personal appearance as the default but allows the notary to use IT tools instead, and the Dubai Courts service verifies capacity and eligibility by virtual or personal attendance. For the agent, what the Dubai Courts service asks for is an Emirates ID number, or an uploaded Emirates ID card or passport.
Do I need to send a copy of my residence visa?
We do not ask for one as a requirement. We checked the published sources and found no official rule asking for a visa copy for a power of attorney. The sourced identity requirement is an Emirates ID or a passport. If you send a visa copy anyway it does no harm, but nothing on the file waits for it.
What do I need from my agent before we start?
Their full name as it is spelt on their identity document, their Emirates ID number if they hold one, and a passport copy if they do not. We also ask for date of birth and nationality so the Arabic draft matches their record. Get the spelling right and the rest is quick.
Which fees are published, and which are not?
The federal fee schedule sets AED 100 per party for executing or notarising a general or special power of attorney, and AED 50 per page for notarising a translation included in the instrument. MOFAIC publishes AED 150 for individual affairs documents and AED 2,000 for commercial documents. Drafting and translation are separate commercial charges.
Start here
Send us your documents
Send the scans you already have and we will tell you what is missing before you book anything. We draft the wording, arrange the Arabic legal translation, check the file against the matter, and attend the appointment with you. The ratification itself is carried out before a notary public.
Tell us what the document has to do
Say who will receive it and what you need it to allow, and you will get a straight answer on the wording, the government fees and what to bring. You can also send it through the contact form.
Call us
Speak to the person who will handle your file and get an answer on the same call.
Send photographs of your passport, your Emirates ID and anything the matter attaches to.
Best for a company matter, or anything that runs to several documents.
Visit the office
Jebel Ali area, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Come in, or have it handled remotely and only turn up to sign.
Opening hours. Monday to Thursday, 9:00 to 18:00. Friday, 9:00 to 12:00. Saturday, 9:00 to 18:00. Sunday, closed.