How to Make a UAE Power of Attorney From Abroad

Two routes: sign abroad and legalise, or sign remotely

There are two practical paths for someone outside the UAE.

Sign in front of a local notary where you are, then legalise the document through the chain described below. This works regardless of where you are in the world.

Sign remotely through a UAE notarial channel. UAE federal law allows notarial transactions using IT tools, without the parties appearing in person, and the Ministry of Justice operates the E-Notary System for this. Our online notary public services also cover some documents signed from abroad; we can tell you which route applies once we know your situation.

Signing abroad, step by step

1. Sign before a local notary in the country where you are. The document should state clearly what the agent is authorised to do; a power of attorney in general terms only grants the agent authority to manage, not to sell, mortgage, or carry out other acts beyond ordinary management, under UAE law.
2. Get it authenticated by your own country’s foreign ministry, the body responsible for authenticating documents before they go to a foreign embassy.
3. Take it to the UAE embassy or consulate in that country for their attestation.
4. Have it attested by MOFAIC once it reaches the UAE. MOFAIC’s Attestation of Official Documents and Certificates service certifies the authenticity of signatures and seals on documents issued outside the UAE. The original document must be in Arabic or English, or accompanied by a legally certified translation, and must not be laminated.

Each country’s foreign ministry and UAE mission has its own process and turnaround. We coordinate the UAE end, including the MOFAIC attestation once your document arrives.

Why an apostille alone does not work

An apostille is a certification recognised between countries that have signed the Hague Apostille Convention. The UAE is not a party, so a UAE authority is not obliged to accept an apostille from your home country’s authority for your power of attorney. The legalisation chain above, ending in MOFAIC attestation, is the route that applies instead. Be cautious of any offer to “apostille” a document for UAE use.

Legal translation into Arabic

Notarised instruments in the UAE are in Arabic. If your power of attorney is drafted in another language, it needs a translation into Arabic by a legal translator registered with the Ministry of Justice before the authority you are dealing with, such as Dubai Land Department, RTA, or a bank, will act on it. We arrange this translation as part of preparing your document.

What the power of attorney should say

Be specific about what you are authorising. A power of attorney written only in general terms gives the agent authority for acts of management, and nothing more, under UAE law. If you need your agent to sell property, sell a vehicle, represent you in court, or sign for a company, the document needs to say so as a special power of attorney naming that act. Vague wording is one of the most common reasons a power of attorney gets challenged or rejected later.

Common uses from abroad

People outside the UAE most often need a power of attorney for:

• Selling a car they own in the UAE while they are not present. See vehicle power of attorney in the UAE.
• Selling or buying property in the UAE. See power of attorney for property in Dubai.
• Court cases, where an agent represents them in ongoing proceedings.
• Company matters, such as signing authority or corporate decisions while the owner or director is travelling.

Each of these needs its own specific wording rather than a general power of attorney; see special power of attorney in Dubai for how a targeted document is drafted.