If you are reading this from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or any other emirate, the first thing to settle is that UAE does not accept MEA apostille on Indian documents. The UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention; what your Emirates ID office, employer, sponsor, school or family-visa medical centre actually needs is UAE Embassy attestation done in India, after MEA attestation, after the correct state-level step. Apostille and attestation are not interchangeable here, sending an apostilled document into a UAE process restarts the file.
Start with a scan and your destination
If you are reading this from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or any other emirate, the first thing to settle is that UAE does not accept MEA apostille on Indian documents. The UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention; what your Emirates ID office, employer, sponsor, school or family-visa medical centre actually needs is UAE Embassy attestation done in India, after MEA attestation, after the correct state-level step. Apostille and attestation are not interchangeable here, sending an apostilled document into a UAE process restarts the file.
Most NRI requests we handle from UAE fall into a handful of real-life situations: a family visa renewal where the marriage certificate is being asked for again, a Golden Visa or Golden Retirement Visa where a long-dormant Indian degree suddenly has to be re-attested, an Emirates ID renewal that flags a name variant, a new school admission for the children in Dubai or Abu Dhabi that needs the birth certificate attested, a job change where the employer wants a freshly attested experience letter, or a Tasdeeq / family-status query where the original Indian marriage or birth certificate has to be presented again. The document chain is the same in each case, but the supporting paperwork (sponsor copy, residence visa copy, Emirates ID copy) varies by purpose, that is what the scan review confirms before originals move.
You do not have to fly back to India for this. The full chain runs from India with a custodian in India couriering the original to our Noida office once we have confirmed the route on WhatsApp. The chain is: issuing-authority condition check (lamination, name mismatch, faded seal, these are the most common pre-MEA blockers), then State HRD or Home Department / SDM at the state level, then MEA attestation in Delhi, then UAE Embassy attestation in India through the official VFS / BLS channel. UAE MOFA is no longer a separate Dubai step; the consolidated stamping happens together in India. After completion the document is couriered to your UAE address by DHL / FedEx / Aramex with the AWB number shared in writing, so you can track delivery yourself.
Before you send a single original from India, send a clear scan on WhatsApp (+91-9220161774) or attestation@sizaglobal.com with the purpose written in one line, family visa renewal, Emirates ID, school admission, Tasdeeq query, Golden Visa, employer requirement, or other. SiZA Global responds with the exact chain, the realistic working-day timeline (usually six to twelve working days after originals reach us, depending on the state HRD), a written quote separating government fees from service fees, and the list of supporting documents we need from your family member in India. We do not move originals before that written confirmation.
Who this guide is for
- NRIs preparing documents for overseas use
- In preparing documents for overseas use
- UAE, preparing documents for overseas use
- Dubai, preparing documents for overseas use
- Abu preparing documents for overseas use
Documents typically needed
- Indian document (original) in the custody of family / friend in India
- Indian passport copy of the document holder
- UAE-side supporting paperwork: sponsor passport, residence visa, Emirates ID copy, employer letter for SVP files
- DHA / DOH / MOH licensing reference number for healthcare files
- Italian / Hindi / regional-language certified-copy reissue if the original is laminated, faded, or unreadable
How a SiZA file usually moves
WhatsApp scan review with the emirate, the receiving authority, and the deadline
Family member in India couriers the original to our Noida office; we run pre-MEA (State HRD / SDM / Home Department / Chamber of Commerce as required) and MEA attestation in Delhi
UAE Embassy attestation in India through the official VFS / BLS partner channel (UAE MOFA consolidated)
Certified Arabic translation prepared after the full attestation chain where the UAE-side recipient requires it
Tracked international courier (DHL / FedEx / Aramex) to the UAE address; AWB number shared in writing
Before any original leaves your hands
Standard scan-review checks
What typically affects timeline
- Issuing-state pre-MEA step duration
- MEA Delhi attestation (typically 2 to 3 working days)
- UAE Embassy attestation queue at VFS / BLS (typically 5 to 10 working days)
- Certified Arabic translation page count (where required)
- International courier transit India-to-UAE (typically 3 to 6 working days)
Common mistakes we see
- Sending an Indian document for MEA apostille for UAE use, UAE is non-Hague; full embassy attestation in India is the route
- Trying to chase a separate UAE MOFA stamp in Dubai after the file arrives, UAE MOFA is consolidated into the Embassy attestation step in India and no longer needs a separate Dubai step
- Sending originals to a UAE-side agent who then ships them back to India for processing, adds two international courier hops, doubles the timeline, increases risk
- Ignoring the family-visa freshness window on PCC or single-status documents, UAE often expects 3 to 6 months freshness, apostille / attestation does not extend it
- Routing a healthcare-licensing file (DHA / DOH / MOH) through ordinary attestation without running DataFlow primary-source verification in parallel, DataFlow is required separately
Why work with SiZA
- NRI-from-UAE remote-coordination is what we specifically do, clients in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and the other emirates send scans on WhatsApp; their family member in India couriers the original; we run the full UAE Embassy attestation chain (since UAE is non-Hague); the attested set returns by DHL / FedEx / Aramex to the UAE address
- UAE-side reality check on what is actually needed: UAE does not accept apostille, we confirm this upfront and route the file as full embassy attestation (State HRD or SDM + MEA + UAE Embassy in India via VFS / BLS, with UAE MOFA consolidated into the same step)
- Family-visa renewal, Golden Visa, Emirates ID, school admission, DHA / DOH / MOH licensing, we coordinate the file to fit the specific UAE-side use case, with the right supporting paperwork (sponsor copy, residence visa copy, Emirates ID copy, employer letter)
- Tehsildar One-and-Same Certificates for name-consistency issues handled before the chain begins, not after the UAE side has flagged the mismatch
- 100,000+ documents handled for 20,000+ customers with zero misplaced or mishandled, AWB number shared on every international courier return so you can track delivery from the UAE
Completed Work Example
This is a completed Embassy Attestation document. All customer names, reference numbers, and identifying details have been removed before publication.
Got a documentation question?
How SiZA Reviews a Document File
Before any original is couriered, SiZA reviews scans, confirms the correct India-side chain (HRD / SDM / Home / Chamber, MEA, Embassy where needed, translation), and shares a written quote and timeline.
What to send first
Review the requirement
Share the document scan, destination country, purpose, deadline, and where the original document is currently kept.
Confirm the right process
SiZA checks whether the file needs apostille, embassy attestation, HRD/Home, Chamber, translation, visa documentation, or a combined process.
Handle and update
Once the scope is clear, the file moves through the required steps with practical updates by WhatsApp or email.
Proof and return
After completion, SiZA shares completion proof, confirms payment and courier preference, then packs and dispatches the document safely.
Share scan
Process confirmed
Originals received if required
Completion proof
Payment and return
Original document safety
Trust, Custody And Safety
These documents are not ordinary papers. They may be your degree, birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport file, company resolution, or export paperwork. SiZA treats that responsibility seriously.
Original-Document Care
Original personal and company documents are handled with careful custody, privacy, and controlled handoff.
Clear Updates
Customers receive updates through WhatsApp or email as the file moves through review, submission, completion, and dispatch.
Completion Proof
When work is completed, SiZA can share photos or videos so the customer can verify the result before return dispatch.
Safe Return
Return delivery is packed carefully and sent through trusted courier options after address and courier preference are confirmed.
No Shortcut Claims
SiZA does not promise fake shortcuts, bypass personal appearance rules, or help with forged or non-genuine documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to fly back to India?
No. Indian apostille and embassy attestation only happen in India (MEA is the sole authority for Indian-document apostille, and Indian Missions abroad cannot apostille Indian-issued documents). SiZA Global coordinates the India-side process remotely, family or a trusted local contact in India hands off your original to our courier partner, we run the full chain (State HRD or SDM where required, MEA apostille or embassy attestation, certified translation where the destination needs it), and the completed document is sent by tracked international courier (DHL / FedEx) to your address abroad. Most NRIs complete the whole process without travelling.
What is embassy attestation?
Embassy attestation is the India-side legalisation route for countries that are NOT members of the Hague Apostille Convention, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Egypt, and a smaller set of others. The Indian document goes through state-level authentication (SDM, HRD, Home Department, or Chamber of Commerce depending on document type), then MEA attestation, then attestation at the destination country's embassy or consulate in India. UAE MOFA attestation now also happens in India alongside the UAE Embassy step.
Stories from SiZA customers
“Moving to Dubai with family means getting marriage certificate and birth certificates properly attested. SiZA explained the full chain — SDM, MEA, UAE embassy, and VFS. They picked up documents from Ahmedabad and returned everything safely. The doorstep service made it so much easier.”
Sneha Patel
Family relocation, UAE family visa
Ahmedabad, India
“I needed marriage certificate and kids' birth certificates attested for UAE family visa. SiZA explained what SDM attestation involves, handled the full chain, and returned all original documents safely. They also flagged that one document needed an additional step — which I would have missed on my own.”
Fatima Shaikh
Family visa, UAE residency
Pune, India
“Saudi embassy attestation for my chartered accountancy degree involved SDM first because it's a personal document, then MEA, then Saudi embassy. SiZA mapped out the sequence on our first call and didn't start until I had all originals ready. Got the attestation done in time for my joining date.”
Rahul Joshi
Finance professional, Saudi employment visa
Gurgaon, India
“Kuwait MOH required my nursing degree, TNMC registration, and experience letters all attested through SDM, MEA, and Kuwait embassy. SiZA handled the full chain for all three documents simultaneously. They also coordinated the Arabic translation for submission. Smooth from start to finish.”
Lakshmi Sundaresan
Staff nurse, Kuwait MOH
Chennai, India
“Oman requires degree attestation and police clearance certificate attestation. My UP degree needed HRD first — SiZA flagged this before we started. After UP HRD and MEA, the Oman embassy attestation was done quickly. All documents safely returned by courier to Varanasi.”
Ramesh Gupta
Construction foreman, Oman employment
Varanasi, India
“UAE school employment requires degree and teaching certificate with full attestation — SDM, MEA, UAE embassy. My Kerala education degree required Kerala HRD before MEA. SiZA managed all of this and also handled my marriage certificate attestation at the same time. All returned safely to Thrissur.”
Divya Menon
Teacher, UAE school employment
Thrissur, India
Verify from official sources
Confirm the current checklist and requirements directly with the authority before sending originals.
MEA Apostille Office Addresses in India
MEA Apostille, CPV Division, New Delhi (Head Office)
Patiala House Annexe, Tilak Marg
New Delhi 110001
MEA Branch Secretariat, Mumbai
RPO Building, Bhavishya Nidhi Bhawan, 15 Bhulabhai Desai Road
Mumbai 400026