The business environment of the UAE is very dynamic and highly regulated documentation therefore plays a central role in legal validity, financial accountability, and compliance. Attestation of documents like invoices, contracts etc, is not merely a formality to the companies indulging in trade, investment or partnership contracts, but also a legal requirement.
In the UAE government, certificate attestation in UAE on the commercial documents is required to avoid fraud scenarios, guard authenticity of the documents and promote transparent transactions particularly when the commercial documents are not countries of origin.
Certificate attestation is a very crucial process and one, which checks the genuineness of different documents that can be used in official, legal and business situations. UAE, when it comes to attestation of documents related to personal, academic or business purposes, proper attestation of documents is considered to be a legal obligation. To obtain acceptance of foreign documents by the UAE authority, they have to pass through an organized procedure of certificate attestation in UAE.
In a segment of membership in the Hague Convention, attestation by apostille can be adopted as an alternative to the conventional practices. Apostille documents are accepted globally and make it easier since the authentication procedure becomes one. However, in most commercial transactions in the UAE and particularly where the transactions involve contracts, invoices and incorporation certificates, the full commercial documents attestation is still required to guarantee legal affirmation and conformity.
And here is the reason why, in order to conduct business in the UAE, invoice and contract attestation is compulsory:
- Permanent recognition by UAE Authorities
Any business document issued in a foreign country would not be accepted in the UAE unless it is subjected to document attestation. This comprises invoices of internationalities, contracts that are signed with foreign entities and those that are based within UAE. Certified copies are acceptable in the courts of law, governmental institutions and licensing offices. The UAE government believes that such documents are ineffective unless they are duly attested.
- Business Licensing and VAT Registration Requirement
In the process of licenses registration and license renewal of trading activities, the companies have to sometimes present attested commercial records, which are contracts, lease deeds and invoices. They are applied to check legitimacy of operations as well as the mode of the business activities. Besides, when registering or when an audit is being conducted by VAT, attested invoices must be made in support of any input claims as a means of ensuring tax compliance.
- Confidence in Cross-border Contracts
At the same time, in the business, where a company operates with the international suppliers, service providers, or investors, contracts attestation is necessary to cover situations when contracts must be legally persuasive in both countries.
This minimizes chances of conflicts particularly in the construction industries, import-export, and IT services industries. Witnessed contracts bear the force of the law in the UAE courts, and this provides cover to an individual in case of failure to fulfill or act contrary to the contract.
- Attestation process (step by step)
Invoices and contracts undergo the process of attestation which entails the following steps:
- The country-of-origin notarization
- Ministry of the External Affairs (MEA) or other national equivalent attestation
- Attestation of UAE embassy in the country of origin of the document.
- Ministry of foreign affairs (MOFA Attestation) in UAE on arrival
Apostille attestation can be used in place of the documents in the event that they are of a Hague Convention country. When this occurs, the businesses ought to inquire on the acceptance of proposed apostille documents to their industry or the government transaction in the UAE.
- Emirates Regional Support
No matter what region in UAE, your business is established in, you can now find a trusted certificate attestation in UAE services that will help you coordinate the process. Firms offering services such as attestation of certificate in Dubai, certificate attestation in Abu Dhabi and certificate attestation in Sharjah services enable business operators to ascertain that their entire business paper work is legally compliant.
Under the UAE regulation, invoice and contract can be attested because it is the way to legal compliance and business interest protection. Whether it is tax collection, licensing, resolving disputes or trading across the Border, the duly attested documents lead to smooth working and legal security. Be it the conventional way or using apostille attestation, document authenticity should be taken as a priority by the businesses to be able to compete with confidence in the business market of the United Arab Emirates.
