If you are in United Arab Emirates and need to notarize a document that is to be used in the United States, there are two options available to you. First, you could visit the U.S. embassy or consulate in United Arab Emirates and have the document notarized there. Generally, the first available appointment is able to be scheduled in 2-4 weeks. Another option is to find an online notary public who is authorized to perform notarizations for U.S. documents online and has the ability to verify your identification. In most cases your documents can be notarized and delivered to you in minutes, and you can be anywhere in United Arab Emirates that has a stable internet connection to complete the notarization.
US Embassy
Remote Online Notarization
Remote Ink Notarization
Cost
$50 per stamp/document
$150 for 45 minutes of unlimited notarial acts
$180 for 45 minutes of unlimited notarial acts
# of Stamps/Documents
1
Unlimited
Unlimited
1st Available Appointment
2-4 Weeks
Within Minutes
Within Minutes
Time Required to Notarize
The time it takes to travel to and from embassy + any wait times
45 Minutes or less
45 Minutes or less
Are Witnesses Included?
You must bring your own witnesses
Included
Included
Document Delivery
Instant
Instant
Instant with physical documents to be delivered
Notarize United States documents at the US Embassy in United Arab Emirates
To notarize a document at the United States Embassy in United Arab Emirates , it is important to schedule an appointment in advance. This is because most embassies operate on a strict schedule and may not have availability for walk-ins or last-minute requests. It is advisable to plan ahead and book an appointment to ensure that the notarization process goes smoothly. However, if the document that requires notarization is time-sensitive and waiting for an embassy appointment is not feasible, then it may be faster to opt for an online notarization or remote ink notarization service. These services allow for the notarization to be completed remotely and can be scheduled quickly to accommodate urgent requests.
Who Can Notarize United States Documents at the Embassy in United Arab Emirates ?
The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and U.S. Consulate General in Dubai are now offering routine notary appointments.
All notary services in the Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General in Dubai are by appointment only. Due to the high volume and demand for services we cannot offer expedited appointments, except in cases of true emergencies.
What to Bring?
Individuals needing notary services must appear in person at their scheduled appointment time and present the following:
Appointment confirmation printout
Documents to be notarized
Government-issued photo identification such as a valid passport
Pay the appropriate fees. The fee for each notary seal is $50 or the equivalent in Dirhams, payable by cash or credit card. Effective April 1, 2021, the Consular Section will use the U.S. Dollar to UAE Dirham exchange rate of $1 USD to 3.70 Emirati Dirhams (formerly $1 USD to 3.69 AED).
Individuals not signing documents during the notary service may not accompany the applicant to the ACS section and should not go to the Embassy. Fiancées of U.S. citizens completing the free-to-marry affidavits do not need to appear.
Prior to your appointment, you should review your documents to understand what is needed. Consular officers cannot provide legal advice and may not be familiar with your particular legal document. If you have questions or do not understand the document(s), please direct your questions to an attorney or the agency/individual which issued the document.
Do not sign the G68 document until requested to do so by the notarizing officer.
Depending on the nature of the document, the notarizing officer will either take an
acknowledgement that your signature was done freely and with an understanding of the document’s contents, or administer an oath whereby you swear or affirm the contents of a document are true. (Note: Notarizing officers do not certify that the contents of submitted documents are true. A notarizing officer only certifies that you have signed and sworn or affirmed under oath that the contents are true.) Notarizing officers are prohibited from offering legal advice regarding the form or content of documents to be notarized. The embassy staff cannot complete the form or statement for you. You should clearly understand the document and the requirements set by your financial institution, government agency, or attorney. The consular officer reserve the right to ask you to return at a later date/time if you have multiple documents, if the document requires more than two seals, or is more than five pages in length.
What Notary Services Can Be Completed at the United States Embassy in United Arab Emirates ?
Affidavits
An “affidavit” is a written declaration or statement of facts, made voluntarily and confirmed by the oath or affirmation of the party making it, taken before an officer having authority to administer such oath or affirmation. Affidavits require the personal presence of the individual signing the document in order for the consular officer to administer the oath. The affidavit should be typed and prepared prior to the appointment. Consular staff cannot prepare the document or provide advice as to what information should be included.
Free-to-Marry Affidavit
Any foreigner who wishes to marry in the UAE is required by the Government of the UAE to demonstrate his/her eligibility to marry. The U.S. Government does not maintain a central marriage registry. Therefore, the embassy is unable to provide verification of a U.S. citizen’s eligibility to marry. U.S. citizens seeking to marry in the UAE may choose to complete an affidavit declaring he or she is eligible to marry. However, the Government of the UAE may not find the document acceptable and may refuse to accept the document. Please note the embassy cannot make changes to the document. U.S. citizens seeking to marry in the UAE may need to contact the custodian of records or the respective state agency to identify vital records in the U.S. that may meet the criteria for the Government of the UAE. U.S. citizens obtaining certified vital records from the custodian of such records will need to follow the process for the authentication of documents in the United States. Please visit the Department of State website for more information on the Authentication of Documents. For information regarding marriage in the UAE, please see Marriage requirements in the UAE.
Acknowledgements
Consular officers may take an acknowledgement of a signature on a document for use in the United States. An “acknowledgement” is to “acknowledge,” to admit, affirm, or declare; to recognize one’s acts, assuming obligation or incurring responsibility. Acknowledgements require the personal appearance by the person who signed the document in order to confirm that the individual signed the document.
Authentications
The primary purpose of an authentication, which is a governmental act by a U.S. consular officer, is to certify the official seal, signature and/or authority of foreign officials who perform an official act with regard to a document that is to be used in the United States. For UAE documents to be used in the United States, consular officers may only authenticate the stamp and seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UAE on such documents. Documents may be authenticated at the U.S. Embassy once they have received this seal. A consular authentication of a document to be used in the U.S. in no way attests to the authenticity of the contents of a document but merely to the seal and signature of the issuing UAE government official. Only authentication requests for originally signed documents from key Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials will be authenticated.
The U.S. Embassy will not provide authentication services for U.S.-issued documents to be used in UAE.
Refusal of Notary Services
Notarial services may be refused under the following conditions:
It is prohibited by treaty or foreign law
It is prohibited by U.S. law
The notarizing officer believes the document will be used for a purpose patently unlawful, improper or inimical to the best interests of the United States
The document is blank
The individual does not appear to be capable of understanding the nature or language of the instrument
The individual is unable to comprehend the significance of the act and/or is acting under duress
The document is incorrect
The individual has invalid, inadequate or insufficient proof of identification
The proof of a corporate title or position is lacking or inadequate, and/or the service is a medallion signature guarantee (only financial institutions can provide a signature guarantee/medallion guarantee service)
How to digitally sign and notarize United States documents online anywhere in United Arab Emirates (Remote Online Notarization)
How to sign and notarize United States documents using a pen and ink online anywhere in United Arab Emirates ? (Remote Ink Notarization)
