UK company documents for the UAE
For UAE use, start with official Companies House certificates — often a Certificate of Good Standing — then legalisation. The UAE is not listed as a Hague Apostille Convention party on the HCCH status table, so an FCDO apostille alone is often not enough. Confirm the chain with the recipient. CH documents are buy-now; apostille and embassy stay quote-only.
How a typical UAE document job runs
Working-day steps — confirm the recipient’s written list first.
Confirm the recipient checklist
Get the bank, free zone or counsel list in writing: exact documents, age window, paper vs electronic, translation and whether UAE embassy/ministry attestation is required after any UK FCDO step.
Order Companies House originals (buy-now)
Order COGS, certified incorporation, articles or the pack from the UKCOGS catalogue. Standard CH aims ~10 working days; we then scan and send, typically within 1–3 working days of receipt.
Request a legalisation quote
If the checklist needs FCDO apostille and/or UAE embassy attestation, submit a quote. We confirm whether we can fulfil before taking legalisation money. Official FCDO fees to cite: paper £45 · e-Apostille £35 (GOV.UK).
Hague Apostille and the UAE — what the status table says
The HCCH Apostille Convention status table (last update 30 June 2026) lists 130 Contracting Parties. The United Arab Emirates is not listed. GOV.UK describes the FCDO apostille as the UK product for Hague destinations (Get your document legalised). For many UAE recipients, an apostille alone does not replace embassy or ministry attestation. Expect a longer chain unless the named bank or free zone says otherwise in writing. We will not invent steps your checklist does not require.
Confirm with the receiving authority
- Ask which of FCDO apostille, UAE embassy attestation, ministry attestation and translation apply.
- Mainland banks, DIFC/ADGM-related processes and free zones can differ — do not assume one Emirates rule.
- Private-agent document notes only — not legal, visa, immigration or bank-account-opening advice.
Paper versus e-Apostille
If an FCDO step appears, ask for paper or e-Apostille in writing. Official FCDO fees (GOV.UK): paper £45 (+ courier/postage); e-Apostille £35. Acceptance is not universal — many UAE teams still want paper originals plus a named attestation sequence. Guide: paper vs e-Apostille for UAE banks. Apostille stays quote-only — no buy-now apostille button.
Typical company-document list (examples only)
Common checklist items include a Certificate of Good Standing, a certified Certificate of Incorporation and certified articles — sometimes further named filings. These are examples, not advice on opening an account or registering a branch. Map the written list before you pay. Ambiguous wording? Use Which document?.
Buy-now Companies House prices (ex VAT)
- COGS — £79 std (CH £22) · £129 express (CH £65)
- Certified incorporation — £49 (CH £22)
- Documents pack — £249–£299 (typical £279; CH £66 on the standard three-doc set)
CH standard aims ~10 working days; we typically scan and send within 1–3 working days of receipt. Express COGS follows the before-11am CH rule where offered.
Freshness and translation
Companies House prints no legal expiry. UAE recipients often want documents within about 90 days — recipient practice, not UK law. Check age with the freshness helper. Arabic translation is recipient-specific and quote-only — confirm language and sequence in writing.
Related pages
Who we are
PASECOM GROUP LTD / Pasecom Group Ltd · 17139327 · 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall, IP28 7DE · ICO ZC117546 · pete@pasecom.co.uk. Trading as UKCOGS. Private agent — not Companies House, not the FCDO, not GOV.UK, not the UAE embassy.
Sources checked the week of publish: HCCH Apostille Convention status table (cid=41, last update 30 June 2026); GOV.UK “Get your document legalised” (FCDO fees). Page last updated 16 September 2026.
FAQ — UK documents for the UAE
Confirm every answer against the recipient’s written checklist. Last updated 16 September 2026.
Does the UAE accept a Hague Apostille on its own?
Usually not as a complete route. The HCCH Apostille status table (updated 30 June 2026) lists 130 parties and does not list the UAE. An FCDO apostille is typically one step in a longer chain — confirm with the named recipient.
What Companies House documents do UAE banks or free zones commonly ask for?
Examples often include a Certificate of Good Standing, certified Certificate of Incorporation and certified articles — sometimes further filings. Examples only; match the written list. Not bank-account or branch-registration advice.
What are UKCOGS prices for the Companies House stage?
Buy-now ex VAT: COGS £79/£129 (CH £22/£65), certified incorporation £49 (CH £22), pack £249–£299 (typical £279). Confirm official fees on GOV.UK.
Paper apostille or e-Apostille for the UAE?
Neither is universal. Many UAE teams still want paper and a named attestation sequence. Ask in writing. Legalisation remains quote-only.
How fresh should the Certificate of Good Standing be?
Companies House does not print a legal expiry date. UAE banks and free zones often ask for documents issued within about 90 days — sometimes 30 or 60. That is a recipient practice, not UK statute. Use the free document freshness helper and confirm the written window.
Do I need an Arabic translation?
Sometimes. Translation requirements are set by the bank, free zone or authority. Translations are quote-only. Do not assume English-only documents will pass.
How long does the process take in working days?
CH standard aims ~10 working days; we typically send within 1–3 working days of receipt. Apostille and UAE embassy/ministry stages add time and are quoted case by case — not a same-day promise.
Are you an FCDO partner or the UAE embassy?
No. UKCOGS is a private document agent operated by Pasecom Group Ltd. We do not claim FCDO-listed or partner status and we are not a government service.
Ready for a UAE document route?
Order Companies House originals now. Request a quote for apostille and UAE embassy attestation — quote-only, no apostille buy button.