Legalisation for United Arab Emirates
For UAE use, start with official Companies House certificates — often a Certificate of Good Standing — then UK and UAE legalisation. The United Arab Emirates is not listed as a Hague Apostille Convention party on the HCCH status table (130 parties, last update 30 June 2026), so an FCDO apostille alone is often not enough. Confirm the full chain with the bank, free zone or counsel. CH documents are buy-now; apostille, embassy attestation and translations stay quote-only.
How a typical UAE document job runs
Three 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, Arabic translation, and whether UAE embassy or ministry attestation is required after any UK FCDO step. Because the UAE is not a Hague party, do not assume apostille alone closes the job.
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. Official CH fees £22 / £65 are shown separately.
Request a legalisation / translation quote
If the checklist needs FCDO apostille and/or UAE embassy attestation (and any translation), 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. That is the key difference from Hague destinations such as China, Portugal or Spain: an FCDO apostille alone is often not enough for UAE banks, free zones and counsel. GOV.UK still describes the FCDO apostille as the UK product for legalising eligible public documents (Get your document legalised), and many UAE checklists still start with that UK step — then continue with embassy or ministry attestation. Confirm the full chain in writing. We will not invent stages your checklist does not name, and we will not pretend Hague rules apply.
Full destination notes (freshness, document lists, pricing context) also live on UK company documents for the UAE. This page is the legalisation-focused commercial URL.
Eligibility and honesty warnings
- Not a Hague shortcut — do not stop at apostille unless the written list says that is enough.
- Match the written list — banks, free zones and counsel set the document mix, age window and attestation sequence.
- Filings must be current for the COGS summary statement — overdue accounts or confirmation statement often mean a certificate of fact many counterparties reject.
- No shareholders or PSCs on the company certificate — ownership detail needs a different certified copy if asked for.
- Not an SRA certificate — this page is only for Companies House company documents, not solicitor or barrister certificates.
- Private agent only — not the FCDO, not Companies House, not GOV.UK, not the UAE embassy. We do not hold FCDO partner status.
- Paper vs e-Apostille is recipient-dependent — ask in writing; many UAE teams still want paper.
- Apostille and embassy fulfilment await a contracted partner — quotes welcome; we confirm before taking legalisation money.
- Documents only. We do not advise on visas, immigration or opening bank accounts. Neither a certificate nor an apostille has a fixed legal expiry; the recipient decides how recent it must be.
Official fees (last checked 4 October 2026)
These are the official government fees from GOV.UK, shown separately from any UKCOGS service price. UKCOGS buy-now prices for Companies House originals sit beside these official fees, not instead of them. UAE embassy or ministry charges sit outside the FCDO table and are quoted only when we can fulfil.
| Fee | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FCDO paper apostille (standard)Per document + courier/postage | £45 | GOV.UK legalisation |
| FCDO e-ApostilleEligible digitally signed PDFs | £35 | GOV.UK legalisation |
| Companies House company certificate / certified copy (standard)When ordering CH first | £22 | GOV.UK CH order guidance |
| Companies House same-day / express certificateWhere offered | £65 | GOV.UK CH fees |
| UKCOGS COGS agent handling (buy-now)Ex VAT — includes official CH fee | £79 / £129 | COGS product page |
| UKCOGS apostille / UAE embassy / translation handlingLegalisation step | Quote only | Get a quote |
GOV.UK also lists business-only paper options (e.g. next-day registered business £40 and restricted-urgent £100) — confirm on the live page for your case. Pack pricing £249–£299 ex VAT is buy-now on the company documents pack page. Legalisation remains quote-only.
Paper versus e-Apostille — acceptance reality for UAE jobs
You choose the type when you apply on GOV.UK, but the recipient decides what they will accept. Ask in writing for paper or electronic. e-Apostille is faster on GOV.UK’s published timescales (often up to about 2 working days) and costs £35; standard paper is £45 plus return courier or postage and usually takes longer (GOV.UK cites up to about 25 working days plus transit — confirm when you apply). For UAE company-document jobs, paper still dominates because the chain often continues past the UK Legalisation Office. Guide: apostille vs e-Apostille vs embassy.
Typical company-document list (examples only)
Common UAE 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, registering a branch, or visa/immigration work. Map the written list before you pay. Ambiguous wording? Use Which document?. If filings may be late, run a free filings check before ordering COGS. Compare DIY GOV.UK fees with agent totals on the cost estimator.
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 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. Official CH fees are included in those product pages and shown separately.
Freshness and Arabic translation
Companies House prints no legal expiry. UAE-facing recipients often want documents within about 90 days — sometimes 30 or 60 — recipient practice, not UK law. Check age with the freshness helper. Arabic translation is recipient-specific and quote-only — confirm language, certification and sequence in writing.
Related pages
- UAE destination notes · COGS buy-now · Pack · Incorporation
- FCDO apostille & legalisation hub · Apostilled COGS (quote)
- Embassy legalisation hub · China · Qatar · Kuwait
- Filings check · Pack builder · Cost estimator · Quote form · Order
- FCDO fees guide
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; UAE not listed among 130 parties); GOV.UK “Get your document legalised” (FCDO fees paper £45 / e-Apostille £35); GOV.UK Companies House fees and order-certified-copies guidance (£22 / £65). Fees last checked 4 October 2026. Page last updated 4 October 2026.
FAQ — UK documents for the UAE
Confirm every answer against the recipient’s written checklist. Last updated 4 October 2026.
Does the UAE accept a Hague Apostille on its own?
Usually not as a complete route. The HCCH Apostille Convention status table (last update 30 June 2026) lists 130 Contracting Parties and does not list the United Arab Emirates. An FCDO apostille is typically one UK step in a longer attestation chain that may include UAE embassy or ministry stages. Confirm the written checklist with the named recipient — do not stop at apostille because a Hague country would.
Why do UAE banks and free zones ask for a Certificate of Good Standing?
Everyday label for a Companies House company certificate with a summary statement where filings are current. Dubai and other UAE teams often want standing plus formation and constitutional proof. Match the written list; this is not advice on opening a bank account, registering a branch, or visa work.
What Companies House documents do UAE recipients commonly ask for?
Examples often include a Certificate of Good Standing (company certificate), a certified Certificate of Incorporation and certified articles — sometimes further named filings. Examples only. If the list wants all three on one invoice, use the company documents pack. Ambiguous wording? Use the free Which document? tool.
What are UKCOGS prices for the Companies House stage?
Buy-now ex VAT: COGS £79 standard / £129 express (official CH £22 / £65 shown separately), certified incorporation £49 (CH £22), pack £249–£299 (typical £279). Confirm official fees on GOV.UK — last checked 25 September 2026.
How much do official FCDO apostille fees cost?
Last checked 25 September 2026 on GOV.UK: paper (standard) £45 per document plus courier or postage; e-Apostille £35. UKCOGS agent handling for legalisation is separate and quote-only. UAE embassy or ministry fees, where needed, are outside the FCDO table and quoted case by case.
Paper apostille or e-Apostille for the UAE?
Ask the recipient in writing. Many UAE banks and free zones still want a paper chain that continues past the UK FCDO step. e-Apostille is only for eligible digitally signed PDFs and is not universally accepted for company-document attestation. We will not choose for you as legal advice — share the written preference and we quote what we can fulfil.
Do I need an Arabic translation?
Sometimes. Language and certified-translation rules are set by the bank, free zone or authority. Translations are quote-only. Do not assume an English-only Companies House certificate will pass without checking the written list.
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 recipient practice, not UK statute. Use the free document freshness helper and confirm the written window before you reorder.
How long does the process take in working days?
CH standard aims ~10 working days; we typically scan and send within 1–3 working days of receipt. FCDO guidance (week of 25 September 2026): standard paper often up to about 25 working days plus courier; e-Apostille up to about 2 working days. UAE embassy or ministry stages, if quoted, add further time. Not a same-day legalisation promise.
Are you the FCDO, an FCDO partner, Companies House or the UAE embassy?
No. UKCOGS is a private document agent operated by Pasecom Group Ltd (17139327). 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 FCDO apostille, UAE embassy attestation and any translation — quote-only, no apostille buy button.