Attestation is a process used to confirm a document’s origin, signature, seal or authentication chain so it can be presented for a particular official or cross-border use. The required steps depend on where the document was issued, where it will be used and what the receiving party asks for.

What It is

An attestation chain may involve one or more competent authorities. Each step generally verifies the preceding signature or seal rather than deciding whether every statement in the document is true. The correct sequence is document- and jurisdiction-specific.

What it is not

Attestation is not automatically the same as notarisation, apostille, embassy legalisation or certified translation. One step does not replace another unless the receiving authority’s current rules say it does. It does not guarantee approval of the underlying transaction.

POAS Boundary

POAS’s core service is tailored POA preparation and coordination with an independent private notary licensed by Dubai Courts. Separate government, embassy or cross-border attestation is not a POAS service unless expressly and separately quoted.

How we define terms

Every definition on glossary.ae follows a controlled structure: what the term is, what it is not, when it is used, and where you will see it. Read our editorial methodology to understand how terms are selected, reviewed, and maintained.
Read editorial methodology →


Last reviewed: August 2026