Affidavits and Declarations
What Is Affidavit? Meaning, Requirements and Fees in the UAE
October 26, 20267 minute read
What is affidavit? It is a written statement of facts that you sign and swear to be true in front of a notary public. At our Business Bay office, our in-house notary public watches you sign and applies the seal. We also offer online and home visit services across Dubai.
Call or WhatsApp +971 50 264 8766 to tell us what your affidavit is for.
The catch most people miss is that the notary does not check whether your statement is true. The notary checks who you are and that you sign willingly. The truth of the facts stays your responsibility.
What Is Affidavit: Meaning in Plain Words
An affidavit states facts in the first person: "I, the undersigned, state that...". You sign it in front of a notary, and the notary confirms your identity and your signature. That is what makes it a sworn statement and not a simple letter.
People use affidavits to state facts that an office, school, bank or embassy asks them to prove in writing. Common examples are a name statement, a statement that two names belong to one person, and a statement about your family or residence status.
Notarial acts in the UAE are regulated by Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 on the regulation of the notary profession (UAE Legislation). In Dubai, notaries public work under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013.
Checklist
What Is Affidavit Requirements: Who Can Sign
You can sign an affidavit if you can speak for the facts you state and you can prove who you are. The person who signs is called the declarant. Each declarant must attend, in person or through an official remote channel, and sign in front of the notary.
A few points decide whether the file is accepted:
Before you go
- The statement must be about facts you know yourself.
- The wording must match what the receiving office asks for.
- Every blank field must be filled in before you sign.
- Sign only in front of the notary, never before your appointment.
If the receiving party is abroad, ask them for their wording first. Then tell us, and we draft your document and handle the legal translation. Translations for official use are done by a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice.
What Is Affidavit Documents Required
Bring your original documents. We tell you if your case needs more.
- Your original Emirates ID or passport.
- Any document the statement refers to, such as a certificate or a visa page.
- The wording or format the receiving office wants, if it gave you one.
- A list of the people who will sign.
Ask about your document
Tell us the document and how many people will sign, and we will give you the government fee and our starting price in one message.
Step by step
What Is Affidavit Procedure: Steps
- Tell us what the affidavit is for and who will receive it.
- We draft your document and handle the legal translation if it is needed.
- You read the draft and check every fact and every name.
- You sign in front of our in-house notary public at our Business Bay office, online or at a home visit.
- The notary checks your ID, watches you sign and applies the seal.
Online notary public services run through the official channels: the Ministry of Justice E-Notary system and Dubai Courts remote attendance. We are not those systems. We tell you whether your document can be done that way.
If the affidavit goes abroad, it may need more steps after the notary. MOFAIC attests documents in the UAE (MOFAIC attestation). The destination country's embassy or consulate then attests it. Read our guide on what is attestation for the order.
Prices
What Is Affidavit Fees
Two kinds of fee apply: the government fee and our service price. Keep them apart when you compare offers.
- Federal fee: executing and notarising an affidavit is AED 300 under Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024 (UAE Legislation).
- Dubai private notary route: reported by the Dubai Media Office as AED 100 per party for registration plus AED 100 per signature (Dubai Media Office).
- Our service: affidavits from AED 600.
- Add-ons: drafting or typing from AED 200 and urgent handling from AED 250.
- Translation: legal translation from AED 50 per page.
- Home visit: quote on request.
All service prices are starting prices and are negotiable. Government fees are paid on top, at cost, exactly as the authority charges them. We confirm your final price before you pay.
Translation, MOFAIC attestation and embassy fees are separate. MOFAIC charges AED 150 for personal documents.
Watch for
Mistakes to Avoid
- Signing before you reach the notary.
- Leaving a field blank to fill in later.
- Writing a fact you cannot stand behind.
- Using wording the receiving office has not accepted.
- Sending a document abroad without the attestation steps it needs.
Our guide on what documents are notarised in the UAE shows which papers a notary handles and which go elsewhere. If your affidavit is a statement of support for a visitor, see our page on an affidavit of support for a Filipino sponsor.
How We Help
We draft your document, handle the legal translation, and our in-house notary public notarises it. You can do this in person at our Business Bay office, online or at a home visit. Office appointments run Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Dubai time). WhatsApp is answered 24/7.
How much does what is affidavit cost?
The federal fee for executing and notarising an affidavit is AED 300. Our affidavit service starts from AED 600, with government fees paid on top at cost. We confirm your final price before you pay.
How long does what is affidavit take?
We do not publish a fixed time, because it depends on the wording, the signers and any translation. Send us the document details on WhatsApp and we tell you the next step. Attestation after the notary adds its own steps.
What documents are required for what is affidavit?
Bring your original Emirates ID or passport and any paper the statement refers to. If the receiving office gave you wording, bring that too. We tell you if your case needs more.
Can what is affidavit be done online?
Some notarial work can be done online through the official channels, the Ministry of Justice E-Notary system and Dubai Courts remote attendance. We tell you whether your document fits that route. If it does not, you can sign at our Business Bay office or at a home visit.
Guides
More guides
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What documents are notarized in the UAE: powers of attorney, affidavits, signatures, contracts, translations, and which ones go to another office.
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What is a notarized letter? UAE meaning and examples
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Talk to us
Next step
Call or WhatsApp +971 50 264 8766, or email help@notaryservicesindubai.com. Tell us the document and how many people will sign, and we will give you the government fee and our starting price in one message. Our office is at 707 Burj Khalifa Blvd, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE. You can also message us on WhatsApp.
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