Notary Services
What Is an Undertaking? Meaning and Use in the UAE
November 3, 20267 minute read
What is an undertaking? It is a written promise, signed by one person, to do something or not to do something. A bank, an employer, a landlord or an authority asks for it when it wants your promise on paper. We draft it with you, and our in-house notary public notarises it at our Business Bay office, online or at a home visit.
Call or WhatsApp +971 50 264 8766 to tell us what the undertaking is for.
The catch most people miss is that the receiver sets the wording. Before you sign, ask who will read it and what they expect it to say.
What Is an Undertaking: The Meaning in Plain Words
An undertaking is a promise that one person gives in writing. The person who signs is the one who gives the promise. The person who receives it relies on it.
Common examples are a promise to pay a bill, to return an item, to leave a property by a date, or to cover the costs of another person. An affidavit states facts that are true. An undertaking looks forward and promises an action. If you want to compare the two, read what is an affidavit. A promise to cover a loss is a close cousin, and it is explained in what is an indemnity.
What Is an Undertaking Requirements: Who Can Give One
The person giving the undertaking must be an adult who understands what they are promising. They must sign in their own name, in front of the notary. The promise must be clear: who promises, to whom, what, and by when.
The receiving body may have its own rules. A bank, a school, an employer or a government office can ask for its own wording. Send us that request first, so the draft matches it from the start.
What Is an Undertaking Documents Required
Bring the following:
- Your original Emirates ID or passport.
- Any request letter or form from the body that asked for the undertaking.
- Details of the other person or company that receives the promise.
- Any supporting papers the promise refers to, such as a contract or an invoice.
If a document is in Arabic or English and the receiver needs the other language, we handle the legal translation. A legal translation for official use is done by a translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice.
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 an Undertaking Procedure: Steps in Dubai
The steps are short when the wording is agreed early.
- Tell us who asked for the undertaking and what it must say.
- We draft the text and send it to you to read.
- You check every name, date and promise, and tell us any change.
- You sign in front of our in-house notary public, in person at our Business Bay office, online or at a home visit.
- The notary checks your ID, watches you sign and applies the seal.
Do not sign before the appointment. A document signed early is often turned away, because the notary must see the signature being made.
A document going abroad needs more steps. It is attested by MOFAIC first, then by the embassy or consulate of the destination country in the UAE. See the MOFAIC attestation page for the official process, and what is attestation for the plain explanation.
Prices
What Is an Undertaking Fees: What You Pay
The cost has two parts: the government fee and our own price. They are kept apart.
Under Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, authenticating signatures on an instrument of unspecified value is AED 200 per party. Translation, MOFAIC attestation and embassy fees are separate and come on top. Notarising a translation in the instrument is AED 50 per page.
Our fee depends on the wording and the number of signers. Send us the request and we give you the government fee and our starting price in one message.
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.
What Is an Undertaking Processing Time
The notarisation itself happens at the appointment. The time before it depends on how fast the wording is agreed with the body that asked for the undertaking. Any attestation after that has its own steps. We tell you what applies to your document when you send it.
Watch for
Mistakes to Avoid
- Signing before you see the notary.
- Promising more than you can do. An undertaking is a binding promise.
- Leaving blank fields or a missing date.
- Using wording that does not match what the receiver asked for.
- Forgetting that a foreign receiver may need attestation.
How We Help
We draft your document, handle the legal translation, and our in-house notary public notarises it, in person at our Business Bay office, online or at a home visit. An Arab notary public sits at our Business Bay office. Office appointments run Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Dubai time), and WhatsApp is answered 24/7.
For online notarisation we work through the official channels, the Ministry of Justice E-Notary system and Dubai Courts remote attendance. We tell you whether your document can be done that way. For a home visit we quote on request. To see which documents a notary handles, read what documents are notarised in the UAE.
How much does an undertaking cost?
The government fee for authenticating signatures on an instrument of unspecified value is AED 200 per party under the federal schedule. Our own fee depends on the wording and the number of signers. Send us the request and we confirm both in one message.
How long does an undertaking take?
The signing and sealing happen at one appointment. The time before that depends on how quickly the wording is agreed. Ask us when you send the request and we tell you what applies to your document.
What documents are required for an undertaking?
Bring your Emirates ID or passport, the request letter or form from the receiver, and any papers the promise refers to. We draft the text from these. We also tell you if the receiver needs a translation.
Can an undertaking be done online?
Sometimes. Dubai notaries may work by digital processes under Law No. 26 of 2021, which amended Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013. We tell you whether your undertaking can be done online or must be signed in person. Read more in notarised meaning.
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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.
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