Plain explainers # What is a notarized letter, and what does one look like in the UAE? What is a notarized letter? It is an ordinary letter that has been signed in front of a notary, who checks the signer's identity and willingness and then adds an official endorsement and seal. The words of the letter stay yours. What changes is that an authority can now rely on the fact that you, and nobody else, signed it. ![Two open books with handwritten notes and a pen on a desk](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/what-does-notarized-mean-inline2.webp) In this guide * Definition in one box * What the notary actually adds to a letter * What does a notarized letter look like? * Is a notarized letter a legal document? * The letters people bring most often * A notarized letter, a notarized copy and an attested letter * Getting a letter notarised in Dubai * What it costs * How we help In the UAE the notary can be a public notary, a private notary or an accredited UAE consul abroad. In Dubai the Government notary sits within Dubai Courts, and private notaries are registered on a roll that Dubai Courts keeps. This page explains what the notary adds, what the finished letter looks like, and which letters people in the UAE are most often asked to notarise. * Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022, Article 3, reserves notarial duties to three groups: public notaries, private notaries, and the State's accredited consuls. * Before notarising, the notary must verify identity, capacity and consent, and read the content out to the parties (Article 7). * Instruments are written in Arabic. Under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013, a paper in another language must travel with a certified Arabic translation, and the parties sign both. * A notarised letter proves who signed and how. It does not turn every statement in the letter into a proven fact. * A letter for use in another country usually needs attestation after notarisation. ## Definition in one box **A notarized letter** is a signed letter carrying a notary's endorsement. The endorsement records that the signer appeared, was identified, understood the content and signed it by free will. In the UAE the letter is normally in Arabic, or in Arabic beside another language. Step by step ## What the notary actually adds to a letter Picture two copies of the same letter. One you signed at your kitchen table. The other you signed at a notary's counter. The text is identical. The difference is the record around your signature. At the counter, the notary does four things that the kitchen-table copy lacks: 1 **Checks who you are**, from your Emirates ID or passport. 2 ### Checks that you are able to sign and are signing willingly Federal law calls this capacity and consent. 3 **Reads the content out and explains its effect**, so nobody can later say they did not understand what they signed. 4 **Records the act** with an endorsement, the notary's seal and a reference, so the receiving office can check it later. So when a bank, an embassy or an airline asks for a notarised letter, it is really asking for proof that the signature is genuine and freely given. The wording ## What does a notarized letter look like? People often ask what a notarized letter looks like, because they want to check the one they have been handed. A letter notarised in the UAE usually has these parts: Notarised letters 1. **The letter itself**, in Arabic or in Arabic and English side by side, with the date, the signer's full name and ID number, and the statement or permission being given. 2. **The signature** of each person who signs, made in front of the notary. 3. **The notarisation block**, often on the same page or an attached page, in which the notary records the appearance, the identity check and the signing. 4. **The seal or stamp** of the notary, with the notary's name or office. 5. **A transaction reference or number** A letter signed abroad looks different, because each country has its own format. A US letter, for example, often carries a line about the notary's commission expiry. Our page on [what "my commission expires" means](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-happens-when-a-notary-commission-expires/) explains that line for readers in the UAE. ## Is a notarized letter a legal document? Yes, in the sense that it becomes an official instrument. Once a UAE notary endorses it, the letter carries the weight of an official record of the signing, and the receiving office no longer has to take the signature on trust. Federal law also gives an electronically notarised document the same evidentiary value as a paper one (Article 23). It is not, however, a court judgment or a proof of everything written in it. If an employer letter says you have worked somewhere for five years, the notary's seal confirms that the company's signatory signed that statement. It does not prove the five years. That is why some offices ask for a notarised letter and a supporting record together. Case by case ## The letters people bring most often ### A letter of consent What is a notarized letter of consent? It is a letter in which one person gives permission, signed before a notary. The common case is a parent consenting to a child's travel with the other parent or with relatives. Our guide on [where each parent signs a child travel consent](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/child-travel-poa-consent-letter-dubai/) covers that in detail. ### A letter from an employer What is a notarized letter from an employer? It is a company letter, such as a no objection certificate or a salary letter, where the company's authorised signatory signs before a notary. The notary checks the signatory's identity and their authority to sign for the company, so bring the trade licence and proof of that authority. For the letter an embassy wants with a visit visa file, see our page on the [NOC for a visa or for travel](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/no-objection-letter-for-visa/). ### An authorisation letter A person authorises someone else to collect a document, pick up a vehicle or deal with one small matter. For anything larger, such as selling property, a power of attorney is usually the proper instrument, not a letter. ### A declaration or affidavit A sworn statement of facts about yourself, such as your address or marital status. In the UAE federal fee schedule an affidavit is a separate item from signature authentication, so the fee is different. Side by side ## A notarized letter, a notarized copy and an attested letter Three things are often mixed up. | Term | What it is | Who does it | | --- | --- | --- | | Notarised letter | A signature on a letter, made and recorded before a notary | A public or private notary, or a UAE consul abroad | | Notarised copy of a document | A copy compared with its original and certified as a true copy | Explained on our page on [notary public certification](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-public-certification/) | | Attested letter | A notarised letter that has then been stamped by a ministry or embassy for use elsewhere | MOFAIC in the UAE, and the relevant embassy | The last row matters for letters going abroad. See [the difference between notary and attestation](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-and-attestation-difference/) before you book, so you plan both steps. Step by step ## Getting a letter notarised in Dubai 1. Get the exact wording the receiving office wants. Many embassies and airlines publish a sample. 2. Prepare the letter in Arabic and English. A letter in English only will need a legal translation. 3. Book a Dubai Courts point or a private notary office that takes the act you need. 4. Attend with your original ID, and with every other signer. 5. Sign in front of the notary and collect the notarised letter. 6. If the letter is for use outside the UAE, send it on for attestation. ## What it costs Government fees depend on how the letter is treated. On the federal schedule, authenticating signatures on an instrument of unspecified value is AED 200 per party, and an affidavit is AED 300. At a Dubai private notary, the Dubai Courts decision sets AED 100 per party registration plus AED 100 per signature. Our preparation starts from AED 900 for signature witnessing, from AED 1,200 for a travel consent or a visa NOC, and from AED 600 for an affidavit or declaration. Drafting alone is an add-on from AED 200. 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. See [notary public charges](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/how-much-is-notary-cost/) for the full list. ## How we help We write the letter in the wording the receiving office expects, in Arabic and English. We tell you which kind of notary office takes it, book the appointment, and give you a checklist so every signer brings the right ID. If it is going abroad, we also tell you what attestation it needs next. How notarisation works ## Where this page sits Hub ### [What notarised means](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-does-notarized-mean/) Notarized means signed before a notary who checked your identity and sealed the document. What that proves, what it does not, and how it works in the UAE. Also under What notarised means * [Notary certification](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-public-certification/) * [Public or private notary](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/private-notary-services/) * [Notary or attestation](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-and-attestation-difference/) * [What a notary can notarise](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-documents-can-a-notary-notarize/) * ["My commission expires"](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-happens-when-a-notary-commission-expires/) * [How a notary visit works](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-services-faq-in-dubai-uae/) * [Notary penalties](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/uae-private-notary-fine-what-you-need-to-know-in-simple-terms/) Questions ## Frequently asked questions Not answered here? Call or WhatsApp [+971 50 264 8766](tel:+971502648766). ### What is a notarized letter in simple words? It is a letter you sign in front of a notary. The notary checks your ID, confirms you are signing willingly and stamps the letter, so others can trust your signature. ### Can I write the letter myself? Yes. The content is yours. Many letters are rejected for wording, not signature, so follow the receiving office's sample closely and make sure the Arabic version says the same as the English. ### Does a notarized letter expire? UAE notary law does not give letters a general expiry date. The office receiving it may only accept letters signed recently, so ask them. ### Can a letter be notarised if I am not in the UAE? Yes, before a notary in the country where you are, or at a UAE embassy or consulate that offers notarial services. The letter will then need attestation before use in the UAE. ### Is a letter signed at a private notary the same as one signed at Dubai Courts? Yes, it has the same legal effect, because both act under the same Dubai law. The fee and the waiting time are what differ. Guides ## More guides [View all guides](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/blog/) * Explainer [Notary public certification in Dubai: signatures, copies and the notary's own status](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-public-certification/) Notary public certification explained: a certified signature, a certified copy, and how to check that a notary in Dubai is registered. [Read more](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-public-certification/) * Foreign documents ["My commission expires" on a notarised document](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-happens-when-a-notary-commission-expires/) What the phrase means on a foreign notarised document, whether it still works after that date, and what the UAE needs from it. [Read more](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-happens-when-a-notary-commission-expires/) * Explainer [What documents are notarized in the UAE, and where the others go](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-documents-can-a-notary-notarize/) What documents are notarized in the UAE: powers of attorney, affidavits, signatures, contracts, translations, and which ones go to another office. [Read more](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-documents-can-a-notary-notarize/) Contact ## Talk to us Send us a photo of the letter or the request you received. We will tell you whether it needs notarising and prepare it for signing. For the wider picture of how notarisation works, start with [what notarized means](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-does-notarized-mean/). Phone and WhatsApp [+971 50 264 8766](tel:+971502648766) Email [help@notaryservicesindubai.com](mailto:help@notaryservicesindubai.com) Office 707 Burj Khalifa Blvd, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE Hours Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Dubai time) How notarisation works ## More in this section Hub [What notarised means](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-does-notarized-mean/) Notarized means signed before a notary who checked your identity and sealed the document. What that proves, what it does not, and how it works in the UAE. * [Notary certification](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-public-certification/) * [Public or private notary](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/private-notary-services/) * [Notary or attestation](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-and-attestation-difference/) * [What a notary can notarise](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-documents-can-a-notary-notarize/) * ["My commission expires"](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-happens-when-a-notary-commission-expires/) * [How a notary visit works](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-services-faq-in-dubai-uae/) * [Notary penalties](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/uae-private-notary-fine-what-you-need-to-know-in-simple-terms/) ### Sources for this page * Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022, Articles 3, 5, 7 and 23: [https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563) * Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013 concerning Notaries Public in the Emirate of Dubai, Article 27: [https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Law%20No.%20(4)%20of%202013%20Concerning%20Notaries%20Public%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html](https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Law%20No.%20(4%29%20of%202013%20Concerning%20Notaries%20Public%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html) * Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, items 8 and 12: [https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491) * Dubai Courts private notary fee decision, Dubai Media Office: [https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2025/december/29-12/dubai-courts-is-preparing-to-implement-the-decision-regulating-the-fees-of-the-private-notary-public](https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2025/december/29-12/dubai-courts-is-preparing-to-implement-the-decision-regulating-the-fees-of-the-private-notary-public) * MOFAIC attestation: [https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation](https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation) --- Source: https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-is-a-notarized-letter/