If you want to check whether a UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attestation is genuine, MOFA’s own tool for this is verify.mofa.gov.ae — open it, select the Document Status option, and enter your attestation’s reference number and issue date. If your certificate was digitally attested through UAE Pass (common for birth, death and school certificates), there is a separate check instead: UAE Pass’s own Document Verification feature, where you upload the document rather than typing a reference number.
This guide walks through exactly how each check works, where to find the numbers you need, and what to do if a check doesn’t come back clean. For the attestation process itself, see our MOFA Attestation in Dubai page and our step-by-step guide, How to Get MOFA Attestation in Dubai — this post is about checking an attestation you already have, not applying for a new one.
What does it mean to "verify" a MOFA attestation?
Verifying an attestation means confirming that the seal, signature and reference details on it genuinely came from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs — or, for a digitally attested certificate, that the digital document itself hasn’t been altered since it was issued. That’s a different question from how a document gets attested in the first place; for that, see our full guide to how MOFA attestation works and our pillar explainer, What Is Certificate Attestation? This post covers only the checking side: what MOFA’s own verification tools show, and how to use them.
Attestation is meant to be a one-time, lifetime step once it’s done correctly through the right official channels — and it’s worth being cautious of fake or incomplete attestations in circulation. A quick online check is the simplest way to confirm a document is genuine before you rely on it for a visa, job or family application.
How do I check my MOFA attestation online?
MOFA’s own attestation FAQ page points to one specific online tool for checking an existing attestation: verify.mofa.gov.ae.
- Go to verify.mofa.gov.ae.
- Select the Document Status option.
- Enter the attestation’s reference number and its issue date.
- Submit the check.
You’ll find both the reference number and the issue date on the attestation page itself — MOFA attaches this as the last page of your attested document. That same page also shows the amount paid and what MOFA’s own FAQ calls simply “a verification element,” without specifying its exact form for every document type (more on this below). Before relying on any attestation, check that this attestation page is actually included: MOFA’s FAQ warns against using a document that’s missing it, and says to download the complete, latest version if it is.
What is the QR code or verification element on my attested document?
When MOFA rolled out its digital attestation service, it described the service as introducing “verification features such as QR codes, reference numbers, and barcodes” on attested documents, and said documents submitted for attestation need to carry a verification method of some kind — a QR code, barcode, reference number or electronic link. MOFA’s own attestation FAQ, for its part, confirms only that the attestation page carries a reference number, an attestation date, the amount paid and a general “verification element” — it doesn’t spell out which of those formats appears on any particular document type.
In practice, that means the most reliable check is usually the reference-number-and-issue-date lookup on verify.mofa.gov.ae described above, since it doesn’t depend on which verification format your specific document carries. If your document has a visible QR code or barcode and you’re unsure what to do with it, the exact on-screen fields can vary by document type — contact us if you’d like help confirming the right check for your certificate.
How is checking a UAE Pass digitally-attested certificate different?
Birth certificates, death certificates and school certificates can be digitally attested straight from the issuing UAE government entity, and MOFA’s own FAQ gives a separate verification route for these specifically: visit the UAE Pass website, use its Document Verification (described on the page as “verify the document”) feature, and upload the certificate itself rather than typing in a reference number. This is a different mechanism from verify.mofa.gov.ae’s reference-number lookup — if your certificate came through this digital route, start with the UAE Pass check instead of verify.mofa.gov.ae.
What do I do if verification fails?
If verify.mofa.gov.ae doesn’t return a result, MOFA’s own guidance works through in this order:
- Confirm you actually received MOFA’s completion/confirmation email for the attestation.
- Double-check the reference number and issue date you entered — a small typo in either field is the most common cause of a failed check.
- If you still can’t verify it, contact MOFA Customer Service directly, quoting your application’s reference number (requests start with ATS- and are listed under “My Requests” on MOFA’s website or app) — or call MOFA’s support line on 800 44444, which operates 24/7.
If you’re not sure which number to quote, or the document came through one of our other application channels, our team can help you track it down — just reach out below.
Does checking an attestation cost money or need a login?
MOFA’s own attestation FAQ states that UAE Pass login is required to apply for attestation — it doesn’t say whether checking an existing attestation on verify.mofa.gov.ae itself requires a login, and no fee is published anywhere for the verification check itself. If you hit an unexpected login prompt, that’s worth confirming directly with MOFA support (800 44444) rather than assuming it’s required.
Why this is worth doing before you submit a document
Attestation is meant to be a one-time, lifetime step once it’s done correctly through the right official channels — which is exactly why it’s worth a quick check before relying on an older certificate, a document from a third party, or anything you’re not completely sure was attested the right way. A genuine verification result protects you from the two most common problems we see: documents rejected at the receiving end because an attestation page is missing or incomplete, and documents that were never properly attested in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find my attestation's reference number?
It is printed on the attestation page MOFA adds to your document, usually the last page, along with the attestation date and the amount paid. If that page is missing, download the complete version of your attested document rather than using an incomplete copy.
Can I verify an attestation without a reference number?
MOFA’s own online tool, verify.mofa.gov.ae, asks for both a reference number and an issue date, and isn’t set up to search by any other detail. If you’ve lost the reference number, contact MOFA Customer Service with your application’s reference number (starting with ATS-) or call 800 44444.
Do I use verify.mofa.gov.ae for a digitally attested birth or school certificate too?
Not necessarily. MOFA’s FAQ gives a separate route for digitally attested birth, death and school certificates: the UAE Pass website’s own Document Verification feature, where you upload the certificate instead of entering a reference number.
Is there a fee to verify an attestation online?
MOFA does not publish a fee for the verification check itself anywhere we could find, only the attestation fees for the original service. If you’re ever asked to pay to “verify” a document outside MOFA’s own site, treat that as a red flag.
What should I do if the verification check fails?
Confirm you received MOFA’s completion email, re-check the reference number and issue date for typos, then contact MOFA Customer Service (800 44444, 24/7) with your application reference number if the problem continues.
Is UAE attestation a one-time process?
Yes. Once a document is correctly attested through the right official channels, that attestation is valid for the life of the document and does not need to be repeated for the same use. That is also why it is worth verifying an attestation before relying on it, since a fake or incomplete one will not hold up later.
Sources and last reviewed: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Documents Attestation service page and Attestation FAQs (both fetched 9 November 2026; pages undated); MOFA’s digital attestation service rollout, reported via Gulf Today (25 April 2026). This page was last reviewed 9 November 2026 against those sources. MOFA’s own verification tool is at verify.mofa.gov.ae.
Need Help Verifying or Completing an Attestation?
If a MOFA verification check does not come back clean, or you need help getting a document properly attested in the first place, Attest Dubai can confirm the right steps for your specific document.