If you are a foreign national working or living in any country in the Middle East, you are probably no stranger to the term ‘MOFA’. The MOFA was established between all UAE countries as a wll means of extra precautions so that both the employer and the employee will have a higher degree of protection.
As one of the most bustling economies in the UAE, Qatar, too requires all your documents to be MOFA attested. Thus, in order for one to have a smooth transition to their working life in Qatar or to gain a residence permit there, one needs to have all their documents attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar.
This is done so that there is a uniform means of document verification in Qatar. It should be noted that a document being attested by the MOFA is the last stage of its attestation, all previous procedures should be done in the country of origin of the applicant. In general, the MOFA attestation is done on these categories of documents:
- Educational (i.e. degree and diploma certificates)
- Personal documents (Birth certificates, marriage certificates, PPC etc.)
- Civil documents (mortgages, leases etc.)
- Medical documents.
- Business related documents (certification of incorporation, trade licenses etc.)
- Other documents that do not fit into the above categories
As mentioned earlier, before submitting an application to MOFA, ensure that you have had your documents attested by the following bodies in your country of origin first.
- Attestation via Notary
- Attestation by Home Department
- Attestation by Ministry of External Affairs
- Attestation by Embassy of country of Origin
Now that you’ve received your attested documents, you may file an application for MOFA attestation.
Things needed for MOFA attestation:
- Original Document for attestation
- Copy of applicant’s passport
- Copy of applicant’s visa
- Proof of payment of application fee QR 100+ (per document)
For ease of access, we’ve provided the following tables that contain each specific document and the attestation fee it entails.
Business Related Documents
| Certificate of Incorporation | QR 150 |
| Business contracts (per contract) | QR 150 |
Documents regarding Education
| Academic certificates | QR 100 |
Documents with medical regards
| Medical Certificates | QR 100 |
| Medical Reports | QR 100 |
Personal Documents
| Birth Certificate | QR 100 |
| Certificate of Adoption | QR 100 |
| Certification of Marriage | QR 100 |
| Certification of Divorce | QR 100 |
| Certificate of Inheritance Enumeration | QR 100 |
| Certification of Will | QR 100 |
Documents pertaining civil matters
| Public Agency | QR 100 |
| Private Agency | QR 100 |
| Document of Guarantee | QR 100 |
| Contract of Property Sale/Lease | QR 100 |
| Mortgage Contract | QR 100 |
| Document of Deposit | QR 100 |
Other Documents
| Papers of Litigation | QR 100 |
| Documents of Arbitration | QR 100 |
We understand that this procedure may be quite complicated for those who wish to do this for the first time. But don’t worry, this is where we, at S & F consulting step in. As an officially registered consultancy firm, you may simply send us your details and we will act as agents to get all the necessary certification on your behalf. Now, you need to know about WLL company formation in Qatar.
If you’re still uncertain, just contact one of our customer support agents and they will be more than happy to guide you along and provide advice. The best part is that the latter is free of charge!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a MOFA attestation compulsory?
Yes. In order to not have any future issues, it is best to acquire your MOFA attestation as soon as possible.
What if I have more than one document to submit?
If you have more than one document, you will be charged per document submitted. I.e. if you submit a marriage contract, as well as a certification of incorporation to both, be attested, you will be charged QR 250.
Do note, that the application fee remains uniform regardless of how many PAGES a single document may contain.
How long will this procedure take?
Once all documents are submitted, the process in itself is very short and will take less than a day to be certified.
Read more about: The Criminal Investigations Department of Qatar