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Korean Degree Attestation for UAE: Step-by-Step Order
The short answer: the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone will not complete your Korean degree attestation for UAE. Prepare your university graduation or degree certificate in this order: (notarization for private university documents) → consular confirmation by the Overseas Koreans Agency → embassy legalization at the UAE Embassy in Korea, and check whether the receiving organization in the UAE requires any further steps.
At a glance
- The UAE appears neither in the HCCH status table nor in the Overseas Koreans Agency's list of member countries (as of 2026-09-11), so it is not a party.
- Since June 1, 2024, original academic records from national universities can go to consular confirmation without notarization; documents from private universities must be notarized first.
- After consular confirmation by the Overseas Koreans Agency, you need embassy legalization at the UAE Embassy in Korea; check the embassy's official notice for its fee.
- The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that documents issued abroad are processed through attestation via UAE missions abroad.
Why doesn't an apostille work for the UAE?
An apostille is only valid between countries that have joined the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents and for which it is in force. The United Arab Emirates appears neither in the member list published by the Overseas Koreans Agency (131 countries and territories as of September 11, 2026) nor in the HCCH status table. This is easy to get wrong, because Gulf neighbors Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain are members.
That is why Korean documents for the UAE follow a two-step structure: consular confirmation by the Overseas Koreans Agency, then a second legalization at the UAE Embassy in Seoul.
What is the difference between national and private universities?
The Overseas Koreans Agency accepts documents issued by the state and local governments, as well as original academic records from national universities (since June 1, 2024), without notarization. Other documents must be notarized first, so graduation and degree certificates from private universities need notarization at a notary office first before you can apply for consular confirmation.
If your university issues certificates in English, most applicants use the English version. Whether the receiving organization requires an Arabic translation, and whether to translate in Korea or in the UAE, depends on that organization's rules, so it is best to check first.
| Step | National university | Private university |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Issue an original for submission | Issue an original for submission |
| Step 2 | (No notarization) | Notarization at a notary office |
| Step 3 | Consular confirmation (Overseas Koreans Agency) | Consular confirmation of the notarized document (Overseas Koreans Agency) |
| Step 4 | Embassy legalization at the UAE Embassy in Korea | Embassy legalization at the UAE Embassy in Korea |
| After | Check the UAE receiving organization's requirements | Check the UAE receiving organization's requirements |
Based on the Overseas Koreans Agency's “Consular Confirmation Procedure” (checked 2026-10-03). Transcripts follow the same route.
What is the order of steps?
Issue graduation/degree certificate → (private universities) notarization → consular confirmation by the Overseas Koreans Agency → UAE Embassy legalization → submission in the UAE
The key point is that the stamps must be added in the right order. The Overseas Koreans Agency instructs applicants to obtain consular confirmation first and then visit the embassy in Korea of the destination country. If you go straight to the embassy without consular confirmation, or submit a private university document to the Overseas Koreans Agency without notarization, you cannot move on to the next step.
What else might be needed in the UAE?
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) states that documents issued outside the UAE are processed through “Attestation through UAE Missions Abroad.” Employers or education authorities may also require separate procedures such as degree recognition, so the most accurate approach is to follow the written instructions from the receiving organization on which steps are needed.
How should I plan for costs and timing?
The Korean government fee for consular confirmation is KRW 1,000 per document (electronic revenue stamp). Notarization fees follow the Notary Public Fee Rules (Ministry of Justice ordinance), and the UAE Embassy in Korea sets its own legalization fee, so check its official notice. Consular confirmation at the Overseas Koreans Agency takes under 1 hour on average for walk-in applications of up to 10 documents per applicant, and usually 7–10 days by mail; embassy processing times must be checked individually.
UAE academic documents: check these first
- Whether your university is national or private (whether notarization is needed)
- Which document the receiving organization requires: graduation certificate, degree certificate or transcript
- Whether an English certificate is enough or an Arabic translation is needed
- Whether the English name in your passport matches the English name on the certificate
- Whether you were issued an original for submission, not a view-only copy
- Whether additional attestation or degree recognition is required in the UAE
We'll check which steps your UAE documents actually need.
Ask about UAE documentsTell us your university, the receiving organization and your deadline.
We'll guide you step by step from notarization to embassy legalization.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use an apostille on a graduation certificate for the UAE?
- No. The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so the document must go through consular confirmation by the Overseas Koreans Agency and embassy legalization at the UAE Embassy in Korea (Overseas Koreans Agency member list as of 2026-09-11; HCCH status table).
- Does a national university graduation certificate need notarization?
- Since June 1, 2024, the Overseas Koreans Agency accepts original academic records from national universities without notarization. Documents issued by private universities must be notarized first.
- Should I prepare a graduation certificate or a degree certificate?
- Follow what the receiving organization asks for. Some only check that you graduated, while others also want proof of the degree awarded or a transcript, so check their instructions first. The route is the same.
- How much is the UAE Embassy legalization fee?
- The embassy sets this amount, so it is not listed here. Before applying, check the latest fee and payment method in the official notice of the UAE Embassy in Korea. The Korean government's consular confirmation fee is KRW 1,000 per document.
- How long does the whole process take?
- Consular confirmation at the Overseas Koreans Agency takes under 1 hour on average for walk-in applications of up to 10 documents per applicant, and usually 7–10 days by mail. Notarization, embassy legalization and international shipping times vary by document and season, so they must be checked individually.
- Are there steps left after I arrive in the UAE?
- The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that documents issued abroad are processed through attestation via UAE missions abroad. Employers or education authorities may require separate procedures such as degree recognition, so check against the receiving organization's instructions.
Official referencesOverseas Koreans Agency: Consular Confirmation Procedure · HCCH Apostille Convention status table · UAE MOFA Documents Attestation
⚠️ This article is for general information only. Acceptance criteria, eligible documents and fees may change, so always check the official guidance of the Overseas Koreans Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the receiving organization at the time of application. Vision ApoKorea (Vision Administrative Agency) is a private agency service, not a government body.