Foreign workers preparing to embark on new careers in the UAE must ensure they have their university degrees attested to land a job.
Degree attestation – which is mandatory to secure a visa in the Emirates – is the means of verifying that academic qualifications obtained overseas are authentic.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research recently issued new regulations for the recognition of higher education qualifications in an effort to streamline the process.
The ministry said the resolution will reduce the number of required documents from 14 to four.
The documents required are: copy of final degree certificate, passport copy, name change document and official translation to Arabic.
A name change document confirms an alteration for reasons such as marriage or a personal desire to change names.
If the name on your certificate differs from that on your passport, you must provide a name change certificate issued by a government body.
This could be a legal endorsement letter, birth certificate, marriage certificate or a passport showing your previous name.
If your degree was issued with any language other than Arabic or English, legal translation is required.
You must meet the following conditions: qualification authenticity and the institute or university issuing the qualification must be accredited by relevant accreditation authorities in the country of study.
The process includes two key stages, first verification of the degree authenticity by Dataflow or QuadraBay (two agencies officially appointed by the Ministry), which will authenticate the document.
The application process typically takes 30 business days after all required documents and information are submitted to the agencies. It will take another 20 working days for it to be attested by the ministry.
The cost for initial degree verification starts at Dh345 ($93) but will vary depending on the country.
Once this step is completed and confirmation of authenticity is received, people can begin the process of finalising attestation with the ministry.
Step-by-step process
Go to the department's website or its app and search services for: Recognition of university certificates issued from outside the UAE.
Click on the link for verification of the degree's authenticity with one of the agencies: Dataflow or QuadraBay
Log on to their website and create an account using the UAE Pass app.
Check the package details and input personal details.
Fill in details about the degree and upload required documents in either PDF or JPeg format. Each document should not exceed 2MB in size.
No special attestation is required on your documents for the equivalency process with the agencies and you need to submit clear scanned copies of original documents as received from your university or education institution.
Pay the fees based on your degree level. A specialist will check the application and you might be asked to provide additional information or documents.
The specialist will reach out to your university to verify the degree.
The duration of the process is determined by the response time of the university or the educational entity.
A cancellation request can be submitted within 48 hours of the application, however, a non-refundable 10 per cent of the application fee will be deducted from the amount refundable.
After verifying the document through the agency, you will receive a reference number to use when you apply to the service.
You can then go back to the ministry’s website and click on complete application.
Enter the reference number you received from QudraBay or DataFlow with your date of birth.
Your personal and educational information will be automatically filled.
Confirm the details and pay the government fees, which are Dh100 for a bachelor's degree, Dh150 for postgraduate degrees and Dh200 for doctoral degrees.
You will receive the final report via email – stating whether the degree is authenticated or not – within 20 working days
You can then download the result directly from your account at the ministry’s portal.
For inquiries you can either email the ministry via Info@mohesr.gov.ae or calling 800511.
Why some degrees cannot be verified
The ministry sometimes receives qualifications that fail to meet specified recognition criteria.
For example: there was insufficient evidence presented to confirm the authenticity of the degree, the educational institute or university not recognised by the ministry in the UAE or the institute is not accredited by relevant academic accreditation bodies in the country of study.
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Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
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The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
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Always use only regulated platforms
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Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
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THE SPECS
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Transmission: Automatic
Power: 530bhp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh535,000
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Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
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The specs
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
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Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
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The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
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Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
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Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
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What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
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Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
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