8 June 2022

Want to use a power of attorney in the UAE? We can help

The United Arab Emirates is a popular place for people living in the UK to conduct business. Many people also have personal ties to the UAE, which at times requires UAE attestation for documents originating in the UK.

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Using powers of attorney in the UAE

Powers of Attorney (PoA) are commonly used in the UAE by people who wish to conduct official activities there. They are needed when you wish to carry out personal or business transactions but are unable to be there in person.

Before this can happen, you must appoint the person you wish to act on your behalf. This person can be a family member or friend and does not necessarily have to be a lawyer, though it is advised that the person concerned is legally trained. You can read more about powers of attorney here.

Personal powers of attorney

Below are some examples of when you might need to use a power of attorney for personal reasons:

You want someone to maintain your personal legal/financial affairs on your behalf
You want your family members or friends to handle your medical and financial affairs if you’re unwell
You want someone to perform certain tasks at a certain time
You want someone to facilitate the purchase of property or other large purchases on your behalf.

Business powers of attorney

Below are some examples of when you might need to use a power of attorney for business reasons:

You want your employee to handle the financial and managerial affairs of your company
You want someone to maintain your business legal/financial affairs on your behalf
You want to ensure someone is able to maintain your business should you become unable to do so

For someone to use power of attorney in the UAE, it must be validated. This means signing it in the presence of a notary public. The notary then gets an apostille attached to the document at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The apostille certificate verifies the document as genuine. The power of attorney is then stamped at the UAE Embassy, which completes the process.

In the UAE, a power of attorney needs to be reviewed and stamped by a Notary Public. Importantly, a power of attorney must be primarily in Arabic, or with official translation from English into Arabic. If it is issued in the UK, it needs to be notarised and translated into English or Arabic before it can be legalised by the UAE Embassy in London.