Do I need to attest a commercial invoice for the UAE?

For goods imported into the UAE local market worth AED 10,000 or more, yes — electronically, through MOFA's eDAS service. Goods discharged at a free-zone port and GCC-made goods are exempt.

Does Saudi Arabia accept apostilles?

For public documents, yes: it acceded to the Apostille Convention on 8 April 2022, in force from 7 December 2022. The convention excludes commercial and customs documents.

What is the fine for late invoice attestation in the UAE?

AED 500 per invoice, on top of the attestation fee, once the 14-day grace period from the bill of entry date has passed.

Term

Document legalisation (attestation)

Document legalisation, or attestation, is official certification that the signatures and seals on a document are genuine, so another country accepts it. The UAE requires electronic attestation of commercial invoices for mainland imports worth AED 10,000 or more, at AED 150 per invoice or certificate of origin. An apostille replaces legalisation only between Hague Convention parties.

Also called attestation, invoice attestation, consular legalisation, MOFA attestation, apostille, eDAS attestationApplies in UAE, KSA, GCCUpdated 14 October 2026

The UAE: attestation through eDAS

What: commercial invoices for goods imported into the UAE local market, and certificates of origin, attested online through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' eDAS service.
When: mandatory for imports valued at AED 10,000 and above since 1 February 2023.
Fee: AED 150 per invoice or certificate of origin, as MOFA's eDAS page lists it.
Exempt: goods whose port of discharge is a free zone, and GCC-manufactured goods.
Deadline: 14 days from the bill of entry date; after that, an extra AED 500 per invoice.

Worked example: one import

Invoice of AED 50,000 + its certificate of origin → AED 150 + AED 150 = AED 300 · paid within 14 days of the bill of entry → AED 300 · paid on day 20 → AED 300 + AED 500 fine = AED 800

Fees and the fine from MOFA's eDAS page and FAQs; the import is illustrative.

Apostille or legalisation

Under the Hague Apostille Convention, legalisation means the formality by which the destination country's diplomatic or consular agents certify a signature; between parties, an apostille replaces it. Saudi Arabia acceded on 8 April 2022, with effect from 7 December 2022, and Bahrain (2013) and Oman (2012) are parties too; the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar are not on the Hague Conference's list. The convention does not apply to administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations, and the US Commerce Department notes Saudi Arabia still requires US shipping documents to be authenticated by a chamber of commerce.

The mistake people make

Paying late. MOFA gives a 14-day grace period from the bill of entry date, then adds AED 500 per invoice on top of the attestation fee — so a week's backlog of invoices on an import desk can cost more in fines than in fees.

FAQ