From Monday, 2 November 2026, the UAE Embassy in New Delhi requires Indian educational documents to carry an apostille before they are submitted for attestation. The requirement for Police Clearance Certificates stays the same, and other document categories can still go in with the normal MEA stamp.
If you are attesting a degree, diploma or other educational certificate for use in Dubai or elsewhere in the UAE, this changes the order of steps you need to follow. This post explains what has changed, what has not, and what to check before you submit.
What Has Changed
According to the notice issued by the UAE Embassy in New Delhi, three points matter:
- Educational documents must be apostilled before submission. From 2 November, the Embassy expects an apostille on educational documents before it accepts them for attestation.
- The name and round stamp must partly overlap the apostille sticker. The notice specifically asks that the name and round stamp sit partially on the apostille sticker.
- Nothing else changes. The apostille requirement for PCC stays the same as before, and there is no change in the pre-requirements for other categories of documents. Normal MEA stamps will still comply for those.
Which Documents Are Affected?
| Document type | What changes from 2 November |
|---|---|
| Educational documents (degree, diploma and similar certificates) | Must be apostilled before submission to the UAE Embassy, New Delhi |
| Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) | No change. The apostille requirement stays as before |
| Other categories | No change. The normal MEA stamp is still accepted |
Common educational documents include Indian degree certificates, diploma certificates and school transfer certificates. School and board certificates are educational documents too, so check how yours is classified before you start.
As we read the notice, documents outside the educational and PCC categories, such as marriage certificates and birth certificates, are covered by the “no change” line. The same goes for police clearance certificate attestation, where the existing apostille rule continues.
Apostille vs a Normal MEA Stamp: What Is the Difference?
Until now, educational documents from India usually received a normal MEA attestation stamp before going to the UAE Embassy. An apostille is a different form of authentication. It is a certificate, usually a sticker, issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs under the Hague Apostille Convention, which India joined in 2005.
Under the new rule, the Embassy asks for the apostille version for educational documents specifically. A standard MEA stamp alone will no longer be enough for them from 2 November.
The Updated Process for Educational Certificates
The overall journey stays familiar, with one step swapped. The usual order for an Indian educational certificate is now:
- Verification of the original by the issuing university or board, where required.
- State-level attestation, such as the HRD or Home Department, where required.
- MEA apostille. This is the new step, and it replaces the normal MEA stamp.
- UAE Embassy attestation in New Delhi. If you want the full picture of this stage, see how UAE Embassy attestation in India fits into the chain.
- Final attestation in the UAE. Your document is then ready for MOFA attestation in Dubai.
The Name and Round Stamp Rule, Explained
The notice asks that the name and round stamp should be partially on the apostille sticker. In practice, this means the official’s stamp should run across the edge of the sticker instead of sitting beside it. This is generally understood as a way of showing that the sticker belongs to that particular document.
It is a small physical detail, but it is easy to miss. A sticker with no stamp touching it may cause your document to be sent back, so it is worth checking the placement before you submit.
What If Your Certificate Already Has a Normal MEA Stamp?
The notice does not say how documents that already carry a normal MEA stamp will be treated after 2 November. If your educational certificate was stamped the old way and has not yet reached the Embassy, confirm before you submit whether it will be accepted or needs to be reprocessed with an apostille. Please do not assume either way, because it can change your timeline.
An extra authentication step may also affect processing time and fees. Ask for an updated quote before you begin, and allow a little extra time if you have a visa or admission deadline.
What This Means for Your Job, Visa or Admission Plans
Educational certificates are the documents most often needed for the UAE. If you are preparing paperwork for certificate attestation for a UAE employment visa, your degree and diploma are the ones affected by this rule. Families applying for school or university admission in the UAE should check the same point for transfer certificates and mark sheets.
If you are starting from scratch, our overview of Indian certificate attestation in Dubai shows how all document types move through the process, and which ones this change does not touch.
How Green Line Handles This Update
A new apostille step and a stamp placement rule leave little room for error, and a rejected submission can cost you days. Before any educational document goes to the Embassy, our team checks that the apostille is in place and that the name and round stamp overlap the sticker as the notice requires.
If you have an educational certificate to attest, message our team on WhatsApp or call +971 50 592 0999.
Share your document details and we will tell you exactly which steps it needs under the new rule.
