Just done the London run for the attested process!!
May 30th 2008, 9:28 am
#1
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Just done the London run for the attested process!!
Just thought you might like to know about our trip to sign these bloody documents!
Please remember that your certificates must be stamped by a solicitor and it must be signed by the solicitor... not the company!
Arrived at the Foreign and Commonwealth office (Leicester or Charing Cross tube) at 8.00am, 4th in the que. By opening time, 09.30 the que was at least 70 long. we handed over the certificates and they were stamped within 20 minutes. People at the end of the que were told 4 hours waiting time.
We then went off to the UAE consulate (South Kensington Tube) handed the certificates over at 10.35 and they told us to come back about 2.30... however they would not stamp the Cypriot wedding certificate because it had not been done by the Foreign and Commonwealth office, and they would not sign it without a stamp from the Cypriot Consulate!! This had already been stamped in cyprus by the foreign affairs... If you were married outside of the UK then this needs to be done.
(So just to be clear, it must be stamped by the Foreign Affairs/Consulate in the country you were married. Then to the Country's Foreign Affairs/Consulate/High Commission in London then to the British Foreign and Commonwealth office and then the UAE consulate).
We had to go the Cypriot Consulate (picadilly circus tube), waited an hour for them to stamp the certificate... then back to the Foreign and Commonwealth office for them to stamp it... The que at 1pm was still 70 long if not longer and there was no way i was waiting in that que! so straight to the front and told them the guy at the desk told me to come back once the wedding certificate had been stamped and i got straight in... however....
They apparently did not recognise the signature from the Cypriot consulate so i had to wait while they had a faxed confirmation it was real!!! 45 minutes later, three phone calls chasing it and it was stamped and ready to go!
Back to the UAE consulate at 2.45pm to find out they were shut.... I did a bit of shouting and they let us in! I had to leave the wedding certificate at the consulate and it has just been returned by express post.
600 miles of driving, 15 trains, 20 miles of walking, 6 times getting lost, 20 hours of being awake and 250 pounds later.... we are now ready to come to Dubai!
I hope this helps!
Opening times
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (09.30 - 15.30)
UAE Consulate (09.30 - 13.00)(Pick up documents between 14.00-14.30)
Cypriot Consulate (09.30 - 13.00)
Please remember that your certificates must be stamped by a solicitor and it must be signed by the solicitor... not the company!
Arrived at the Foreign and Commonwealth office (Leicester or Charing Cross tube) at 8.00am, 4th in the que. By opening time, 09.30 the que was at least 70 long. we handed over the certificates and they were stamped within 20 minutes. People at the end of the que were told 4 hours waiting time.
We then went off to the UAE consulate (South Kensington Tube) handed the certificates over at 10.35 and they told us to come back about 2.30... however they would not stamp the Cypriot wedding certificate because it had not been done by the Foreign and Commonwealth office, and they would not sign it without a stamp from the Cypriot Consulate!! This had already been stamped in cyprus by the foreign affairs... If you were married outside of the UK then this needs to be done.
(So just to be clear, it must be stamped by the Foreign Affairs/Consulate in the country you were married. Then to the Country's Foreign Affairs/Consulate/High Commission in London then to the British Foreign and Commonwealth office and then the UAE consulate).
We had to go the Cypriot Consulate (picadilly circus tube), waited an hour for them to stamp the certificate... then back to the Foreign and Commonwealth office for them to stamp it... The que at 1pm was still 70 long if not longer and there was no way i was waiting in that que! so straight to the front and told them the guy at the desk told me to come back once the wedding certificate had been stamped and i got straight in... however....
They apparently did not recognise the signature from the Cypriot consulate so i had to wait while they had a faxed confirmation it was real!!! 45 minutes later, three phone calls chasing it and it was stamped and ready to go!
Back to the UAE consulate at 2.45pm to find out they were shut.... I did a bit of shouting and they let us in! I had to leave the wedding certificate at the consulate and it has just been returned by express post.
600 miles of driving, 15 trains, 20 miles of walking, 6 times getting lost, 20 hours of being awake and 250 pounds later.... we are now ready to come to Dubai!
I hope this helps!
Opening times
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (09.30 - 15.30)
UAE Consulate (09.30 - 13.00)(Pick up documents between 14.00-14.30)
Cypriot Consulate (09.30 - 13.00)
Last edited by MrsHaps; May 30th 2008 at 9:33 am.
May 30th 2008, 10:38 am
#2
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
The solicitor i used to attest my degree has arranged for it to be sent to the foriegn office and uae consulate for the sum of £209 all in. Hope its back on time as i travel out on the 9th June.
May 30th 2008, 10:49 am
#3
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
I have heard of solicitors doing it but i didnt want to risk it not being back in time! We leave on the 8th June, cant wait now!
May 30th 2008, 1:29 pm
#4
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
The last time I got my certificates attested I paid a company in Dubai AED800 and they had them back to me without 8 working days...
I've never heard of anyone going back just to get attestation - seems rather expensive and time consuming!
N.
I've never heard of anyone going back just to get attestation - seems rather expensive and time consuming!
N.
Jun 1st 2008, 5:09 am
#5
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
There are also companies in the Uk that do all the attestation process for you - a lot easier than what Mrs Haps has just done for sure!!
Jun 1st 2008, 5:55 am
#6
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
I got married abroad and have been told that it has to go to that embassy to be translated into arabic and then into english then the british embassy in the uae and thats it i can get my visa.
Of course in Dubai i just handed my marrage cert over and she stamped the copy and no more was said!!
My hubby's company delt with all his certs for him. Not heard of anyone having all that bother to get them done before...sounds extreme to me!
Of course in Dubai i just handed my marrage cert over and she stamped the copy and no more was said!!
My hubby's company delt with all his certs for him. Not heard of anyone having all that bother to get them done before...sounds extreme to me!
Jun 1st 2008, 6:33 am
#7
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
its beacuse the rules have recently changed - we had to go through the same process - its a pain in the ass but so long as you are well prepared and turn up early it can be sorted out in a day 
Jun 1st 2008, 6:46 am
#8
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
did mine by registered post!
took a couple of weeks but saved a trip to London
took a couple of weeks but saved a trip to London
Jun 1st 2008, 4:54 pm
#9
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
Yep still in the freezing cold UK and due to the lack of notice from the employer there is no way we could have done it any other way. Just telling everyone about it so where possible they have enough time to do it a much easy way!!
Jun 2nd 2008, 3:46 am
#10
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
We used a company called Jestom. They will take your documents and go through the attestation process in the UK then send them back to you. We did it with our marriage certificate and it worked fine, took a couple of weeks all around.
There website is: http://www.jestomexpress.com/
Might be worth considering if you don't want to go through the hassle.
There website is: http://www.jestomexpress.com/
Might be worth considering if you don't want to go through the hassle.
Jun 2nd 2008, 9:15 am
#11
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
My company sorted out all my attestation for me.
Jun 2nd 2008, 10:04 am
#12
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
so did my company and unless i have got my mishaps mixed up, so did the company that her hubby is going to work for...
Jun 2nd 2008, 10:07 am
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Jun 2nd 2008, 10:13 am
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Re: Just done the London run for the attested process!!
Me too, but I just posted the certs and my company got them attested in the UAE and they were waiting for me when I arrived