A Power of Attorney (POA, or Wakala in Arabic) is one of the most commonly used legal documents in the UAE. Expats living abroad use it to manage property; residents use it for business, banking and court matters; family members use it during medical or travel absences. This pillar guide covers everything: types, validity, costs, the Dubai vs Abu Dhabi vs Sharjah differences, and how to attest a POA made overseas.
POA Services We Handle in UAE
Across UAE, we cover every common Power of Attorney scenario — from property buyers abroad needing to sign at the Land Department, to families authorising a relative to manage banking and government affairs, to corporates issuing authority to a manager for trade-licence work.
- General POA — wide authority across most legal matters.
- Special POA — limited to a single transaction or task.
- Property POA — sale, purchase, mortgage, lease.
- Banking POA — account operations and signatory authority.
- Court POA — representation in civil, labour, or family courts.
- Business POA — trade licence, immigration, contracts.
The UAE Notary Process — In Brief
The principal (the person granting authority) must appear in person at the notary public with original Emirates ID and passport. If you are abroad, the POA must instead be executed in front of a notary in your country, then attested by your country's foreign affairs, the UAE Embassy there, and MOFA UAE here.
Documents You'll Need
- Original passport and Emirates ID of the principal
- Passport copy of the agent (the person you're authorising)
- Property title deed, trade licence, or other supporting document (depending on POA type)
- Approved bilingual draft of the POA
Timeline & Cost
If you are in UAE, drafting, translation and notarisation usually completes within one working day. From abroad, expect 1–3 weeks depending on your country's embassy attestation timeline. Message us for a fixed quote.
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