The British Virgin Islands (BVI), a prominent offshore financial centre, is renowned for its regulatory transparency and adherence to international standards. The BVI Companies Act (BCA) governs most corporate formations and operations within the BVI.
For documents originating from BVI to be recognised in the UAE, a British Virgin Islands Apostille is required through the UK due to the absence of a UAE Embassy in BVI. This BVI document attestation process ensures that documents from the BVI are legally recognised in the UAE.
How do I process BVI document attestation for the UAE?
- Notarization in the BVI: First, have a BVI Notary Public notarize your document. They will confirm the document's signature and attach a notarial cover sheet.
- Apostille Certification in the BVI: Obtain an Apostille from an authorised office in Tortola (e.g., Deputy Governor’s Office, Civil Registry) to authenticate the document, which then needs to be sent to the UK.
- Apostille Legalisation in the UK: The document requires Apostille certification from the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), confirming the seal or signature's authenticity.
- UAE Embassy Attestation in the UK: Have the document attested by the UAE Embassy in London, where it receives an official UAE government sticker and seal, indicating it has passed all necessary steps in the BVI and the UK.
- MoFA Attestation in the UAE: The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) must finally stamp the document to complete the attestation process for official use in the UAE.
What documents from the British Virgin Islands commonly require attestation?
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Memorandum of Association
- Certificate of Origin
- Company Invoices
- Articles of Association
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Power of Attorney
- Certificate of Incumbency
- Shareholder Resolution
When is it necessary to have BVI documents attested?
The UAE mandates the attestation of documents by both BVI and UK authorities in several scenarios:
- When a BVI-based company intends to open a new branch in the UAE, it is often required to present attested documents for use within the country.
- Such a requirement also extends to seemingly minor matters like transferring the ownership of a company vehicle.
- Additionally, attestation is needed if a BVI company aims to buy or sell shares.
- If a BVI company desires to grant a Power of Attorney (POA) to an individual, enabling them to act on behalf of its directors.
- When a BVI company is looking to engage in the buying or selling of goods in a foreign country.
- And if a BVI company wishes to open a bank account in the UAE.
- In these instances, having documents duly attested ensures that they are recognised and accepted as legitimate for business and legal purposes in the UAE.
The attestation procedure for documents issued by the British Virgin Islands (BVI) for recognition in the UAE, when processed directly from the UK, encompasses four key stages:
- Initial notarization in the UK,
- Application of a UK Apostille stamp,
- Attestation by the UAE Embassy in London,
- Final attestation by the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
You have the option to manage the British Virgin Islands apostille on your own or engage a trustworthy and cost-effective attestation service to streamline the entire procedure. Benchmark Attestation Services stands out as a reliable provider offering top-notch attestation services in Dubai, ensuring prompt delivery of your BVI-attested documents. Our commitment is to guarantee that all your documents will receive BVI document attestation efficiently and on schedule.
Reach out to our experienced team by dialling our UAE local number, +971 4 396 1284, or contact us through our hotline at +971 52 888 4714.
