VoxxArrive · Origin country
Onboarding an employee from Nigeria in the UAE (2026 employer guide)
Nigeria's UAE attestation route was restructured in September 2025 so that all UAE document legalisation now runs exclusively through VFS Global centres in Abuja and Lagos - walk-in embassy submission is no longer available. The Nigerian home-side chain is also notarisation-heavy: a notary public certification is typically required before the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs will act, and degrees need Federal Ministry of Education authentication first.
What's different
- Since September 2025 all UAE attestation in Nigeria is processed only through VFS Global application centres (Abuja and Lagos) - applications, payment, submission and collection no longer happen at the embassy directly.
- Notary public certification is generally required before the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs step, and is specifically expected for police character certificates.
- Educational documents (university certificates, and WAEC/NECO secondary certificates) require authentication by the Federal Ministry of Education before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UAE mission steps.
- Chain: notary, then Federal Ministry of Education (for educational docs), then Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then UAE Embassy via VFS Global, then MOFAIC.
Which onboarding steps this affects
This affects 21 of the 57 onboarding tasks, concentrated in the Pre-boarding, Day 1, Week 1, Month 1, Month 3+ phases. Work through them in the live demo to see the compliance-readiness score respond as each is ticked off.
Your task slice
21 of the 57 onboarding tasks apply here.
Verify MOHRE establishment card is active and labour quota is available for the role
Establishment card / labour quota confirmation
Issue MOHRE-standard job offer letter and obtain the employee's signed copy
MOHRE job offer letter (signed)
Apply for the MOHRE work permit (labour card) via Tasheel/MOHRE portal
Work permit approval
Apply for entry permit (e-visa) or initiate in-country status change
Entry permit (60-day validity)
Collect and attest pre-boarding documents (passport, photos, degree/qualification attestation)
Attested document pack
Prepare fixed-term employment contract aligned to the signed offer
Employment contract (draft)
Define working hours, overtime, and weekly rest-day terms in the contract
Employee signs the employment contract on Day 1
Signed employment contract
Collect original passport and entry permit for residence visa processing
Book and complete medical fitness test at an approved centre (communicable-disease screening)
Medical fitness certificate
Complete ICP Emirates ID biometrics (fingerprints, iris scan, photo)
Emirates ID application receipt
Submit residence visa application to GDRFA/ICP after medical and EID biometrics
Complete residence visa stamping / e-visa linking to the passport
Residence visa
Register the signed employment contract with MOHRE within the statutory deadline
MOHRE-registered labour contract
Confirm health insurance activation is linked to the residency file
Collect the issued Emirates ID card once produced by ICP
Emirates ID card
Verify residence visa and Emirates ID are fully issued (post-entry chain within 60 days)
Assemble audit-ready employee compliance file (contract, visa, EID, insurance)
Employee compliance file
File original Emirates ID and residence visa copies in the personnel record
Issue confirmation-of-employment letter on passing probation
Confirmation letter
Confirm health insurance validity aligns with residency expiry
Some figures on this page vary by jurisdiction, zone or nationality, or could not be independently confirmed from a public source at time of writing - confirm the current figure with the regulator before relying on it.
Sources
Frequently asked
Can we still submit Nigerian documents at the UAE Embassy in Abuja directly?
No. Since September 2025 the UAE Embassy in Nigeria moved all attestation and legalisation to VFS Global. Applications, fees, submission and collection all go through VFS Global centres in Abuja and Lagos.
Why does a Nigerian document need a notary before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
The Nigerian legalisation chain expects a notary public certification to validate the document before the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs authenticates the notary's signature. This is particularly required for police character certificates.
How is a Nigerian degree authenticated for the UAE?
University certificates (and WAEC/NECO for secondary education) are first authenticated by the Federal Ministry of Education, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then attested by the UAE mission through VFS Global, and finally MOFAIC.
Is an apostille available for Nigerian documents going to the UAE?
No apostille shortcut applies for UAE use - the full notary, Ministry of Education (educational), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UAE mission (via VFS) and MOFAIC chain is required.