Overview of Embassy Legalization of Documents in Nigeria
This guide is the most authoritative resource on attestation/legalization of Nigerian documents at embassies and foreign missions in Nigeria. After authenticating documents at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria, you may also be required to attest or legalize the documents at the embassy of the country where you intend to use such documents. The procedures, requirements and costs for legalization of documents in Nigeria varies from one embassy to the other.
For example, a person who intends to use her Nigerian marriage certificate to process residency permit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), must first authenticate the marriage certificate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, after which he or she will need to have the document attested or legalized by the UAE Embassy also in Abuja.
To make things easier for you, Antarch Consulting provides all the needed clarification on the procedures for legalization of documents at some of the embassies we have had experience with. This will help you know what to expect when you take your authenticated documents for legalization at the embassy in Nigeria of the country you are planning to travel to.
Start with the current instructions of the destination embassy and the authority that will receive the document. Where an embassy requires consular legalization of a Nigerian document, it commonly asks for prior authentication by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The exact chain still depends on the document, purpose and destination. Kindly bear in mind that the legalization costs for each embassy are subject to change without notice, and often fluctuate based on current Forex exchange rates or inflationary trends.
Document Legalization (Attestation) at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy in Nigeria
Since September 2025, The UAE Embassy in Nigeria has outsourced attestation/legalization services to VFS Global, which is a significant policy change from the previous system where legalization of Nigerian documents for use in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and other Emirates was handled directly by the UAE Embassy.
With the new development, attestation/legalization of Nigeria documents for the UAE is now processed by VFS Global in Abuja (after authentication of the documents by the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and the revised legalization fee for personal documents is approximately N180,000 NGN (which includes the UAE Embassy legalization fee, UAE MofA attestation fee, and VFS consultancy fees).
As of May 2026, the main attestation fees charged by VFS on behalf of the UAE Embassy in Nigeria is broken down as follows:
a. UAE Mission Attestation Fee: 150 AED (UAE Dirhams)
b. UAE MOFA Attestation Fee: 150 AED (UAE Dirhams)
This means that the UAE embassy attestation/legalization fee in Nigeria is about 300 AED. However, this does not include VFS processing and ancillary fees, which sums up to about N180,000 NGN as of May 2026. Note that these fees may be variable and subject to frequent changes, depending on foreign exchange rates and other factors.
Typically, the UAE embassy only legalizes original Nigerian civil-status documents rather than photocopies or print outs, except for the digital Police Character Certificate (PCC). Even when the embassy may be able to legalize authenticated copies of documents such as academic certificates, you still need to bring the originals for sighting and confirmation purposes.
That means if you need to legalize your results, birth certificates, marriage certificates or other documents, you must have authenticated the originals of such documents at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before taking the documents to VFS Global in Abuja for UAE attestation/legalization. For Police Character Certificate in particular, you also need to have it notarized by a notary public (in addition to authenticating it at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) before it can be accepted for UAE embassy attestation/legalization.
For academic certificates (such as degree or WAEC certificates) specifically, you must also provide a letter of eligibility from the Ministry of Education in addition to the already authenticated result you need to legalize or attest at the UAE embassy.
The processing time for UAE attestation/legalization in Nigeria via VFS Global according to the new framework is said to be about 4-5 working days, although it could take longer, depending on VFS platform network issues or surges in applicant numbers. The image below is a sample of the old UAE Embassy Nigeria legalization format:
However, with the migration to VFS implemented in September 2025, legalization or attestation of documents by the UAE Embassy in Nigeria now comes with a stamped attestation certificate that looks like this:
In this attestation certificate, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, via the UAE Embassy in Nigeria (represented by VFS) will confirm that it has certified the document authenticated by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as valid, verified and officially recognized. It also provides a link for document verification (https://verify.mofa.gov.ae), using the unique reference number allocated to each attested document.
Document Legalization at the Qatar Embassy in Nigeria
The Qatar embassy in Abuja, Nigeria requires you to notarize your document in addition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication before presenting it for attestation/legalization at the embassy. You also have to present the original document. The Embassy will also ask for a copy of your International Passport Data Page, submitted along with the document you want to legalize.
If you need to legalize a university degree certificate at the Qatar Embassy in Nigeria, then you must also present the certificate along with the original, duly signed and stamped official transcripts (not student copies), including the cover page (to whom it may concern page) of the transcripts. The Qatar Embassy will legalize both the degree certificate and the transcripts.
The Qatar embassy entertains legalization matters only on Mondays and Wednesdays, and as of September 2025, their official legalization fee is approximately N65,000 Naira for each document/page, but this is subject to change without notice due to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. The processing time is about 7 days on average. After the legalization is completed, you may have to pick it up on the next operation day (Monday or Wednesday). See below for an example of a document legalized by the Qatar Embassy.
Document Legalization (Attestation) at the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Nigeria
For Nigerians seeking to submit or use documents in Saudi Arabia for employment, residency, business or other official purposes, legalization of such documents is also compulsory. Attestation/Legalization of documents at the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Nigeria requires you to present the original document already authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with a copy of your international passport data page. As of February 2026, the Saudi Embassy in Nigeria charges approximately N86, 000 NGN per document as legalization fee, and the process takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks to complete.
A sample of Saudi Arabia Embassy document attestation/legalization in Nigeria is attached below:
In the attestation seal, it will be indicated in Arabic that the Embassy of Saudi Arabia (Consular Section) certifies the authenticity of the stamp and signature without bearing responsibility for the contents of the document.
Document Legalization at the France Embassy in Nigeria
Getting your Nigerian documents legalized by the France Embassy in Nigeria requires first booking a legalization appointment with the embassy. You can book this legalization appointment with the French Embassy by sending an email to their designated email address (admin-francais.abuja-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr), requesting a date for your document to be submitted.
The email message to the embassy should bear your personal details (including passport number), and the details of the specific document that you want to legalize. If you are not in Nigeria or you are unable to make it to the Embassy of France in Abuja and you intend to use the services of a representative, you should make sure to also include the name of your appointed representative in the email to the embassy. The embassy would later reply you with a date that you should come for submission of your document.
As of February 2026, the legalization fee for the legalization of Nigerian documents at the France Embassy in Nigeria is approximately €60 EUR, payable via bank transfer to their nominated Nigerian bank account in the Naira (NGN) equivalent (which fluctuates depending on current exchange rate). This legalization fee is specifically for documents categorized as civil-status documents (such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and affidavits), and is charged under their ‘Tariff B’ tariff application category.
The processing time for document legalization by the French embassy in Nigeria is often within one week, once you are able to successfully submit the documents on the appointed date. See below, a sample of a Nigerian document (birth certificate) legalized by the France Embassy in Nigeria.
Document Legalization at the Slovakia Embassy in Nigeria (Slovak Republic)
Legalization of Nigerian documents for use in Slovakia (also known as Slovak Republic) generally requires booking a ‘superlegalization’ appointment with the Slovak Embassy in Nigeria via email. The embassy would then respond and allocate a date (usually Mondays-Wednesdays, between the hours of 9am – 12.pm) when you should bring the document, already authenticated by the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for submission at their official address in Abuja.
If you intend to use a representative to help you submit the document at the embassy, it is required for you to prepare a letter of authorization which your representative must take along with the document to be legalized to the Slovak Embassy on the date slated for the appointment. This letter, addressed to the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Abuja, must contain your name, address, passport number, as well as the name and ID card number of the assigned representative. You should also specify the document that the representative will bring for legalization, and indicate clearly that the representative will be responsible for both submission and collection of the document.
As of February 2026, the legalization fee charged by the Embassy of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) in Nigeria for civil-status documents is N55,000. Of course these fees can be revised at any time and should not be considered fixed. The entire legalization process at the Slovak Embassy in Nigeria tends to take about three weeks to complete, and they typically call or send messages to the individual who submitted the documents to come for collection when the document is ready to be picked up.
The Embassy of Slovakia in Nigeria is located at 21st Crescent, off Constitution Avenue, in the Central Business District of the Federal Capital City of Abuja.
See below, a sample of a Nigerian document legalized by the Slovak Embassy in Nigeria.
Document Legalization at the Hungary Embassy in Nigeria
The Hungary Embassy in Nigeria handles legalization of documents via an appointment booking system, through which applicants must first register and obtain a date for submission of their documents at the embassy. After authenticating the document at the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you would subsequently need to use the proprietary Konzinfo online appointment booking platform of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to book a legalization appointment at their embassy in Abuja. You may also try to email the Abuja mission of the Hungarian Embassy directly (via missions.abv@mofa.gov.hu) to follow up or reserve a legalization appointment for you if possible.
Even if you intend to use a proxy or representative to help you submit the documents for legalization at the Hungary Embassy in Abuja, you must nonetheless ensure that you book the appointment (as highlighted above) in your own name (same name on your documents). However, you must prepare a letter of authorization for your representative to take with them to the embassy – indicating your own name and passport number, the document to be legalized, and the name and ID number of your representative.
In the specific case of the Hungary Embassy in Nigeria, you may find that they use the terms ‘notarization’ and ‘legalization’ interchangeably, so do not be surprised or confused if they mention ‘notarization’ as the consular service that they would provide. It essentially means the same thing as legalization in their unique context.
As of June 2025, the Embassy of Hungary in Nigeria’s legalization fee for legalization of Nigerian documents was N43, 200 per document, plus an additional N6000 service fee payable at the embassy. These fees are subject to change at any time, so be prepared for potentially higher fees now.
Document Legalization at the Embassy of Poland in Nigeria
Legalization of documents at the Polish Embassy in Abuja is arguably one of the most stringent, expensive. difficult and time consuming we have experienced.
First, like the UAE embassy, the Polish embassy insists on legalizing the original document itself, rather than photocopies. This means that their legalization stamp would be appended on your original document (at the back of the document). For academic results, you also need to obtain and present a letter of eligibility from the Ministry of Education.
If you wish to send someone else to represent you at the embassy, you need to prepare a letter of authorization stating the person’s name and authorizing him or her to represent you as regards the legalization matter at the Polish embassy.
How the process works at the Poland Embassy is that you have to book a legalization appointment through the e-Konsulat online system. After booking the appointment, on the appointed date, you would have to pay the official Poland Embassy legalization fee of 40 euros per document and then you can submit the document and wait for collection. All of this process takes roughly one month or much longer! See an example of a document legalized by the Embassy of Poland.
Legalization of Documents at the Portugal Embassy in Nigeria
Legalization at the Portuguese embassy in Abuja, Nigeria is now done only on Tuesdays (for submissions) and Thursdays (for collections) as of January 2024, between the hours of 9.am and 12. noon. However, since January 2024, the Portugal embassy mandates that document legalization is done by online appointment.
You need to book an online appointment with the Portugal embassy to get a submission date assigned to you for the legalization of your document.
The Portugal Embassy website for booking an appointment for the legalization of documents is: https://portaldascomunidades.mne.gov.pt/pt/agendamento-online-de-atos-consulares. The website is in Portuguese language, so it is advised to access it with a browser that supports translation to English.
You would be required to go to the bank and pay the official Portuguese embassy legalization fee, and then present the payment receipt along with the document to be legalized. Note that fees change constantly due to variations in the exchange rate, so the current legalization fee may be significantly higher.
You (or your representative at the embassy) would then be asked to fill a form (see form below) and provide a copy of your International Passport data page before you submit the document you want to legalize. The procedure may take weeks to finalize. You would be issued a receipt along with the legalized document.
It is important to note that legalization at the Portugal embassy is now particularly exceedingly stressful, difficult and expensive all-round. Since they only accept submissions on Tuesdays, there’s usually a large crowd of applicants who begin to mass up at the embassy as early as 4.am. The embassy only attends to about 30 legalization applications per day, so it is a challenge to make it through the hundreds of applicants you would have to contend with.
Besides, for documents such as marriage certificate, birth certificate and police character certificate, the Portugal embassy carries out a verification procedure before proceeding with legalization of the documents. You would need to pay significant fees to their designated consultants for this verification procedure which can take between several weeks, before you then pay the official embassy legalization fee for your documents.
In the case of degree certificates, the pre-legalization verification required by the Portugal embassy can take an exceedingly long time to complete, even up to two months, as your degree certificate and similar academic results would join a pile of results sent to the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) for verification, after which you will then be required to book an appointment for a submission date for the actual legalization.
All of these hurdles and delays make legalization at the Portugal Embassy a thankless affair, which we will suggest to avoid if possible or to brace up if necessary.
See example of document legalized by the Embassy of Portugal in Nigeria below, along with legalization form and receipt.
Legalization of Documents at the China Embassy in Nigeria
The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria requires that you must notarize the document in addition to the standard authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you can present it for legalization.
The China Embassy accepts authenticated and notarized photocopies of documents such as academic results and marriage certificates (except for documents such as Police Character Certificate). However, you must present the original of the documents to be authenticated for sighting and confirmation purposes.
The embassy also requires that you provide a letter stating the reason why you want to legalize the document and the purpose of your intended travel to China. A copy of your international passport data page is also required to be submitted in addition to the documents that need to be legalized. The embassy also requires you to present the Remita receipt of payment for authentication of the document by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For most document types, it is possible to have an agent or representative submit the legalization application on your behalf, provided that both you (the applicant) and the agent sign the application form in their respective fields. However, for Police Character Certificates and Marriage Certificates specifically, the applicant must apply for legalization in person and cannot be represented by a proxy.
N.B. In case you are not sure what a notarized document looks like, see an example below:
Legalization of Documents in Italy Embassy in Nigeria
Legalization of Nigerian documents for use in Italy is done at the Italian Embassy in Lagos, not in Abuja. As part of the legalization requirements for the Italy Embassy in Nigeria, you are expected to provide the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication payment receipt (Remita) in addition to the authenticated documents. Without this receipt, the Italian Embassy will not legalize your documents.
Since November 2024, appointments for legalization at the Italian Consulate-General in Lagos are no longer booked by email. Appointments must now be booked through the Prenot@mi online portal. The process is as follows: register an account on the Prenot@mi portal using your personal email address, then send an email to conslagos.archivio@esteri.it from that same registered address, indicating “Legalization of Documents” as the service requested. The Consulate will then confirm your appointment date and time by email. Note that appointment confirmation is not immediate.
It is possible to delegate a representative (agent, family member, or friend) to attend the appointment on your behalf. However, the Prenot@mi booking must be made in the applicant’s own name using their personal email account, not the agent’s. The consulate explicitly warns against registering through an agent’s email address, as this creates dependency and can cause access problems later.
If you are outside Nigeria and need someone to represent you at the Italy embassy, you will need to prepare a letter of authorization indicating the person’s name and ID number, and also provide a copy of your international passport and your Italy Residence Permit (Soggiorno). The document you want to legalize must also be translated by a certified translator, and both the original and translated copy of the document will be presented to the Italy Embassy.
At the appointment, the consulate legalizes both the original document and its certified Italian translation, so you pay for each document together with its translation. Be careful with NPC birth records: the birth attestation issued to adults is treated as a set with its sworn Declaration of Age affidavit, and the consulate expects a certified Italian translation of the affidavit as well as of the attestation. Presenting the attestation without the affidavit translation is a common reason the birth document is rejected at the counter, and this applies to the adult attestation, not the smaller birth certificate registered for a child.
An important point to note about legalization of documents at the Italian embassy in Nigeria is that the legalization appointment booking is exceedingly long and can take several months to get a date. So you need to start as early as possible to try to book a legalization appointment on Prenot@mi. Indeed, we advise that you even book the legalization appointment an have a confirmed date before you even proceed with the prerequisite Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication of the document you need to legalize.
Legalization of Documents at the Republic of Korea (South Korea) Embassy in Nigeria
Document legalization at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) in Abuja, Nigeria requires booking an appointment first via email, that is of course after you have completed the prerequisite authentication of the documents at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The requirements for legalization by the South Korea Embassy in Nigeria are as follows:
- Fill up the legalization application form provided by the embassy (one application form per document).
- Documents to be legalized must be original and notarized with the current signature of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria. However, educational documents should be notarized with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria (signatures must not be over 6 months old).
- For applicants who wish to legalize a photocopy of their document, a stamp of a “Certified True Copy” from the issuing authority or High Court is needed, although are also required to present the original documents to the embassy for ‘sighting’ confirmation purposes. Note that photocopies of signatures are not accepted.
- For educational documents (such as WAEC certificate, degree, or transcript) to be legalized by the South Korea embassy, you need to provide an original signed letter of attestation or introduction from your school’s principal (for secondary school) or registrar or dean (for higher institution certificates), which states that you attended that school and that the certificate rightfully belongs to you. If you have more than one certificate or transcript, a letter from the most recently attended school is required.
- An affidavit from the court indicating ownership of the document as well as a copy of your international passport data page.
- The South Korea Embassy also requires you to present the Remita payment receipt generated when you were paying the official fees for authentication of your document(s) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so make sure to keep it handy. The date on the Remita receipt must also match the date of the authentication signatures on the documents.
- If you want to use a representative to help you with the legalization process at the embassy, a sworn affidavit of authorization is required, mandating the individual to represent you for that purpose. The representative must also present a copy of their international passport or NIN at the point of submission and collection.
The South Korea Embassy Legalization fees for documents tend to change frequently, as with most other embassies. However, as of the most recent official embassy notice, the fee is N6,000 per document, payable by cash only. Note that the Embassy only accepts the new Naira notes, so please bear that in mind.
See a sample of a document legalized by the South Korea Embassy in Nigeria below:
Legalization of Documents at the Egypt Embassy in Nigeria
As is the case with other embassies, the Egypt Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria requires you to first authenticate your document at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before presenting it to the embassy for legalization.
The Egypt Embassy’s legalization fee is about $58 per document page (as of September 2024),which is of course subject to change at any moment. It is important to note that the embassy does not accept the Naira equivalent of its legalization fee as payment. Instead, you are required to pay the stipulated fee in US dollars.
The processing time for legalization by the Egypt Embassy can vary, but is typically between 3 to 5 working days.
See a sample of a document legalized by the Egypt Embassy in Nigeria below:
Agency Assistance By Antarch Consulting
If you need expert assistance with authentication of documents by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and subsequent legalization of documents in Nigeria (at the embassy of the country you intend to travel to), kindly contact us.
Please note that our interventions for embassy legalization is conditional, as we are not always able to undertake the legalization process at every embassy. However, if within our ability, we will be glad to advise you on the best way forward and possibly assist you for a fair service fee. We are particularly able to help with document legalization at the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France and China embassies.