In this guide 7 sections
Decide what you need the person to do
Write down the part of the move you can’t handle in person. Identify the property, file or application involved and the name of the organisation handling it. Then describe what the other person would need to do. If your request is “sort out the paperwork”, break it into individual actions. There may be a decision or a signature you want to handle yourself, even if someone else can submit or collect documents.
| Task you want help with | Question to settle first |
|---|---|
| Submit a document you’ve already signed | Can someone deliver it and, if so, what proof do they need to bring? |
| Attend an appointment | Can a representative attend, and are there any parts you must complete yourself? |
| Sign a specific document | Does the receiving organisation accept a representative’s signature for this service, and what authority must they show? |
| Collect a final record | Can someone collect it, what identification do they need and how will you check receipt? |
| Pay a stated charge | Who accepts the payment, how will it be recorded and who will keep the receipt? |
Choose someone you can reach during the period when the task is due. Ask if they can attend at the required time and how they will update you. If you are considering a professional, ask what they charge, what the service covers and how you can verify their identity or credentials. If the task changes, ask the receiving organisation what the person can still do before asking them to take on anything extra.
Plan for a change of appointment
Plan for a gap in availability. The appointment might move, your representative might be unable to attend or an organisation might need an answer from you. Check whether you can speak to the receiving organisation yourself, deal with any follow-up remotely or reschedule. Knowing the fallback helps you decide if using a representative is practical for that part of the move.
If the paperwork involves more than one organisation, separate the tasks by recipient. One team may accept a representative to collect a record while another needs you to complete a later step. Write down which answer came from which organisation, and the date it confirmed its position. If the second step depends on the first, confirm what the second organisation needs to receive before you arrange the first appointment. This helps you check that the record you’ll collect is the one you can use.
Ask the receiving organisation what it accepts
Start with the authority or organisation that will accept the work. Give it the exact service name and the task you want someone to perform. Ask whether it accepts a representative for that action and whether you must attend any part yourself. If you’re working with a relocation company or an agent, ask it to identify the receiving team and the service instructions it relies on.
For example, Dubai Land Department’s sale registration service says it accepts legally authorised representatives for that transaction. That tells you something about the sale registration service. It leaves questions about what evidence it would accept for a specific property or representative. If your task concerns a lease, a utility or another move-related service, check with the organisation handling that task. Dubai Land Department property sale registration
Ask whether the receiving team can tell you what form of authority it accepts. Confirm whether it needs the original, a certified copy or an electronic version, and whether it needs to see any supporting document. Ask which language or languages it accepts. If the authority will be issued overseas, explain where it will be signed and ask whether the place of issue changes the requirements. Save the reply or service reference with the proposed appointment.
Check what the organisation allows remotely
Suppose you’re still abroad and a relative can visit an office to collect a document. You then find out the office also expects someone to acknowledge receipt on a particular form. Ask whether the relative can sign that acknowledgement and whether the evidence they planned to bring is enough. If the answer depends on the specific form or file, get the reference from the office before taking the next step.
Try a question that lets the receiving team identify what you need. For example, “I’m outside the UAE and have already signed the application for this file. Can the person I name deliver it, sign to acknowledge receipt and collect the record? What proof would they need for each of those actions?” If the team answers only part of the question, follow up on the remaining step. Ask it to point you to the current written instructions if those are available. Use the reply to brief your representative and to spot any question that still needs a notary or adviser.
Check the power of attorney and notary route
If the receiving organisation says it needs a power of attorney, ask it what it must cover and how it needs to be issued. A power of attorney authorises someone to act for you. The authority you need depends on what you want that person to do and what the recipient accepts. Ask a suitable legal adviser or the relevant notary about a document for the defined task and how to avoid giving wider authority than you intend.
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department’s English Notary Services Bureau describes digital authentication of documents including powers of attorney. It lists a special power of attorney for a specific property and accepts English documents at its own bureau. If you’re considering that route, ask the bureau whether it can handle your situation and check language and format separately with the organisation that will receive the document. Abu Dhabi English Notary Services Bureau
Confirm signing and document requirements
Ask the notary or adviser what information is needed about you, the proposed representative and the task. Explain where you are and whether you can attend if required. Ask what it can confirm about the expected process, timing and what you’ll receive at the end. Then check those details against the receiving organisation’s instructions. If the organisation gave you a checklist, share it with the notary or adviser so it can see the requirements you’re trying to meet.
If the document will be made abroad, check the receiving team’s instructions before arranging signing, authentication or translation. Ask which version it needs, how it treats the place of issue and whether it accepts an electronic or paper copy. For the separate paperwork checks, see the guide to UAE document attestation and the guide to certified translations for UAE relocation.
Prepare documents for your representative
Once you know the route, make a list of what your representative will need on the day. Confirm whether they need an appointment, who makes the booking and whether they should have the reference with them. Ask for the exact form of identification they need to present. Find out if you’ll need to be reachable to confirm anything while the representative is there.
| Item to confirm | What to put in your handover |
|---|---|
| Service and task | Exact name, location, file or transaction reference and what you’ve asked them to do |
| Proof of authority | The version the receiving team said it accepts and any supporting instructions |
| Identity and other records | Which records they need to bring, who supplies them and what must be returned |
| Payments | Any amount agreed, who pays it and where the receipt should go |
| Completion | What they should receive, how you’ll confirm it and what to do if it’s unavailable |
Use a secure method agreed with the recipient or your representative when passing on identity or other private records. Check whether the receiving organisation needs an original or can use an accepted copy. When an original leaves your possession, record who holds it, what they need it for and when you’ll get it back. Keep the documents for this task together so that someone dealing with one appointment gets the relevant material.
Agree what to do if the request changes
Write down what you want the representative to do if a new request comes up. They might be asked for another document or invited to take a step you haven’t discussed. Ask them to get the request in writing if possible and contact you before proceeding. If the new step falls outside the original task, check with the receiving team and your adviser before relying on the existing authority. Put the best way to reach you in the handover.
Check the schedule against your own availability. If an appointment falls in UAE working hours while you are in Canada, Australia, the US or the UK, write the appointment time in both time zones. Agree how quickly you can answer a request. If you will be in transit and unavailable, tell the representative what can wait and which questions should be put to the receiving team. If you’d need to approve a change yourself, ask what happens when the office cannot reach you before it closes.
Check that the task is complete
Decide what will count as completed before your representative goes. If the task is submitting an application, ask what proof of submission the organisation issues and when you should check again. If the task is collecting a record, ask how your representative should confirm that they have the right one. A receipt, status reference or final document can each tell you something different.
Suppose your representative submits a paper record and sends you a payment receipt. Check whether the receipt identifies the service and file you asked them to deal with. Ask whether the receiving team has also provided a submission reference or confirmation of the next step. If the application is still pending, make a note of when you’ll check it yourself. Keep a record of who will answer a request for more information.
Get the originals and close the task
Once the task is done, confirm that originals, keys or any unused payment funds have been returned. Ask the notary, legal adviser or receiving team what else you need to do if you want the authority to end or if the task is no longer going ahead. Keep the proof of completion and any instructions you receive. If the arrangement changes before the task is finished, check that the people and organisations involved know which instruction applies.
Using a representative can help you plan around an appointment or document you can’t deal with in person. Keep the rest of the move tied to the dates you can verify. If you’re planning to start work or move into a home soon after arriving, leave room for the paperwork to take longer than expected. The guide to moving to Dubai covers how to put those dependencies into a wider relocation plan.
Questions about using a representative
Can someone complete UAE relocation paperwork while I’m overseas?
Ask the receiving organisation about the exact service and the task you want someone to do. Check which parts it allows a representative to handle and whether you need to attend or provide anything yourself.
Do I always need a power of attorney?
Ask the organisation handling the task what proof it requires. Explain whether the person will submit a signed document, sign for you, pay a charge or collect a record.
Will the organisation accept a power of attorney issued abroad?
Give it the service name and the intended place of issue. Ask about the required scope, form, language and any authentication or translation before you arrange it.
Will an English power of attorney be accepted in the UAE?
Ask the receiving team which languages it accepts. The Abu Dhabi English Notary Services Bureau describes services in English, while the organisation receiving your document can have its own instructions.
What should I give the representative before an appointment?
Confirm the appointment, service reference and exact documents the receiving team says it needs. Explain what the representative should do if asked to perform a different task or supply another record.
What should I keep after the appointment?
Keep a copy of what was submitted, any receipt or reference and the final record if issued. Check which step each item confirms and note any date you need to follow up.
