Criteria
The hospital your baby is delivered in will issue a ‘notification of birth certificate’ in Arabic. All expatriates must get both the Arabic and English certificate attested by the Ministry of Health (at Al Baraha Hospital) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Documents required
• Original + copy of parents’ passports with residence permits
• Copy of attested marriage certificate
• Discharge summary from hospital of mother and child
Procedure:
• Some public hospitals such as Dubai Hospital (04-7075805), Rashid Hospital (04-3371111) and Latifa Hospital (formerly Al Wasl Hospital 04-3241111) have a counter which will issue the Arabic birth certificate. Go there and hand over the documents and receive the Arabic birth certificate immediately. You can also apply for a temporary health card for your newborn, for which you will receive a health book/immunization book, which you can then use to get free immunization injections for your new born from a Dubai government health clinic.
• For an English birth certificate, go to Preventive Medicine Department at Al Baraha Hospital (also known as Kuwaiti Hospital 04-2710000).
• Get an application form from the Birth Certificate Office. A translator will type your application at the hospital. You can get it attested at the Ministry of Health Counter at Al Baraha Hospital itself.
• Take the documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for attestation. See Step 3 of 'Get documents attested in Dubai'
Tip
There is a private company called Medi Express (04-2727772, open till 7 pm), at the Al Baraha Hospital Compound, who can handle all translation and attestations for a fee of about Dh130.
Another private company called Baby Steps Dubai also does birth certificates and residency visas for new borns.
• Check with your embassy before birth to determine the rules and regulations for citizens born abroad so you can confirm the citizenship of your newborn and apply for a passport. (Checklist of foreign consulates in the UAE)
Fees
Arabic birth certificate Dh50
Translation fee Dh15
English birth certificate Dh50
Attestation fee (MoH) Dh20
Attestation fee (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Dh150
Health card Dh110
Tip
After the birth of your child, do not rush to get the birth certificate. Wait till your wife and child have been discharged from the hospital and you have had a few days’ time to finalize a name for your child, before you proceed to get the birth certificate. However, do keep in mind that the maximum period to register your child's birth is 30 days.
You must have a valid health card in order to deliver in a public hospital.
To be unmarried and pregnant is a criminal offence in Dubai. Please carry your original marriage certificate and passports with you.
Source: The official portal of Dubai Government