I posted the following in another thread, but it is germane here as well: MM: It is good to know that docs from HH. Sh Zayed Land carry cachet, which incidentally brings up the issue of authenticated documents. I have a university degree that is authenticated by the U.S. authorities and the UAE Embassy in Washington D.C. When I went to the Embassy of Qatar in Abu Dhabi to get this document authenticated for employment in Qatar, I was told that neither the embassy nor the consulate does any authenticating. I was further told to take this document to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs for authentication (a step that was not required for UAE employment) before bringing it with me to the MOFA in Doha for the final stamp of approval. Curious as to why a UAE stamp would somehow smooth the way for Qatari authentication, I inquired as to why the UAE MOFA would be a necessary step in this bureaucratic circle-jerk. I was genuinely curious about how this "workaround" works, as if it might give me some insight into the bureaucratic mindset of the GCC, insight which is always handy when queuing for one stamp or visa or signature or document or photograph or fingerprint or whatever the hell they ask for next. I was simply told, "Do you want a solution to your problem or not? I am giving you a solution." Seeing that an explanation was not going to be forthcoming, I gathered my documents, offered my sincere thanks, and proceeded to the UAE MOFA for yet another stamp, and this time a stamp that was not even required for UAE employment but for employment in another country. My conclusion was that a UAE stamp on a document somehow signals around the GCC that this document is legit, so there is no need for questioning, just lick and stamp and move it along. Incidentally, this Qatari consular clerk is the same person who also told me that it would not be a problem to export my 2004 vehicle to Qatar. I have a feeling that only one of the clerk's methods is going to work.
I posted the following in another thread, but it is germane here as well: MM: It is good to know that docs from HH. Sh Zayed Land carry cachet, which incidentally brings up the issue of authenticated documents. I have a university degree that is authenticated by the U.S. authorities and the UAE Embassy in Washington D.C. When I went to the Embassy of Qatar in Abu Dhabi to get this document authenticated for employment in Qatar, I was told that neither the embassy nor the consulate does any authenticating. I was further told to take this document to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs for authentication (a step that was not required for UAE employment) before bringing it with me to the MOFA in Doha for the final stamp of approval. Curious as to why a UAE stamp would somehow smooth the way for Qatari authentication, I inquired as to why the UAE MOFA would be a necessary step in this bureaucratic circle-jerk. I was genuinely curious about how this "workaround" works, as if it might give me some insight into the bureaucratic mindset of the GCC, insight which is always handy when queuing for one stamp or visa or signature or document or photograph or fingerprint or whatever the hell they ask for next. I was simply told, "Do you want a solution to your problem or not? I am giving you a solution." Seeing that an explanation was not going to be forthcoming, I gathered my documents, offered my sincere thanks, and proceeded to the UAE MOFA for yet another stamp, and this time a stamp that was not even required for UAE employment but for employment in another country. My conclusion was that a UAE stamp on a document somehow signals around the GCC that this document is legit, so there is no need for questioning, just lick and stamp and move it along. Incidentally, this Qatari consular clerk is the same person who also told me that it would not be a problem to export my 2004 vehicle to Qatar. I have a feeling that only one of the clerk's methods is going to work.