GENERAL POWER OF ATTORNEY, UAE
General Power of Attorney in Dubai
A general power of attorney gives your agent broad authority to act across several of your affairs, not one task alone. Our in-house notary public notarises it at our Business Bay office, online or at your home, from AED 1,500.
In-house notary public at our Business Bay office. Online and home visit notary services across the UAE.
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In-house notary public
We notarise your general POA at our Business Bay office
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Broad, not one task
Covers several matters in one document
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Arabic and English
Both texts checked side by side
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In person, online or at home
Sign where it suits you
What a general power of attorney is
A general power of attorney gives an agent authority over a wide range of a person’s affairs, rather than one named task. It is used when the principal will be away or unavailable for a period and wants one agent able to deal with several matters as they come up, such as banking, property, government paperwork or ongoing business affairs. This is different from a special power of attorney, which is written for a single task and ends once that task is finished. A general POA still has to set out what the agent may do. UAE practice does not accept an open-ended grant with no description at all, and a bank or authority reads what is written, not what was intended.
Who a general power of attorney suits
An owner travelling for an extended period
One agent manages banking, property and paperwork while the principal is away.
A business owner with multiple matters
Covers several recurring tasks instead of a separate POA for each one.
An elderly or unwell family member
Lets a trusted family member handle affairs on their behalf.
Someone managing affairs from abroad
Signed online, so distance does not stop the agent from acting.
What the document must contain
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The principal and the agent
Both named as in their passports, with the relationship stated where relevant.
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The areas of authority
Written out by subject, such as banking, property or government matters, not left as one unexplained line.
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What is excluded
Anything the principal wants to keep for themselves, stated clearly.
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A duration or a condition, where used
Many run until revoked. Some are written to end on a stated date.
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Signatures
The principal’s signature, witnessed and notarised.
Broad does not mean unlimited
A general power of attorney is broad across subjects, not without limits. Every authority it grants still has to be written down, because a bank, Dubai Land Department or another registry only acts on what the document actually says. Where a receiving party wants something narrower, such as one bank wanting authority over one account rather than “banking matters” generally, we write a special power of attorney instead and point you to that page.
How your general power of attorney is notarised
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Contact us
Send a WhatsApp message or book online.
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Tell us the areas of authority
Banking, property, government filings, or another combination.
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Draft and check
We draft, or check a draft you already have, against how broad the agent’s role needs to be.
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Sign and notarise
In person at our Business Bay office, online or at your home.
What it costs
| Document | Fee | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| General power of attorney | from AED 1,500 | Passport or Emirates ID for principal and agent |
Fees may vary with the document; we confirm the figure before you sign.
What to bring
Passport or Emirates ID for the principal and the agent, and a note of every area of authority the general POA should cover.
General
General power of attorney
Broad authority across several matters, for an agent managing ongoing affairs.
Special
Special power of attorney
Limited to one task, and it ends once that task is done.
When an authority asks for something narrower
Some banks and registries accept a general power of attorney without question. Others, especially a bank opening or operating a specific account, ask for a power of attorney naming that account directly. We check what the receiving party expects before you sign, so you are not holding a document they send back.
- Confirm what the receiving authority actually requires
- Write a special power of attorney instead, where that is what is asked for
- Keep both documents on file if the agent needs more than one
Who signs, and what we check
The principal, in person, online or through their own attorney
The agent, named by passport or Emirates ID
Each area of authority, listed by subject
Any exclusion the principal wants recorded
A duration or condition, if one applies
Where a general power of attorney is refused
A general power of attorney is refused less often for its breadth than for what it leaves unwritten. An area of authority is implied rather than stated. The agent is described loosely, such as “my representative”, rather than named. Or the document is presented to a bank that wants a power of attorney specific to one account. We check these before you sign, not after an authority sends it back.
Common problems, and the fix
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An area of authority is implied, not written
Fix: list each area the agent needs, by name.
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The agent is described loosely
Fix: name the agent as in their passport or Emirates ID.
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A bank wants a narrower document
Fix: write a special power of attorney for that one account instead.
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The document is older than the authority accepts
Fix: check the age limit with the receiving party, and renew if needed.
After notarisation
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Present it to the authority
A bank, government office or registry checks the notarised POA before accepting the agent’s signature.
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The agent acts within the areas listed
Only the authority written into the document, nothing assumed beyond it.
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Keep a copy
Keep the notarised original and a digital copy, for the agent and for your own file.
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Revoke it when it is no longer needed
Tell us when it should be cancelled, so the agent’s authority ends formally.
When you need something narrower instead
A general power of attorney is not the right document for one specific transaction a bank or registry wants named directly. We write that as a special power of attorney, so the scope matches exactly what is being asked.
Tell us the areas of authority. We write the scope to match.
Documents we notarise are presented to authorities, free zones and banks across the UAE.
Related documents
Three ways to get it notarised
Questions about general power of attorney
What can a general power of attorney cover?
Whatever areas of authority are written into it, such as banking, property and government matters. It does not cover anything left unwritten.
How is it different from a special power of attorney?
A general POA covers several matters. A special POA is written for one task and ends once it is done.
Will every bank accept a general power of attorney?
Most do, but some ask for a power of attorney naming one specific account. We check this before you sign.
Can I grant one if I am outside the UAE?
Yes, through our online notary public service, subject to the receiving authority’s own requirements.
Can a general power of attorney be cancelled?
Yes, at any time by the principal. Tell us and we help put the cancellation on record.
Does it expire?
Many run until revoked. Some are written to end on a stated date, and a bank or authority may also set its own age limit for accepting one.
We have it.
Your reference is . Quote it if you call.
We reply by email within 30 minutes.
What the reply will contain: whether the document is fit for what you need it to do, what would have to change, who would need to attend, and what it would cost.
What has not happened: nothing is booked, nothing is filed, no retainer exists, and this is not legal advice.
Where to find us
Address
Empire Heights Tower B, Fountain Street, Business Bay, Dubai
Hours
Office and calls: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Dubai time. WhatsApp: 24/7, reply within 10 minutes. Email: 24/7, reply within 30 minutes.
Phone
+971 56 282 2994
info@dubainotaryservices.ae
Get your general power of attorney notarised
Tell us the areas of authority the agent needs, and we confirm the fee before you sign.