Legal translation for Abu Dhabi courts and the notary comes down to one written rule: the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) asks that any document not in Arabic is translated by a certified translator, and on many services the translator’s valid licence card goes with it. Documents issued abroad also need MOFA attestation first. The English-language Notary Bureau is the main exception.
Send a photo on WhatsApp and we’ll confirm the requirements and quote in writing before we start.
Send a photo on WhatsAppSo before you pay anyone to translate a thing, it helps to know which ADJD door your papers are going through. This checklist walks through that, using what ADJD’s own service pages say today. If you already know you need a court-ready translation, our legal translation in Abu Dhabi page explains how we handle it from the Al Ghaith Tower office.
What does ADJD actually ask for?
ADJD runs the courts, the public prosecution and the notary public in Abu Dhabi, and most of its services are applied for online. The conditions are listed on each service’s “Terms and Conditions” page, and the translation line repeats across many of them in nearly the same words:
- On notary services such as contracts, memorandums of association and requests to add the executive wording to a notarial record: any document in a language other than Arabic must be duly translated by a certified translator.
- On family services such as proof of divorce: a document issued in a language other than Arabic should be translated by a certified translator, and that translator’s valid licence card is attached.
- On the same family pages: any document issued outside the UAE must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Read together, that gives you the order of work. The foreign document gets attested, then translated into Arabic by someone who can attach a valid licence, then uploaded with the application. If you’re not sure a translator is properly licensed, our guide on how to check an MOJ legal translator shows where to look.
Is there an English-only route in Abu Dhabi?
Yes, and it saves people money, so it’s worth knowing before anything else. ADJD set up a Notary Services Bureau in English that notarises transactions in English. Its page says plainly that you no longer need to translate legal documents or attachments into Arabic, because the Bureau accepts English documents as they are.
The services it lists include contracts of all kinds, declarations and undertakings, settlement agreements, powers of attorney, signature authentication, and company documents such as board resolutions and minutes. It works online, so you can apply from outside the emirate.
Two honest caveats. First, it covers documents in English, not in Hindi, French or Russian; those still need a translation, usually into English or Arabic. Second, the notarised document may later be used somewhere that wants Arabic, like a bank, a land department or a court in another emirate. Ask the receiving office before you choose the English route, not after.
Which documents usually need an Arabic translation?
Here’s the practical picture for papers heading to ADJD courts or the Arabic-language notary. It isn’t an official list; it’s what typically lands on the desk.
| Situation | Documents people bring | What to check first |
|---|---|---|
| Civil or commercial claim | Contracts, invoices, emails, statements, a foreign judgment | Which pages the lawyer will rely on; translate those, not the whole file |
| Family matter (marriage, divorce, custody) | Marriage certificate, divorce decree, birth certificates | Foreign originals attested by MOFA before translation |
| Notarising in Arabic | Power of attorney, company resolution, sale agreement | Whether the English Notary Bureau would take it as is |
| Enforcing a foreign judgment | The judgment, proof it is final | Certified and stamped with the executive wording of the court that issued it |
That last row comes straight from ADJD’s family service conditions: a court judgment from outside the country has to be certified and carry the executive wording of the competent court, and it must be final and unappealable. If yours is a foreign judgment, our court judgment translation page covers the translation side.
Attest first or translate first?
For a document issued abroad, attest first. Say you have a marriage certificate from Manila and you need it for a family case in Abu Dhabi. It goes through the attestation chain for the Philippines and the UAE, and only then is it translated. If you translate first, the attestation stamps added later aren’t in the translation, and the court sees a mismatch.
Documents issued inside the UAE in English, like a Dubai trade licence or a UAE company’s contract, don’t need MOFA attestation for this purpose. They go straight to translation. If you’re unsure which applies, our MOFA attestation in Abu Dhabi page explains when the ministry step is needed.
Six checks before you submit to ADJD
- Every page is there. Back pages with stamps count. A missing page is the most common reason a file gets queried.
- Names match the passport and Emirates ID. Agree one spelling for each name and give it to the translator up front.
- Stamps and seals are translated too. The attestation and apostille text on the document is part of what gets translated.
- The licence card is attached where the service asks for it. On family services ADJD says it in writing; don’t leave it out.
- The scan is clear and in PDF. ADJD’s English notary page asks for signed, scanned forms attached in PDF, with attention to clarity. The same habit helps everywhere.
- You know who the other side is. ADJD’s civil claim form reminds claimants to attach documents with an English translation if the defendant doesn’t speak Arabic, so a claim may need both languages. Ask your lawyer early.
What about Al Ain and the rest of the emirate?
ADJD serves the whole emirate of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain included, and most applications are online, so the same conditions apply wherever you live. Our Abu Dhabi office serves customers in Al Ain too; we don’t have a separate office there. For anything going to a Dubai court instead, the rules differ, and our piece on Dubai Courts and DIFC Courts translation covers that side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Abu Dhabi courts accept documents in English?
Court work in Abu Dhabi is in Arabic, and ADJD’s service conditions ask for documents in other languages to be translated by a certified translator. ADJD’s civil claim form also asks claimants to add an English translation when the defendant doesn’t speak Arabic. The English Notary Services Bureau is a separate notary service that accepts English documents as they are.
Who can translate documents for ADJD?
ADJD’s pages say a certified translator, and on several services the translator’s valid licence card has to be attached. In practice that means a legal translator licensed in the UAE. Ask the translation office which translator will sign your document and whether the licence card will be included in the file you upload.
Can I use the English Notary Bureau for a power of attorney?
ADJD lists all types of power of attorney among the English Notary Bureau’s services, done online in English. Before choosing it, ask whoever will receive the POA, such as a bank, a buyer or another emirate’s office, whether an English-only notarised POA works for them. If they want Arabic, a bilingual POA may be the safer option.
Does a foreign document need MOFA attestation before translation?
For ADJD family services, yes: the conditions say any document issued outside the UAE must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Do the attestation first and the translation afterwards, so the translated copy includes every stamp the court will see on the original.
Do I need to translate my whole bank statement or contract?
Not always. Your lawyer decides which documents and pages support the case, and the court can ask for more later. Translating only what is relied on keeps the file shorter and cheaper. Check with your lawyer before cutting anything, because a missing exhibit can delay a hearing.
Do Abu Dhabi courts accept documents in English?
Court work in Abu Dhabi is in Arabic, and ADJD’s service conditions ask for documents in other languages to be translated by a certified translator. ADJD’s civil claim form also asks claimants to add an English translation when the defendant doesn’t speak Arabic. The English Notary Services Bureau is a separate notary service that accepts English documents as they are.
Who can translate documents for ADJD?
ADJD’s pages say a certified translator, and on several services the translator’s valid licence card has to be attached. In practice that means a legal translator licensed in the UAE. Ask the translation office which translator will sign your document and whether the licence card will be included in the file you upload.
Can I use the English Notary Bureau for a power of attorney?
ADJD lists all types of power of attorney among the English Notary Bureau’s services, done online in English. Before choosing it, ask whoever will receive the POA, such as a bank, a buyer or another emirate’s office, whether an English-only notarised POA works for them. If they want Arabic, a bilingual POA may be the safer option.
Does a foreign document need MOFA attestation before translation?
For ADJD family services, yes: the conditions say any document issued outside the UAE must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Do the attestation first and the translation afterwards, so the translated copy includes every stamp the court will see on the original.
Do I need to translate my whole bank statement or contract?
Not always. Your lawyer decides which documents and pages support the case, and the court can ask for more later. Translating only what is relied on keeps the file shorter and cheaper. Check with your lawyer before cutting anything, because a missing exhibit can delay a hearing.
Where Wordcraft Comes In
Our Abu Dhabi office in Al Ghaith Tower, Hamdan Street, translates legal documents into and out of Arabic in 150+ languages. The translation is stamped by an MOJ-licensed legal translator and checked by a second linguist. If the original still needs attestation, or you’re deciding between the English and Arabic notary routes, we can tell you which fits and arrange the steps. You’ll find directions on our Abu Dhabi office page, and we also have offices in Dubai (Al Twar), Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
Send a photo of your document and tell us which ADJD service it’s for. We offer free pickup and delivery of your documents in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and RAK, and you’ll get a written quote before any work starts. Government fees are payable at cost; we confirm the exact fee and our service charge in writing before any work begins. Tell us your deadline and we’ll confirm what’s possible. WhatsApp us on +971 56 681 3996 or call toll-free 800 9673.
Sources checked on 25 October 2026: Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, Notary Services Bureau in English and Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, Proof of Divorce service conditions.