To get a legal translation in Dubai, work out who will receive the document, check whether it needs attestation first, choose a legal translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice, send a clear copy with your deadline, then check the stamped translation against the original before you hand it in. Five steps, and most rejections come from skipping the first two.
Send a photo on WhatsApp and we’ll confirm the requirements and quote in writing before we start.
Send a photo on WhatsAppSay your landlord, a bank or a court clerk has just told you “we need this translated.” That sentence hides several questions: into which language, by whom, and in what order with the other stamps. This guide walks through them. If you would rather hand it over, our page on legal translation in Dubai explains how we work, and the legal translation services for Dubai courts and offices page lists the documents we translate most.
Step 1: Find out who will receive the document
The receiving office decides the rules, not the translator. Before you send anything anywhere, ask the office what it wants. Four questions cover it:
- Which language does it need, Arabic, English or something else?
- Does it want a legal (stamped) translation, or will a plain translation do?
- Does the translation have to be done by a translator licensed in the UAE?
- Does it want the original, a copy, or both, with the translation?
Courts are the strictest. UAE government guidance says documents filed in the courts must be in Arabic, and anything in another language should be translated into Arabic by a legal translator approved by the Ministry of Justice. Banks, free zone authorities, immigration offices and embassies each have their own habits, so a quick call or a look at their website saves a second trip.
Related guide: Dubai Courts vs DIFC Courts translation: what each one needs.
Step 2: Check whether the document must be attested before it is translated
This is the step people skip. A document issued abroad, such as a degree, a marriage certificate or a company document, often has to go through attestation in its home country and at the UAE embassy before a UAE office accepts it. Whether the translation comes before or after depends on the document and the receiving office.
We wrote a separate guide on exactly this: translate or attest first in the UAE. The short version is that translating too early can mean doing it twice, because the stamps and attestation text may also need to appear in the translation. When in doubt, ask the receiving office, or ask us before you pay for anything.
Step 3: Choose a licensed legal translator and check the licence
In the UAE, legal translators are registered with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). The ministry says it licenses legal translators and publishes how many are registered on its homepage, moj.gov.ae. A translator on that register is the person whose stamp courts and many government offices expect to see.
A few practical checks before you hire anyone:
- Ask for the translator’s name and licence details, and check them with the Ministry rather than relying on a logo or a website claim.
- Ask whether the translation will carry the translator’s stamp and signature, and whether the office name appears on it.
- Ask about the language pair. A translator registered for English and Arabic is not automatically registered for French or Russian.
- Be careful with “certified translation” as a phrase. It means different things in different countries, and UAE offices care about the licence, not the wording on the website.
Step 4: Send a clear copy, the exact names and your deadline
A good translation starts with a good scan. Send every page, including the back of cards and any page with a stamp, even if it looks blank. Photos taken on a phone are usually fine if the text is sharp and nothing is cut off.
- Names. Tell the translator how your name is spelled on your passport or Emirates ID. If your name is spelled one way on the certificate and another way on the passport, say so up front, because the translation will be compared against your ID.
- Dates. Say whether dates on the original are Gregorian or Hijri.
- Purpose. A court filing, a visa application and a bank file may be formatted differently.
- Deadline. Tell the translator when you need it. A good translator tells you what is realistic before starting, not after.
Step 5: Check the stamped translation before you leave
Read the translation against the original, line by line, while the translator can still fix it. Look at:
- Every name, ID number, date and amount in numerals.
- Stamps, seals and handwritten notes. These should be translated or described, not ignored.
- That each page of the translation is stamped and signed, and that the page count makes sense.
- That the translation is attached to a copy of the original, if the receiving office wants them together.
Keep the original with the translation. Many offices will want to see both.
Common mistakes that get translations rejected
- Translating before finding out whether the document needs attestation first.
- Using a translator who is not licensed for UAE legal use, then discovering it at the counter.
- Names spelled differently from the passport or Emirates ID.
- Skipping stamps and marginal notes in the translation.
- Sending a cropped or blurry scan, so the translator guesses a number.
- Asking for the wrong language. Some Dubai offices want Arabic, while DIFC-related work is often in English, so confirm first.
What decides the cost and how long it takes
Price and timing depend on the language pair, the document type, how many pages there are and how clear the scan is. Court documents and long contracts take longer than a single certificate. Government fees, if any, are payable at cost, and we confirm the fee and our service charge in writing before any work begins. Tell us your deadline and we tell you what is possible before we start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a legal translation or will a normal translation do?
It depends on who receives it. Courts, government offices and many banks ask for a stamped legal translation. A friend or colleague may be fine for your own reading, but not for an official file. Ask the receiving office before you decide.
Can I translate my own document?
For personal understanding, yes. For an official submission, most offices will not accept a translation you made yourself. They want a licensed translator’s stamp, so you would have to pay twice if you start with your own version.
How do I know a translator is licensed in the UAE?
Ask for the translator’s name and licence details and confirm them with the Ministry of Justice. The ministry says it licenses legal translators and publishes a count on its website. Do not rely only on a company website claim.
Should I attest the document before I translate it?
Sometimes. Foreign-issued documents often need attestation for UAE use, and the order can matter. Check with the receiving office, or read our guide on translating or attesting first, so you do not pay for the same work twice.
Which language will Dubai courts accept?
UAE government guidance says documents presented to the courts should be in Arabic, or translated into Arabic by an approved legal translator. DIFC Courts work in a different way, so check the rules of the court you are dealing with.
Can you collect my documents if I cannot visit the office?
Yes. We offer free pickup and delivery of your documents in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. Send a photo on WhatsApp first and we tell you what to hand over.
Do I need a legal translation or will a normal translation do?
It depends on who receives it. Courts, government offices and many banks ask for a stamped legal translation. A friend or colleague may be fine for your own reading, but not for an official file. Ask the receiving office before you decide.
Can I translate my own document?
For personal understanding, yes. For an official submission, most offices will not accept a translation you made yourself. They want a licensed translator’s stamp, so you would have to pay twice if you start with your own version.
How do I know a translator is licensed in the UAE?
Ask for the translator’s name and licence details and confirm them with the Ministry of Justice. The ministry says it licenses legal translators and publishes a count on its website. Do not rely only on a company website claim.
Should I attest the document before I translate it?
Sometimes. Foreign-issued documents often need attestation for UAE use, and the order can matter. Check with the receiving office, or read our guide on translating or attesting first, so you do not pay for the same work twice.
Which language will Dubai courts accept?
UAE government guidance says documents presented to the courts should be in Arabic, or translated into Arabic by an approved legal translator. DIFC Courts work in a different way, so check the rules of the court you are dealing with.
Can you collect my documents if I cannot visit the office?
Yes. We offer free pickup and delivery of your documents in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. Send a photo on WhatsApp first and we tell you what to hand over.
Where Wordcraft Comes In
We translate legal documents in more than 150 languages, with Arabic and English the most common pair in Dubai, and we can tell you whether your document needs attestation before translation. We offer free pickup and delivery of documents in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. Send a photo on WhatsApp at +971 56 681 3996 or call toll-free 800 9673, and we confirm the fee in writing before any work begins. Our Dubai office is in Al Twar, and the Dubai location page has the details.
