المحتوى التفصيلي لهذه الصفحة متوفر حالياً باللغة الإنجليزية.
Legal translation in Dubai means a translation stamped and signed by a legal translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice, so Dubai Courts, notaries and government offices accept it. Wordcraft's Al Twar office translates contracts, court papers, powers of attorney and personal certificates between Arabic, English and 150+ other languages. Send a photo on WhatsApp and we confirm the format the receiving office needs before we start.
Legal translation is a specialized process of converting legal documents and official papers from one language to another, ensuring accuracy and compliance with legal standards. At Wordcraft, we provide Legal Translation Services in Dubai, offering certified translations approved by the UAE Ministry of Justice (MOJ). Legal translation is mainly used for contracts and other documents, such as court decisions, complaints, declarations, certificates, licenses, powers of attorney, etc., which are precisely translated to serve a legitimate purpose or a legal procedure. Whether you’re in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or Ras Al Khaimah, our expertise ensures your legal documents meet all the requirements for submission to courts, government, and semi-government institutions.
Reviewed by Antar Bitat, MOJ-licensed legal translator (Arabic ⇄ English), Dubai office.
New to this? Start with our overview of legal translation in Dubai. Related reading: why accuracy matters in legal translation.
Our Legal Translation in Dubai is indispensable for applications related to legal authorities or official proceedings. We specialize in translating documents into multiple languages, ensuring precision and confidentiality.
Languages We Specialize In:
- Arabic
- English
- French
- Russian
- Chinese
- Spanish
- German
- Italian
- Turkish
- Farsi
Importance of Legal Translation in the UAE
Wordcraft provides Legal Translation Services in Dubai accredited by the UAE Ministry of Justice (MOJ), ensuring that every translation meets the highest standards of accuracy and legality. Our services extend to certifying and legalizing translations for use in other countries. From birth and marriage certificates to passports and driver’s licenses, we handle a wide range of legal documents with precision and care.
Selecting a professional Legal Translation Service in Dubai is crucial for handling complex legal and linguistic requirements. Not all translators possess the necessary expertise to accurately translate legal documents.
Documents We Specialize In:
- Notarized Documents: Translation of marriage and birth certificates, driver’s licenses, passports, and other government-required documents.
- Laws and Regulations: Accurate translation of laws and legal regulations.
- Court Orders: Translation of court judgments and provisions for legal proceedings.
- Patent Procedures: Professional translation of patent-related documents to ensure global acceptance.
- Contracts: Translation of agreements between multiple stakeholders, ensuring clarity and compliance.
- Official Documents: Translation of diplomas, identity documents, and residence proofs.
- Legal Publications: Translation of legal academic materials.
At Wordcraft, we pride ourselves on being the most reliable provider of Legal Translation in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, and beyond. With expertise in over 150 languages, including Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, and Chinese, we ensure every document meets legal standards and client expectations.
Choose Wordcraft for Legal Translation in Dubai
Wordcraft is an accredited and Certified Legal Translation Company in Dubai approved by the Ministry of Justice UAE. Selecting a trustworthy company to translate your documents is essential. This is due to the fact that a single mistake might destroy your entire document and result in legal issues. Our qualified legal translators are licensed by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) to translate legal texts.
- Certified Professionals: All translations are performed by professional translators.
- Extensive Coverage: Services available across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
- Multilingual Expertise: Accurate translations in the world’s most widely spoken languages.
- Wordcraft offers document collection and delivery and secure services in all emirates.
- Confidentiality: We have strict privacy policies and handle your document very confidentially without disclosing any data.
Get in touch with us for more!
Legal Translation by Language
- Arabic ↔ English Legal Translation
- Chinese Legal Translation
- French Legal Translation
- Italian Legal Translation
- Russian Legal Translation
- Spanish Legal Translation
- German Legal Translation
- Turkish Legal Translation
Legal Translation by Emirate
How It Works — Step by Step
- Send your document on WhatsApp or email, or drop it at our Dubai HQ in Al Twar or any of our other offices in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or Ras Al Khaimah.
- Get a free quote within 10–30 minutes confirming the language pair, the receiving authority and the delivery time — before any work starts.
- Translation and review — a legal translator translates your document and a second linguist proofreads it.
- Certification — the translation is stamped and signed by an MOJ-licensed legal translator.
- Collection or delivery — pick it up from our office or use our pickup and delivery service. If the receiving authority asks for it, we can also arrange notarization or MOFA attestation.
Who Needs This Service
Residents, visitors and companies in Dubai need a certified legal translation whenever a document in another language goes to Dubai Courts, the Dubai Land Department, a ministry, a free zone, a bank, a school or an embassy. Typical cases:
- Residence, family-visa and Golden Visa applications
- Court cases, police matters and legal notices
- Property transfers, tenancy contracts and bank requirements
- Company formation, MOAs and commercial contracts
- School admission and certificate equivalency
Visit Our Dubai Office in Al Twar
Our legal translators in Dubai work from the head office in Al Twar: Office 307, Arzoo Building (Sharjah Islamic Bank Building), next to Al Twar Centre, Al Qusais 2. Bring documents in person, or send them on WhatsApp to +971 56 681 3996 and skip the visit entirely.
- Opening hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 AM–7:00 PM · Saturday 9:00 AM–2:00 PM · Sunday closed
- Phone: +971 56 681 3996 (mobile & WhatsApp) · 04 239 6262
- Email: info@wordcraft.ae
Why the Al Twar location helps with legal translation
Al Twar Centre next door houses government service counters, and many of the transactions handled there (notary, labor, residency and licensing files) only accept a foreign document with an Arabic legal translation attached. So customers have the document translated by our MOJ-certified legal translators first, check it with us, and go to their appointment with a complete file.
What to bring to the office
- The original document (or a clear copy if the receiving authority only needs a copy)
- Your passport or Emirates ID, so names are spelled exactly as in your ID
- The name of the court, department or embassy that will receive the translation
From Al Twar we serve Al Qusais, Al Nahda, Muhaisnah, Mirdif, Al Garhoud and Deira, and collect and return originals free anywhere in Dubai. Directions, areas served and the office's Google reviews are on the Dubai Al Twar office page. Our Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah offices are listed on the contact page.
Documents our Al Twar translators handle most
- Employment contracts, offer letters and salary certificates for MOHRE and employers
- Birth, marriage and divorce certificates for residency and family files
- Police clearance certificates, court judgments and legal notices
- Powers of attorney and affidavits going to the notary
- Degree certificates and transcripts for equivalency and job applications
A second linguist proofreads each translation before it is stamped, and the certified file is sent online as soon as it is ready.
You are not limited to the languages the Al Twar team speaks in-house. A rare-language document dropped at the Dubai office goes to a specialist from our 150+ language network and is certified by our MOJ-certified legal translators, with no second office visit. Coming from Sharjah? Al Twar sits close to the Dubai–Sharjah border, which makes it one of the quicker Dubai offices to reach.
Where Our Legal Translations Are Accepted in Dubai
A legal translation is only useful if the office receiving it accepts it the first time. These are the Dubai and federal bodies our translations go to most often, what they usually receive, and what they look at:
| Receiving body | Typical documents | What they look at |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai Courts (civil, family, labor and criminal cases) | Judgments, pleadings, police reports, evidence, foreign judgments filed for enforcement | Arabic text for every page, including stamps and handwritten notes; the legal translator's stamp and signature |
| Notary public (Dubai Courts notary and licensed private notaries) | Powers of attorney, affidavits, declarations, contracts signed by people who do not read Arabic | Names spelled exactly as in the passport; bilingual layout where the notary asks for it |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) | UAE-issued documents, and their translations, that will be used abroad | A completed UAE document chain before attestation; the destination embassy may add its own step |
| GDRFA Dubai and ICP | Birth and marriage certificates for family visas, name-change and custody papers | Foreign documents attested before translation; names matching the passport and Emirates ID |
| Dubai Land Department | Property powers of attorney, inheritance papers, buyer and seller company documents | Requirements are set per transaction by the department or the trustee office, so we check them first |
| MOHRE and employers | Employment contracts, experience letters, degree certificates | Job titles and dates that match the work permit file |
| RTA | Foreign driving licenses that are not in Arabic or English | A legal translation attached to a copy of the license |
| Embassies, consulates and banks | UAE Arabic documents for home-country use, statements, company papers | Varies: some accept a UAE legal translation, others use their own translators |
Each office sets its own rules and can change them. Tell us who will receive the document and we confirm the right format in your quote. The licensing of legal translators sits with the Ministry of Justice.
Documents We Translate for Legal Use
Most legal translation work in Dubai comes down to a few dozen document types. Each one below has its own page covering the attestation order, the names and stamps that trip people up, and who receives it:
- Family and civil status: birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees and death certificates
- Education, work and background checks: degrees and transcripts, police clearance certificates, driving licenses
- Courts and disputes: court judgments and case files, translation for law firms and arbitration
- Business and property: contracts, memoranda of association, powers of attorney, property documents, bank statements
- Health and emigration: medical reports, immigration files for Canada, the UK, Australia and Europe
The full list, grouped by receiving authority, is on our document translation hub.
Legal, Certified or Standard Translation: Which One You Need
People use these three terms loosely, and the wrong choice is the most common reason a translation is sent back. The difference is who signs it and who will accept it:
| Type | Who signs it | Accepted by | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal translation | A legal translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice, with an official stamp and signature | UAE courts, notaries, ministries, ICP, GDRFA, RTA and most government offices | Court cases, visas, notarized POAs, property and company files |
| Certified translation | The translation company, on letterhead with a statement of accuracy | Many employers, insurers, universities and private companies | HR files, insurance claims, admissions, internal records |
| Standard translation | No certification | No official body | Reading and understanding a document, drafts, correspondence |
If any UAE authority is involved, choose the legal translation. When a foreign authority asks for a "sworn" translation, read our sworn translation page first, and see certified translation for the letterhead format.
Legal Translation in South Asian, Asian and African Languages
Dubai's courts and government offices see far more Hindi, Urdu and Malayalam than French or German, so these languages have their own pages with the documents each community brings:
- India and South Asia: Hindi legal translation, Urdu legal translation, Malayalam legal translation, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Nepali, Sinhala and other Indian languages
- Southeast and East Asia: Tagalog, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean
- Central Asia and the Middle East: Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, Hebrew
- Africa and Europe: Amharic, Portuguese, Ukrainian
Every language we cover, 150+ in total, is listed on the translation languages page.
Related guide: How to get a legal translation in Dubai, step by step.
Dubai Courts or DIFC Courts? Check the Language First
Dubai has two court systems, and they want translations in opposite directions. Dubai Courts work in Arabic, so a document in English or any other language goes in with an Arabic legal translation. DIFC Courts work in English: under Part 2 of the DIFC Courts Rules, proceedings are conducted in English and documents filed or served must be in English. An Arabic contract or certificate therefore usually needs an English translation for a DIFC case.
The two systems also meet. The same rules say that when a DIFC judgment, order or direction is served outside the DIFC in the UAE, an Arabic translation is lodged with it, and if the two versions differ, the English one prevails. Our guide on Dubai Courts vs DIFC Courts translation covers each court's needs in more detail. Not sure which court your case is in? Send us the first page of the claim or notice and we will tell you which language it needs.
Documents We Translate Most for Dubai, by Case
Most people come to us with one situation, not one document. This is what usually goes into each file. The receiving office has the final say, so we check its current list with you first.
| Your case | Documents we usually translate | Who it usually goes to |
|---|---|---|
| Family visa or residency | Marriage and birth certificates (attested first if issued abroad), name-change papers | GDRFA Dubai and ICP |
| Court case or legal dispute | Contracts, judgments, police reports, chats and emails used as evidence, legal notices | Dubai Courts (into Arabic) or DIFC Courts (into English) |
| Property purchase, sale or inheritance | Powers of attorney, inheritance papers, company documents of the buyer or seller | Dubai Land Department and trustee offices |
| Company set-up or changes | Memorandum of association, board resolutions, certificates of incorporation, passports of partners | Licensing authority, free zone, notary, bank |
| School or university admission | Transfer certificates, report cards, degree certificates and transcripts | The school or university, and equivalency where needed |
| Driving licence exchange | Foreign driving licence that is not in Arabic or English | RTA |
What Decides the Cost of a Legal Translation in Dubai
We don't publish one price, because two documents that look alike can be very different jobs. These are the things that change the quote:
- Language pair. Arabic and English are the most common; rarer languages go to a specialist from our network.
- Length and density. A one-page certificate and a 40-page contract are not the same work.
- Layout, stamps and handwriting. Tables, seals and handwritten notes all have to be translated and placed so the office can match them.
- Your deadline. Tell us your deadline and we confirm what is possible before we start.
- Extra steps. Notarization, MOFA attestation or extra certified copies are added only if the receiving office asks for them.
Government fees, where a step needs one, are payable at cost. We confirm the exact fee and our service charge in writing before any work begins. Free pickup and delivery of your documents is available in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.
Dubai office (Al Twar): Office 307, Arzoo Building, next to Al Twar Centre. Call +971 56 681 3996, toll-free 800 9673, or send your document on WhatsApp. Directions and hours are on our Dubai office page.
More Questions About Legal Translation in the UAE
Who can do a legal translation in the UAE?
Only a translator whom the UAE Ministry of Justice has licensed as a legal translator. The license belongs to the individual translator, and their stamp and signature on each page is what gives the translation official standing. At Wordcraft, a second linguist proofreads the text before an MOJ-licensed legal translator stamps and signs it.
Is a legal translation made in Dubai valid in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah?
In practice, yes. A translation stamped by an MOJ-licensed legal translator is used with courts and government offices across the UAE. Some offices have preferences of their own, such as a bilingual layout or a notarized copy, so tell us which emirate and office will receive it.
Should I translate before or after attestation?
For a document issued abroad, attest it first. The attestation stamps are then translated along with the text, and the authority sees one complete file. Our guide translate or attest first? walks through both directions.
How do I check that the translator is MOJ-licensed?
Look for the translator's official stamp, signature and certification statement on the translation, and compare the name with the register kept by the Ministry of Justice. Our guide on how to verify an MOJ legal translator shows what a correct certification looks like.
Frequently Asked Questions About Legal Translation in Dubai
What is legal translation in Dubai?
Legal translation in Dubai is the translation of legally binding documents — contracts, court judgments, certificates and powers of attorney — by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice (MOJ), so the translation is officially accepted by UAE courts, government departments, notaries and embassies.
Does my legal translation need to be MOJ-certified?
Yes. UAE courts and government bodies only accept legal translations stamped by an MOJ-licensed legal translator. A non-certified or freelance translation is normally rejected. Every Wordcraft legal translation is stamped by an MOJ-licensed legal translator, which is the format Dubai courts and government offices ask for.
How long does legal translation take in Dubai?
Timing depends on the document and its length — tell us your deadline and we confirm what is possible before we start. For urgent documents, mention your deadline in your first WhatsApp message.
Can Wordcraft translate Arabic to English for Dubai Courts?
Yes. We provide MOJ-certified Arabic-to-English and English-to-Arabic legal translation that is accepted by Dubai Courts, government departments and notaries, as well as 150+ other language pairs.
Do you offer legal translation in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah?
Yes. Wordcraft has offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, with free pickup and delivery of your documents in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.
How much does legal translation cost in Dubai?
Pricing depends on the language pair, document type and length. Contact Wordcraft for a fast, transparent free quote — we confirm the fee in writing before any work begins, and free pickup and delivery is available in the areas we serve.
Do DIFC Courts accept Arabic documents?
DIFC Courts work in English: their rules say proceedings are conducted in English and documents filed or served must be in English. So an Arabic contract, judgment or certificate normally needs an English translation before it goes into a DIFC case. Tell us the case stage and the document, and we confirm the format with you before we start.
Can you translate a Dubai Courts judgment for use abroad?
Yes. We translate the judgment into the language the foreign authority asks for. If it also has to be attested for use outside the UAE, we explain the MOFA step and any embassy requirement for that country, and we can handle the attestation for you so the translation and the attested judgment stay together as one file.
Do I need the original document for a legal translation?
For most translations a clear scan or photo is enough for us to translate from. Some offices ask to see the original together with the translation, and documents issued abroad usually need attesting before they are translated. Tell us who will receive the translation and we tell you whether the original is needed.
Is a legal translation the same as a certified translation?
Not always. In the UAE, a legal translation is one stamped and signed by an MOJ-licensed legal translator, and that is what courts, notaries and government offices accept. People also say certified for this. Some private bodies accept a company-certified translation on letterhead instead. Tell us who will receive it and we advise which one you need.
Can you translate WhatsApp chats or screenshots for a court case?
Yes. We translate chat exports, emails and screenshots used as evidence, and we keep the layout, names, dates and times so each translated message can be matched to the original. Send the files in the form you plan to submit them, and tell us which court and case stage they are for.
Which areas of Dubai do you serve for legal translation?
Our Dubai office is at Al Twar, near Al Qusais. Customers from Deira, Al Nahda, Mirdif, Bur Dubai, Business Bay, JLT and the rest of Dubai send documents on WhatsApp or visit the office. Free pickup and delivery of your documents is available across Dubai, and in Sharjah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.
Last updated: October 2026
