MOA translation in Dubai means producing an exact Arabic version of a memorandum of association, or an English version of an Arabic one, for licensing authorities, notaries, banks and investors. Wordcraft translates MOAs, amendments, board resolutions, incorporation certificates and trade licenses as MOJ-certified legal translations, and can arrange the notarization and attestation steps in the same order.
Mainland company setups, share transfers and bank account openings nearly always involve at least one of these documents. Email the draft MOA or the parent company's papers and say what is changing; the written quote arrives within 10–30 minutes and covers every step, not only the translation.
Why a Mainland MOA Has to Match in Arabic
For mainland companies, the memorandum of association is normally prepared in Arabic, usually as a bilingual Arabic–English document, and signed before a notary public. The Arabic text is the one the licensing authority, the notary and the courts rely on, so it must say exactly what the English says: shareholding percentages, capital, management powers, profit sharing, transfer restrictions and the company's activities. We translate:
- New MOAs drafted in English that need an Arabic version, or bilingual MOAs that need checking side by side
- MOA amendments and addenda for share transfers, new partners, a change of manager, a change of activity or a change of capital
- Arabic MOAs into English for foreign shareholders, investors, auditors and banks
Free zone companies usually have constitutional documents in English, but an Arabic translation is often needed when those documents go to an onshore court, an onshore authority or a bank that works in Arabic. When an MOA is amended, the change itself is signed before a notary; see MOA amendments.
Parent-Company Documents From Abroad
When a foreign company opens a branch, forms a subsidiary or takes shares in a UAE company, the licensing authority usually asks for its corporate papers:
| Document | Issued by | Attested abroad before translation? | Usually submitted to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of incorporation or commercial register extract | Company registry in the home country | Yes | Licensing authority, bank |
| Memorandum and articles of association, or equivalent | Company registry or the company itself | Yes | Licensing authority |
| Certificate of good standing or incumbency certificate | Company registry or registered agent | Yes | Licensing authority, bank |
| Board resolution approving the UAE entity and its manager | Parent company board | Yes, usually after notarization | Licensing authority, notary |
| Power of attorney for the person signing in the UAE | Parent company | Yes, after notarization | Notary, licensing authority, bank |
These papers are normally notarized in the home country, authenticated there and legalized by the UAE Embassy, which now issues the UAE MOFA attestation digitally as part of the same step. An apostille does not stand in for that embassy legalization, because the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention. After legalization, an MOJ-licensed legal translator translates the documents into Arabic. Sequence matters: translating before attestation usually means translating again, since the attestation stamps belong in the Arabic version.
Board Resolutions, POAs and Licenses After Setup
Company life after setup produces a steady stream of documents for translation: resolutions approving bank signatories, powers of attorney for PRO work or litigation, shareholder agreements, share transfer documents, and trade licenses or commercial register extracts for tenders abroad. Resolutions that must be signed before a notary in the UAE are covered on our board resolution notarization page. Company names, registration numbers and officer names stay identical across every document, so the licensing authority and the bank see one consistent file.
MOA Translation, Notary and Attestation in One Order
Because Wordcraft also handles notarization, attestation and business setup, a single order can cover the whole chain:
- Confirming which documents the licensing authority and the bank want for your structure
- Arranging home-country attestation and UAE Embassy legalization of the parent company's papers
- MOJ-certified Arabic legal translation of each document
- Preparing the MOA, resolutions or powers of attorney and arranging their notarization in the UAE
- Supporting the license application and the company bank account opening
The quote lists each of these steps separately, and every step shows in your order tracking as it moves. Finished translations arrive as PDFs, and stamped sets can be couriered to your PRO or bank free of charge. For the setup itself, see mainland business setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a mainland MOA have to be in Arabic?
Yes. Mainland MOAs are drawn up in Arabic, normally as a bilingual Arabic–English document, and signed before a notary.
Do the parent company's documents need attestation before translation?
Usually yes. Home-country authentication and UAE Embassy legalization come first (MOFA attestation is now part of the embassy step), then the Arabic legal translation.
Can you translate an Arabic MOA into English for investors?
Yes. Arabic MOAs, amendments and trade licenses are translated into English for shareholders, auditors, banks and head offices.
Can translation and notarization be handled together?
Yes. We translate the documents and arrange the notary and attestation steps within one order.
Do free zone companies need Arabic translations?
Not always. Free zone documents are often in English, but onshore courts, onshore authorities and some banks usually want them in Arabic.
Last updated: September 2026
