Translation
What Is Legal Translation? Meaning and Use in the UAE
October 27, 20266 minute read
What is legal translation? It is the translation of a legal or official document into another language, done by a legal translator so that the meaning, names and dates stay exact. In the UAE, that usually means Arabic. We draft your document, handle the translation, and our in-house notary public notarises it at our Business Bay office, online or on a home visit.
Call or WhatsApp +971 50 264 8766 to tell us your document.
Most people miss one point: an ordinary translation is not enough for official use. Translations for official use are done by a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice. A translation by a friend, or by software, is usually turned away.
What Is Legal Translation: The Short Answer
Legal translation turns a document such as a contract, a power of attorney, a birth certificate or a court paper into another language. It keeps the legal meaning, not just the words. A small mistake in a name, a date or a term can make the document useless.
You need it when a document in one language must be used by an office that works in another. Courts, ministries and notaries in the UAE work in Arabic, so an English document often needs an Arabic version.
What Is Legal Translation Used For in the UAE
You may need it for:
- A power of attorney written in English that must be used before a UAE authority.
- A foreign certificate, such as a birth or marriage certificate, that must be accepted in the UAE.
- A contract or agreement that a court or authority will read.
- An affidavit or declaration that must be notarised.
Each office has its own rules. If you are not sure, ask us before you pay for a translation.
What Is Legal Translation Documents Required
Bring the original document, or a clear copy if the original stays with you. Also bring:
- Your passport or Emirates ID.
- The names of every person in the document, spelt as in their passports.
- The name of the office that will read the translation.
If the document came from abroad, it may first need attestation in the country that issued it. Read our guide on what is attestation and what is legalisation to see the order.
Ask about your document
Tell us the document and how many people will sign, and we will give you the government fee and our starting price in one message.
Step by step
What Is Legal Translation Procedure
- Send us the document by WhatsApp or email, and tell us where you will use it.
- We tell you what the document needs and give you the government fee and our starting price.
- A legal translator prepares the translation and we check names and dates with you.
- Our in-house notary public notarises the document, in person at our Business Bay office, online or at a home visit.
- If the document goes abroad, it is attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFAIC), then by the destination country's embassy or consulate in the UAE.
The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so it does not use an apostille. Our page on what is apostille explains what is used instead.
Prices
What Is Legal Translation Fees
Our translation starts from AED 50 per page. Adding translation coordination to a job starts from AED 350. MOFAIC attestation handling starts from AED 150 for a personal document and from AED 300 for a commercial document.
Government fees are separate. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, notarising a translation in the instrument is AED 50 per page. MOFAIC charges AED 150 for personal documents, and a higher fee for commercial documents, as listed on the MOFAIC attestation page. Embassy fees are separate again.
All service prices are starting prices and are negotiable. Government fees are paid on top, at cost, exactly as the authority charges them. We confirm your final price before you pay.
Watch for
Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a translator who is not registered with the Ministry of Justice for a document meant for official use.
- Spelling a name differently from the passport.
- Translating a foreign document before it has its attestation, then finding the office wants the chain in a different order.
- Signing before the appointment, when the notary must watch you sign.
- Leaving blank fields in the document.
Not every document needs a notary. Our guide on what documents are notarized in the UAE shows which ones do.
How We Help
We draft your document, handle the translation, and our in-house notary public notarises it. An Arab notary public sits at our Business Bay office. Office appointments run Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Dubai time), and WhatsApp answered 24/7.
We also offer online notary public services through the official channels, the Ministry of Justice E-Notary system and Dubai Courts remote attendance. We tell you whether your document can be done that way.
How much does legal translation cost?
Our translation starts from AED 50 per page. The government fee for notarising a translation in the instrument is AED 50 per page, and it is paid on top at cost. Send us the document and we confirm the final price before you pay.
How long does legal translation take?
The time depends on the length and type of document. We do not promise a fixed time. Send us the document and ask us for the current timing.
What documents are required for legal translation?
Bring the original document or a clear copy, and your passport or Emirates ID. Names must match the passports. A document from abroad may need attestation first.
Can legal translation be done online?
You can send us the document by WhatsApp or email, and we prepare the translation. Notarisation can sometimes be done online through the official channels, and we tell you if yours can. See also what notarised means.
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Talk to us
Next step
Call or WhatsApp +971 50 264 8766, or email help@notaryservicesindubai.com. Tell us the document and how many people will sign, and we will give you the government fee and our starting price in one message.
Notary Services in Dubai, 707 Burj Khalifa Blvd, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE.
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