Document Attestation
Legal translation Dubai
Only a translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice produces a translation that courts and authorities accept. Accuracy is not the test; the registration is.
- 7Government authorities we file with
- 0%Mark-up on government fees
- 24hTarget to submit an urgent, complete file
- 200+Guides, updated as rules change
- 1Named officer on your file, start to finish
The government entities your application is processed through
We prepare and submit applications on your written authorisation. MIRDXB PRO is a private service provider and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official agent of any authority shown. Names and logos belong to their owners and are shown for identification only.
The short version
- A legal translation is accepted only when a translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice signs and stamps it.
- For a document in English, translation comes after attestation, so the stamps are translated too. Translate first and you pay twice.
- A fluent bilingual colleague, an unregistered agency or machine translation will not do for official use, however accurate.
- Translators set their own prices, usually per page. We found no official tariff for what they charge clients.
In short: A legal translation in the UAE is an Arabic translation signed and stamped by a translator registered with the Ministry of Justice, which regulates the profession under Federal Decree-Law No. 22 of 2022. UAE courts and the Dubai Courts notary require one for any document not in Arabic, the Dubai Land Department asks for one on a company buyer's Memorandum of Association, and MOFA needs one only when a document is in neither Arabic nor English. For an English certificate, attest first, then translate. Translators set their own per-page prices, and a standard certificate typically takes 1 to 3 working days.
Legal translation is one of those services where the quality of the language is almost beside the point. What authorities check is whether the translator is on the Ministry of Justice register and whether the stamp is on the document.
What is a legal translation in the UAE?
It is a translation, normally into Arabic, prepared and certified by a legal translator registered with the federal Ministry of Justice. The Ministry admits translators to its register after checking a recognised translation qualification, experience (five years for expatriates), a health certificate and professional error insurance, and then issues a translator card. The profession is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 22 of 2022 on Regulating the Profession of Translation.
| Item | Ordinary translation | Legal translation |
|---|---|---|
| Produced by | Anyone fluent | Translator registered with the Ministry of Justice |
| Carries the translator's stamp and signature | No | Yes |
| Accepted by courts and notaries | No | Yes |
| Usable for visa, property and licence files | No | Yes |
| Cost | Low | Set by the translation office, usually per page |
Someone has a document translated cheaply, submits it, and it is rejected, not because the translation was wrong but because the translator was not registered with the Ministry of Justice. The whole cost is lost and the timeline restarts.
When do you need a legal translation in Dubai?
Whenever the authority receiving the document asks for Arabic. The rules below are taken from each authority's own published requirements.
| Where the document is used | What the authority requires |
|---|---|
| UAE courts, including Dubai Courts | Documents must be in Arabic or translated into Arabic by a legal translator approved by the Ministry of Justice. |
| Notary public at Dubai Courts | A document not in Arabic needs a legal translation certified by the Ministry of Justice. A document issued abroad also needs the full attestation chain. |
| Dubai Land Department | A company buying property files its Memorandum of Association with a legal translation into Arabic, attested by MOFA for foreign and GCC companies. |
| MOFA attestation | The original must be in Arabic or English, or carry a legally certified translation. |
| GDRFA Dubai | Depends on the service. The humanitarian residence service, for example, lists an attested marriage certificate translated into Arabic. |
| Civil marriage | Documents not in Arabic need certified Arabic translations stamped by the Ministry of Justice. |
Because requirements differ by service, we check what the receiving authority asks for before you pay for a translation. For a family visa file, see our marriage certificate attestation page.
Should you translate before or after attestation?
For a document in English, after. A legal translation reproduces everything on the document, including the attestation stamps and seals. If you translate before those stamps exist, the translation is incomplete and has to be redone.
Complete the attestation chain
Issuing authority, home country foreign ministry, UAE Embassy, then UAE MOFA. See the attestation chain explained and our document attestation service.
Then translate
A legal translator registered with the Ministry of Justice renders the document and every stamp on it into Arabic.
Submit both together
Original plus legal translation. Authorities generally want to see both.
A document in another language, such as French or Urdu, is different. MOFA attestation accepts documents only in Arabic or English or with a legally certified translation, so the translation has to be planned into the chain. We confirm whether it should be attested with the original abroad or prepared in the UAE by a registered translator. An apostille does not change this; see apostille versus attestation.
What we arrange, and who translates
MIRDXB PRO is a private PRO and visa services company in Al Barsha 1, Dubai. We are not a translation office and we do not hold a Ministry of Justice translator registration. We arrange your translation through legal translators registered with the Ministry, check the finished translation against the original and the passport spelling, and file it with the attestation, visa or licence application it belongs to.
| Document | Typically needed for |
|---|---|
| Marriage certificate | Spouse sponsorship |
| Birth certificate | Child sponsorship |
| Divorce certificate | Family matters, remarriage, sponsorship changes |
| Degree and transcripts | Employment, licensing, degree recognition |
| Memorandum of Association | Company formation, amendments, property purchase |
| Powers of attorney | Legal representation, property |
| Contracts and agreements | Court filings, commercial registration |
| Court judgments | Enforcement, family matters |
| Police clearance | Certain visas and professions |
| Driving licence and other personal records | Wherever the receiving authority asks for Arabic |
| Medical reports | Insurance, humanitarian applications |
How much does legal translation cost in Dubai, and how long does it take?
Each translation office sets its own price, usually per page. We found no Ministry of Justice tariff for what legal translators charge clients. The AED 3,000 the Ministry lists is the fee a translator pays to register, not a fee you pay.
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Page count | Priced per page; the primary driver |
| Document type | Contracts, judgments and technical texts cost more than standard certificates |
| Language pair | Less common source languages cost more and may take longer |
| Turnaround | Typically 1 to 3 working days for a standard certificate; same day is often possible for a short text at extra cost |
| These are market timings, not an official service standard. Send the document and we quote exactly in writing, because page count is only meaningful once we can see it. | |
Where translations get rejected
- Translator not registered with the Ministry of Justice. The most common cause, and entirely avoidable.
- Translated before attestation, so the stamps are missing from the translation.
- Name spellings inconsistent with the passport. The translator follows the source document, so if the source is wrong, the translation is faithfully wrong.
- Partial translation, with stamps, seals or marginal notes left out.
- Original not presented alongside the translation.
If your name is rendered differently across your passport and your source document, say so before the translator starts. They translate what is in front of them, and flagging the discrepancy early is what prevents a mismatch downstream.
Legal translation questions
What makes a translation legally valid in the UAE?
It must be prepared and certified by a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice, with the translator's stamp and signature on it. Accuracy alone is not enough: a translation by an unregistered translator is rejected regardless of quality.
Is MIRDXB PRO a Ministry of Justice translator?
No. MIRDXB PRO is a private PRO and visa services company in Al Barsha 1, Dubai. We arrange translations through legal translators registered with the Ministry of Justice, check them against the original and the passport, and file them with your application.
Do I need an Arabic translation if my document is in English?
It depends on where it is used. MOFA accepts English documents without translation, but UAE courts, the Dubai Courts notary and some property and residence services require an Arabic legal translation. We check the receiving authority's rule before you pay for one.
Should I translate before or after attestation?
For a document in English, after: a legal translation reproduces every stamp and seal, so translating first produces an incomplete translation that has to be redone. A document in another language needs its translation planned into the chain, because MOFA accepts only Arabic, English or a legally certified translation.
Can my bilingual friend translate my documents?
Not for official purposes. Courts and authorities look for a translator registered with the Ministry of Justice, not for fluency. The same applies to unregistered agencies and machine translation.
How much does legal translation cost in Dubai?
Each translation office sets its own price, usually per page, depending on document type, language pair and urgency. We found no Ministry of Justice tariff for client fees; the AED 3,000 the Ministry lists is a translator's registration fee. Send the document for an exact written quote.
How long does legal translation take?
Typically 1 to 3 working days for a standard certificate, longer for long contracts or rare language pairs. Same-day turnaround is often possible for a short text at extra cost. These are market timings, not an official standard.
Do I need to submit the original as well?
Generally yes. Authorities want to see the attested original alongside the legal translation, not the translation on its own.
How can I check that a translator is registered?
The Ministry of Justice issues each registered legal translator a translator card, and the stamp on the translation identifies the translator. Ask the translation office which registered translator signs your document; if in doubt, the Ministry's call centre is on 800 333 333.
- Ministry of Justice: Registration of Legal Translator (requirements, translator card, AED 3,000 registration fee)
- Ministry of Justice: Federal Decree-Law No. 22 of 2022 on Regulating the Profession of Translation
- u.ae: Civil cases (court documents in Arabic or translated by a Ministry of Justice approved legal translator)
- Dubai Courts: Power of attorney ratification (legal translation certified by the Ministry of Justice)
- Dubai Land Department: Register an initial sale (company Memorandum of Association with legal translation into Arabic)
- MOFA UAE: Documents attestation (Arabic or English, or a legally certified translation)
- GDRFA Dubai: Residence permit for humanitarian cases (marriage certificate translated into Arabic)
- u.ae: Civil marriage (certified Arabic translations stamped by the Ministry of Justice)
Please note. The legal translator registration rules (Ministry of Justice service page and Federal Decree-Law No. 22 of 2022) and the translation requirements of UAE courts, the Dubai Courts notary, the Dubai Land Department, MOFA, GDRFA Dubai and civil marriage were re-checked against moj.gov.ae, u.ae, dc.gov.ae, dubailand.gov.ae, mofa.gov.ae and gdrfad.gov.ae on 10–11 October 2026. Translation prices and turnaround times are set by private translation offices, not by the government. MIRDXB PRO is not a translation office or a registered legal translator. General information, not legal advice.
Deadlines
The dates that cost money if you miss them
30 days
To register a birth in the UAE
Residents have a maximum of 30 days to register a birth, and the hospital or health authority asks for an attested marriage certificate, in Arabic or with an Arabic translation. u.ae
Why MIRDXB PRO
Checked first. Filed right. Priced in writing.
We check before we quote
ILOE, WPS, company category, card validity, overstay and attestation, all checked on day one.
Government fees at cost
Published fees passed through unchanged. Our fee is separate, fixed and in writing before you commit.
Filed at the right counter
Amer, Tasheel, MOHRE, ICP or the owning authority, in the order the authorities need it.
We tell you when the answer is no
We would rather lose the work than lodge something that fails.
How it works
From first message to final stamp, in four steps
- 01
Tell us what you need
One WhatsApp message or call about your situation.
About 30 seconds - 02
We check and quote
File checks first, then government fees, our fee and the timeline in writing.
Before anything is paid - 03
We file it
Submitted at Amer, Tasheel, MOHRE or the owning authority, in the right order.
24h target to submit urgent files - 04
Done, with updates
Progress on WhatsApp at every stage until the file is closed.
Named officer throughout
Knowledge Hub
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- MOFA AttestationThe final UAE stamp that completes an overseas document.Official fees from AED 150
- Degree Certificate AttestationThe full chain plus MOHRE equivalency — sequenced so nothing is wasted.Official fees from AED 150
- Marriage Certificate AttestationRequired before any spouse sponsorship. Start it before you fly.Official fees from AED 150
- Birth Certificate AttestationRequired for child sponsorship — and both parents must be named on it.Official fees from AED 150
- Document AttestationDegree, marriage and birth certificates, sequenced correctly.Official fees from AED 150
Fixed quote
Get Legal Translation handled
Send us your situation. We confirm what applies to your file, the published government fees and our own fee, in writing, before anything is paid.
- WhatsApp+971 56 897 4054
- Call+971 56 897 4054
- Emailinfo@mirdxbpro.com
- HoursWhatsApp us any time, 24 hours; office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00 (Dubai time)
- OfficeAl Barsha 1, Dubai, UAE
Get your fixed quote
Tell us what you need and a PRO consultant will reply within one business hour. No obligation, no pressure.
Prefer to talk now? WhatsApp +971 56 897 4054 or email info@mirdxbpro.com.
MIRDXB PRO is a private PRO services company acting solely on the written authorisation of its clients. We are not a government body and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official agent of GDRFA Dubai, ICP, MOHRE, MOFA, Amer, Tasheel or any other authority. Government fees are passed on at cost; our own fee is quoted in writing before we start. Fees, eligibility rules and processing times are set by the relevant authority and can change without notice. This page is general information, not legal advice.