Who this page is for
Two kinds of people in Abu Dhabi need this service. Residents and visitors who have a certificate, contract or court paper in the wrong language for the office they are dealing with. And law firms, PRO teams and companies that send the same kinds of documents every week and want one price, one channel and no walk-in queue. Both get the same certified result. The difference is the price per page, which drops for bulk and recurring work.
If you are not sure whether your document needs a certified legal translation, send it on WhatsApp with the name of the authority. We tell you what it needs before you pay anything.
What legal translation in Abu Dhabi covers
Legal translation is the translation of documents that create, prove or change a legal position: a claim before the court, a power of attorney at the notary, a company resolution, a contract, or a certificate that a government department relies on. Certified translation is the same work with the translator's certification on every page, which is what courts, notaries and departments in Abu Dhabi ask for. In Abu Dhabi these documents are filed in Arabic, so anything issued in English needs a certified Arabic version first, and documents issued in Arabic often need a certified English version for a foreign court, bank, embassy or business partner.
English to Arabic translation in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi authorities file in Arabic. If your document was issued in English, whether in the UAE or abroad, it needs a certified Arabic version before ADJD, a notary public, ICP or a government department will accept it.
Documents we translate from English to Arabic
- Court documents for the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department: claims, defences, witness statements, judgments from other jurisdictions, evidence bundles
- Notary documents: powers of attorney, declarations, memorandums of association, board resolutions
- Residency and visa files for ICP: birth and marriage certificates, degree certificates, police clearance certificates, employment letters
- Commercial documents for ADGM, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and free zones: contracts, licences, financial statements, tender documents
- Personal documents: driving licences, medical reports, school records, bank statements
What the Arabic version has to be
A certified English to Arabic translation is not a summary and not a paraphrase. It is a complete rendering of every word, stamp, seal and handwritten note on the original, in Modern Standard Arabic, with the legal terms the authority expects. The licensed translator's stamp and signature on each page state that the translation is faithful to the original. That is what makes it admissible.
Arabic to English translation in Abu Dhabi
The other direction is just as common. UAE issued documents are in Arabic, and embassies, foreign universities, overseas courts, banks and employers need them in English.
Documents we translate from Arabic to English
- UAE birth, marriage and death certificates for use abroad
- Emirates ID, residence visa pages and family book extracts
- ADJD judgments, court orders and case files for foreign proceedings
- Trade licences, memorandums of association and chamber of commerce certificates for overseas banks and partners
- Police clearance certificates, medical reports and academic transcripts for immigration and study applications
Certification for use outside the UAE
Most foreign authorities accept a MoJ certified translation as is. Some ask for attestation of the translation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then the embassy of the destination country. Tell us where the document is going and we will say what it needs.
Court, notary and dispute documents for Abu Dhabi
Court and dispute documents
- Claims, defences, memoranda and witness statements for the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department
- Judgments, court orders and enforcement files, including judgments from other jurisdictions
- Evidence bundles, exhibits, expert reports and correspondence
- WhatsApp chats, emails and recordings, transcribed and translated with speaker names, timestamps and message order where available
Notary documents
- Powers of attorney, general and special
- Declarations, undertakings and NOCs
- Memorandums of association and board resolutions
Which Abu Dhabi authorities accept the translation
| Authority | Typical documents |
|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) | Claims, evidence, judgments, enforcement files |
| Abu Dhabi notary publics | Powers of attorney, declarations, company documents |
| ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) | Visa and residency supporting documents |
| ADGM | Corporate filings, contracts, financial statements |
| Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and free zones | Licences, MOAs, board resolutions |
| Federal courts, including the Federal Supreme Court | Appeals and cassation bundles |
The certification is federal. A translation stamped by a Ministry of Justice licensed sworn translator can be used in Abu Dhabi and every other emirate, subject to the receiving authority's requirements.
How much does English to Arabic translation cost in Abu Dhabi?
AED 15 to 45 per page, in both directions. The more pages you send, the closer the price gets to AED 15; a single certificate sits towards the upper end. Send the document on WhatsApp and you get an exact price before any work starts.
The price depends on page count, document type and urgency. Mairit keeps the price low because technology shortens the steps and documents go directly to a licensed translator in our network. How pricing works
How long does it take?
As fast as 6 hours for English and Arabic documents that are clear and readable. Scanned, handwritten or very long documents take longer, and you are told the delivery time with the quote.
Is the translation accepted by Abu Dhabi courts and government departments?
Each translation is certified and stamped by a UAE Ministry of Justice licensed sworn translator under Federal Decree-Law No. 22 of 2022, the certification ADJD, Abu Dhabi notary publics, ICP, ADGM and the federal courts usually ask for. Tell us the authority when you send the document and we check its requirements with you before we start.
Is a translation certified in another emirate valid in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. The Ministry of Justice licence is federal, so a translation stamped by a licensed sworn translator can be used in Abu Dhabi and every other emirate, subject to the receiving authority's requirements. You do not need a translator based in Abu Dhabi.
Do I need to visit a legal translation office in Abu Dhabi?
No. We accept documents from Abu Dhabi and from anywhere in the world through our website, WhatsApp or email, and the certified translation arrives online. If you need a paper copy, we are in Dubai, and you can arrange delivery or collection with our team.
Do you accept photos of documents?
Yes, if every word and stamp is readable. A flat, well lit photo of each page is enough. Blurry or cropped images are sent back before translation starts.
Who does the translation?
mairit.ai prepares a first draft and routes the job to a UAE Ministry of Justice licensed sworn translator, who reviews, corrects and certifies it with their Ministry of Justice licensed translator stamp. No translation is certified without that licensed translator. How certification works
Does the translation need MOFA attestation as well?
It depends on the authority. Documents issued abroad usually need attestation of the original before translation, and some authorities then require the translation itself to be attested. Tell us where the document is going and we will say which order applies.
How is Mairit different from a translation office in Abu Dhabi?
Mairit is a legal translation technology company. Our platform sends your document straight to a UAE Ministry of Justice licensed sworn translator in our network, who reviews, certifies and stamps the translation. That is why it is faster and costs less, and there is no office to visit: you send the document on WhatsApp or by email and receive the certified translation online.
Is certified translation the same as notarization?
No. Translation prepares the document in the required language and certification format. Notarization is a separate act performed by the notary. Confirm the current requirements with the Abu Dhabi notary before you submit.
What details matter in a court document translation?
Names, dates, case references, amounts, defined terms, stamps, signatures, exhibit labels, page order and consistency across the whole document set. Send every page, including stamps and attachments, and the exact spelling of each name as it appears on the Emirates ID or passport.
How to order
- Send your document on WhatsApp or by email, and say which authority it is for.
- You receive a fixed price and delivery time. Nothing starts until you confirm.
- The certified, stamped translation arrives as a PDF.
Related
Get a price on WhatsApp
Send each page and the authority it is for. You get a fixed price and delivery time before any work starts.