The UAE is made up of many expats and while Arabic is the official language, English is widely spoken across the seven Emirates. Often documents will originate in another language and will need to be translated into Arabic before they can be submitted to the UAE Courts or government authorities.

In December 2018, a new rule introduced by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai was implemented stating that all marriage and birth certificates submitted to support dependent visa applications will also need to be legally translated into Arabic. In fact, many government authorities will only accept documents submitted in Arabic and, most importantly, translations completed by an official translator who is certified by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

Many companies can deem cost and timeframe to be the key considerations when selecting a translator but it is also important to ensure that the translation is an accurate representation of the English. Translation errors can be costly to a business in the long term, including in terms of time delays and can event have financial implications. The importance of the translator should not be overlooked, as things can often be lost in translation and Arabic translations will always take precedent should there be any discrepancies or if the documents need to be presented to the Courts.

When searching for your next translator, check to see if they are MoJ certified, this ensures the accuracy of the source document which in turn means that discrepancies are less likely to occur. Ensure you trust the translator you choose and that you believe they will maintain the integrity of the document and not just translate the words as they appear. The cost of using an MoJ certified translator can save you a great deal of time and hassle in the long run and avoid any issues in the future where documents may have been incorrectly translated.

If you are would like to find out more about our translation service, please get in touch with a member of the team on consultants@linksgroup.com or +971 (0) 4 446 3900.