How to Translate UAE Arabic Documents for Use Abroad

To use a UAE Arabic document abroad, follow three steps. First, get the official digital copy of the document. Second, attest it at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and choose the country where you will use it. Third, translate the attested document into the language that country needs.

This guide is for expats sending a UAE birth certificate, police clearance certificate, salary certificate or similar document to another country.

Copy, Attest, Translate: In That Order

1. Get the right copy. You need the official digital document with a QR code, not a scan.
2. Attest it at MOFA. Apply online and pick your destination country.
3. Translate it. Translate the document and the MOFA attestation together.

The order matters. The translator must translate the MOFA attestation too. If you translate first, the attestation is missing from your translation and the foreign authority may reject it. We explain this in detail in attestation or translation first.

Step 1: Get the Official Digital Copy of Your Document

MOFA now attests birth certificates, death certificates, police clearance certificates and educational certificates digitally only. This is in MOFA’s user guide from October 2026.

So a paper copy or a scan will not work. You need the original digital PDF from the authority that issued it. The PDF must have a QR code, a barcode or a reference number.

Where to get it:

Step 2: Attest the Document at MOFA

Attestation tells the foreign country that your UAE document is real. You can apply online yourself, or let our attestation team handle it with the translation.

How to apply:

1. Log in to the MOFA website or the UAE MOFA app with UAE Pass.
2. Choose Document Attestation.
3. Select the issuing authority and the document type.
4. Select the country where you will use the document.
5. Upload the digital document and pay.

Choose your destination country carefully. You cannot change it after you submit. For some countries, MOFA can also add the UAE embassy step in that country to the same application. This saves you a separate trip.

How long it takes:

You can add up to five documents in one application.

Step 3: Translate the Attested Document

Now translate the document and its MOFA attestation together. The big question is where to translate it: in the UAE or in the destination country.

The simple rule: ask the authority that will receive your document. Ask them one question: “Do you accept a professional translation from the UAE, or do you need your own sworn translator?”

Here is what the most common destination countries ask for.

Australia: NAATI Translation

Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has two rules:

• Translated inside Australia: the translator must be NAATI certified.
• Translated outside Australia: NAATI is not required. But the translation must show the translator’s full name, address, phone number and qualifications.

So a UAE translation can work. But many Australian bodies, like universities and licensing boards, still ask for NAATI. A NAATI translation is the safest choice. It works whether you apply from Dubai or after you move.

AGATO has NAATI-certified translators in Dubai. You can get your attested UAE document translated to NAATI standard here, without sending it to Australia. See our NAATI certified translation service.

United Kingdom: Certified Translation With Translator Details

For UK visas, the GOV.UK rules say the translation must include:

• A statement that the translation is accurate
• The date of the translation
• The translator’s full name and signature
• The translator’s contact details

The UK does not ask for notarisation. Our Arabic to English translation includes all four details, so it is ready for UK visa files.

Canada and the United States: Certified English Translation

• Canada: IRCC needs a certified translation into English or French for any document in another language.
• United States: USCIS needs a full English translation with a signed statement that the translator is competent and the translation is accurate.

A certified translation from AGATO covers both.

Most European Countries: Their Own Sworn Translator

Many European countries only accept translations from their own sworn or court translators. Serbia is one example. The UAE embassy in Serbia says a Serbian court translator translates the document after the embassy stamp.

If your document is going to one of these countries, attest it in the UAE first. Then translate it in that country. Ask the receiving authority before you pay for any translation.

Not sure which rule fits your case? Send us your document and the destination country. We will tell you which translation you need before you pay.

How to Translate Each Common UAE Document

Each document has small differences. Find yours below.

How to Translate a UAE Birth Certificate

UAE birth certificates are in Arabic, or in Arabic and English. People need them abroad for passports, citizenship, school admission and family visas.

1. Get the digital birth certificate from the health authority.
2. Attest it at MOFA. It is digital only now.
3. Translate it into the destination language.

Check the names first. Arabic names can be spelled in many ways in English. Mohammed, Muhammad and Mohamed are all common. The translation must use the exact spelling on the passport. A different spelling is one of the most common reasons for rejection.

For more detail, see our birth certificate translation service.

How to Translate a UAE Police Clearance Certificate

A police clearance certificate is also called a good conduct certificate. Two bodies issue it:

• Ministry of Interior (MOI): covers all emirates.
• Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Police and other emirate police: cover that emirate only.

Some countries want the MOI certificate, because it covers the whole UAE. Ask the receiving authority which one they need.

The fastest route: apply for the certificate in the MOI app and choose MOFA attestation in the same request. Since March 2025, one MOI application covers the certificate, MOFA attestation and the UAE embassy step in your destination country.

Watch the validity date. A Dubai Police certificate is usually valid for three months. Plan the attestation and translation so the certificate does not expire before you submit it abroad.

How to Translate a UAE Salary Certificate

A salary certificate is a letter from your employer. People need it abroad for visas, bank loans, tax filing or a child’s university application.

The usual route:

1. Your employer signs and stamps the letter.
2. The Chamber of Commerce attests it. This is often needed when the salary is above AED 10,000.
3. MOFA attests it.
4. The embassy step, if the destination country asks for it.

Many UAE salary certificates are already in English. If the destination country uses English, you may not need a translation at all. If it uses another language, translate after MOFA attestation. If your employer issued it in Arabic, you will need an Arabic to English translation for most English-speaking countries.

Other UAE Documents People Translate for Use Abroad

• Marriage certificate: for spouse visas and name changes abroad. See marriage certificate translation.
• Death certificate: for inheritance, insurance and pension claims. Translate the cause of death wording exactly. See death certificate translation.
• Degree or school certificate: for jobs and university admission abroad.
• Court judgment: for divorce or custody recognition in another country.
• Power of attorney: for property or bank matters back home.

The same three steps apply to all of them.

5 Mistakes That Get UAE Documents Rejected Abroad

1. Translating a scan. Translate the attested digital document, not an old scan.
2. Different name spellings. The translation must match the passport exactly.
3. Wrong destination country at MOFA. You cannot change it later. You will need a new application.
4. An expired police certificate. Check the validity date before you start.
5. A translation without the right certification. Some countries need a signed accuracy statement. Others need their own sworn translator. Ask first.

Checklist Before You Send Your Document Abroad

• I have the official digital copy with a QR code.
• MOFA attested it for the right country.
• The embassy step is done, if the country needs it.
• The receiving authority accepts my translation route.
• Every name matches my passport.
• My police certificate is still valid.

Get Your UAE Documents Translated by AGATO

AGATO Legal Translation helps expats get UAE documents ready for use abroad. Our translators are licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice. We work in Arabic, English and 120+ other languages, and we translate the MOFA attestation along with your document.

Send us your attested document for a quote on our legal translation page.

Frequently Asked Questions