A passport is the one document that turns up in almost every official file, and the one most people assume they can simply photocopy and hand over. Then a checklist asks for a certified Arabic translation of it, and the question becomes: does a passport, of all things, really need translating, and if so, which parts and into what language? It is a common snag for anyone opening a company, setting up a corporate bank account, filing at court, or signing in front of a notary in the UAE.
This article stays in one lane: the document and translation side. Whether your application is approved, whether a name discrepancy across documents is a problem, and what a given authority will do with the file are all decisions for that authority, not for a translator. What Arkan handles is rendering the passport accurately so the office that needs it can read and rely on it.
The Short Answer: It Depends on Language and Authority
The most useful thing to know is that a passport does not always need translating. If your passport is already in English, many UAE authorities accept it as-is, because English is worked with widely alongside Arabic. The need arises when the passport is in another language, or when a specific authority insists on an Arabic version even of an English document. Sorting out which case you are in first saves you from paying for a translation nobody asked for, or being turned away for one you skipped.
Which Situation Are You In?
| Your situation | Translation usually needed | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| English-language passport, used for a UAE process that accepts English | Often none, if the authority accepts the English passport | Confirm with the route check |
| Non-Latin or non-Arabic passport (for example Russian, Chinese, Urdu, Farsi), used in any official UAE process | Certified Arabic translation | Certified translation |
| Any passport, used for a process that specifically requires Arabic (some notaries, courts, company formation) | Certified Arabic translation, even of an English passport | Document route check |
The principle is the same one that governs any document going to an official body: the authority has to be able to read it in a language it works in. Where your passport is already in English and the office accepts English, that condition is met and no translation is required. Where the passport is in another script, or the process insists on Arabic, a certified translation closes the gap.
When a UAE Process Asks for a Translated Passport
The cases that catch people out tend to cluster around a few settings. Company formation is a frequent one: corporate files often require shareholder and manager passports in Arabic, alongside the memorandum of association and other constitutional documents. A notary signing is another, where the notary needs to read the identity document in Arabic before proceeding. Court filings, certain corporate bank account openings, and some government submissions can each ask for a certified Arabic version of a non-Arabic passport. There is no single rule across all of them, and the requirement can differ between two offices handling similar matters. The document list published by the authority you are dealing with is the one that counts.
So the order of operations is simple. Read the receiving authority’s current document requirements, see whether they accept your passport as-is or want a certified Arabic translation, and only then commission the work. If you are assembling a company file, our post on company document translation in the UAE covers the wider set of corporate papers, and the English documents and Arabic translation guide covers the broader inbound, UAE-facing direction.
One distinction worth keeping clear: translating the passport is the written-document side. If the same setting also involves a non-Arabic speaker who needs to follow a spoken exchange or understand an Arabic document before signing, such as at a notary, that is the interpretation side rather than translation. Our legal and court interpretation service covers that need, and the notary public interpreter post explains how it works at a signing.
Who Is Qualified to Certify It
- Arabic to English is MOJ-certified directly under License #701.
- Other major pairs are MOJ-certified through contracted licensed translators, each under their own licence.
- Rare pairs with no MOJ translator in the UAE are issued under Arkan company certification.
Passports are a good illustration of how this tier system works in practice. An English passport translated into Arabic sits squarely within the Arabic to English scope of License #701. A passport in a non-Latin script, such as Russian or Chinese, is handled through the right licensed translator for that pair, or under company certification where no MOJ translator exists for the language. The point for you is simply that the certification matches the language, so the translation is one an authority will accept.
What a Certified Passport Translation Does, and Does Not, Do
A certified passport translation carries the document across faithfully and changes nothing on it. The name, date of birth, passport number, nationality, place of issue, and dates are rendered exactly as printed on the data page. The translation does not correct an entry, does not update an expired detail, and never reformats the information into something it was not. Whether the file is complete or the application succeeds is a matter for the receiving authority alone.
Accuracy on the detail is where this small document earns its weight. The transliteration of a name has to be consistent with how it appears on the rest of your file, because a passport is usually the anchor every other document is checked against. A single transposed digit in a passport number, or a name spelled two different ways across a file, can be the thing that sends a submission back. That is why even a short, simple-looking document like a passport belongs with a certified translator rather than a casual bilingual helper.
Translation, Attestation, or Notarization?
Translation, notarization, and attestation are separate steps, and a passport translation often needs only the first. Many submissions accept a certified translation on its own. Company formation, some notary signings, and certain corporate or court matters may ask for the translation to be notarized, or for the document package to be attested as well. The right combination depends on the process and the authority, so confirm it before starting rather than redoing a step later. Our attestation guide walks through when legalization is actually needed.
Need a passport translated? Tell Arkan which authority is asking and in which language, and we confirm the translation and any attestation step before any work begins. Start with certified legal translation or run a free document route check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a foreign passport need to be translated into Arabic in the UAE?
It depends on the language of the passport and the authority receiving it. If your passport is in a language other than Arabic or English and it is going into an official UAE process - a court filing, company formation, a notary signing, or a government submission - a certified Arabic translation is usually required. A passport already in English is often accepted as-is by many UAE authorities, though some still ask for an Arabic translation. The receiving authority sets the rule, so confirm it before you translate.
My passport is in English. Do I still need it translated?
Often not, but it depends on the authority. Many UAE processes accept an English-language passport without a translation, since English is widely worked with alongside Arabic. Some submissions, notaries, or courts still ask for a certified Arabic translation even of an English passport. Because the requirement is set by the office receiving the document rather than by the translator, check their current document list first and we prepare the translation to match it.
Who can certify a passport translation in the UAE?
For official use, the translation should be certified by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice. Arabic to English is MOJ-certified under License #701; other pairs are MOJ-certified through contracted licensed translators, each under their own licence; rare pairs with no MOJ translator in the UAE are issued under company certification. A casual or self-made translation is typically not accepted for a document going into a government, court, or corporate file.
What gets translated on a passport, and can the translation tidy anything up?
A certified passport translation renders the document faithfully and changes nothing on it. The name, date of birth, passport number, place of issue, and the relevant data page are carried across exactly as printed, with the name transliterated consistently so it matches the rest of your file. The translation does not correct, update, or reformat any detail. If a name is spelled differently across your documents, that is something to raise with the receiving authority, not something a translator resolves on the page.
Does a passport translation also need attestation or notarization?
Sometimes, and it depends on the process. Many routine submissions accept a certified translation on its own. Company formation, certain notary signings, and some corporate or court matters may ask for the translation to be notarized or for the document to be attested as well. Translation and attestation are separate steps, so confirm what the receiving authority expects before starting to avoid redoing the work.
How long does a certified passport translation take, and what do you need from me?
A passport is a short, standard document, so a certified translation is usually one of the quicker jobs, often within a day for eligible routine cases and supported language pairs, with faster turnaround available. For the work itself, a clear, complete scan of the data page, and any other pages the authority asks for, is normally enough. Timelines and exactly which pages are needed depend on the receiving authority, so it helps to confirm their requirement first.
Next Steps
If a passport is heading into a UAE file, work out two things first: which authority is receiving it, and whether they accept it as-is or want a certified Arabic translation. Get that right and you avoid both the wasted translation nobody asked for and the rejection for a missing one. An English passport going to an English-accepting office may need nothing at all; a non-Latin passport, or a process that insists on Arabic, needs a certified translation that matches the language to the right certification tier.
Tell Arkan which authority is asking and the language they require, and we confirm the steps before any work starts. Begin with certified legal translation, or run a free document route check.