You are enrolling a child in a Dubai or Abu Dhabi school, and the admissions checklist asks for an up-to-date vaccination record. The vaccines were given back home, so the card is in French, Russian, Urdu, Hindi, Tagalog, or another language - and now the school or its approved clinic cannot read it. The question that follows is simple: does the record need to be translated, into which language, and who is allowed to certify that translation?
This article covers the document and translation side of a vaccination or immunization record. It does not cover which vaccines your child needs, whether any doses are missing, or what the school’s health team will decide - those are medical questions for a DHA- or DoH-approved clinic and the school nurse. Our lane is making the record readable and accepted in the right language.
The Short Answer
A vaccination record usually needs a certified translation when it is not already in Arabic or English. UAE schools, whether KHDA-regulated in Dubai or ADEK-regulated in Abu Dhabi, ask for an immunization record that an approved clinic can verify against the national schedule. If the clinic cannot read the entries, it cannot confirm them, so a foreign-language card has to be translated by a recognised translator before it is submitted. If the record is already in English, many schools accept it as is - but the safe move is to confirm the exact requirement with the school or its clinic first, because the rule varies by school and health authority and can change.
Where the Record Goes Decides What You Need
| Where you use it | Language usually needed | Typical certification |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai school (KHDA) and its DHA-approved clinic | Arabic or English | Certified translation - run a document route check |
| Abu Dhabi school (ADEK) and its DoH-approved clinic | Arabic or English | Certified translation |
| Use abroad (new school or authority in another country) | That country’s official language | Certified translation, plus MOFAIC and embassy attestation if that authority requires it |
The pattern is the same across every row: translate into the language the body that reads the record actually works in, and add attestation only where that body requires it. For most UAE school admissions a certified translation into Arabic or English is the whole job; attestation tends to come into play only when the record is leaving the country. Mapping the full route once at the start saves redoing a step later.
Who Is Qualified to Certify It
- Arabic to English is MOJ-certified directly under License #701, held by our in-house translator.
- 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, which is a recognised feature for those languages, not a downgrade.
Vaccination cards arrive in a wide spread of languages, so the tier that applies depends on your pair. A card from an Arabic-speaking country going into English sits in the License #701 route; one from Eastern Europe, South Asia, or the Philippines may run through a contracted translator or company certification. A short route check settles which tier yours needs before any work begins.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming a handwritten card is too informal to translate. Handwritten or stamped cards are translated as they are, entry by entry; the clinic needs the dates and vaccine names, not a typed original.
- Confusing the vaccination record with a medical report. They are different documents. A school asking for an immunization record will not accept a general medical report, and vice versa.
- Translating into the wrong language. A UAE clinic acts in Arabic or English; translating a card into a third language it does not work in does not help. Match the reader.
- Leaving it to the week before term starts. If attestation turns out to be needed for an overseas move, those steps take their own time and vary by authority. Build in a buffer.
Not sure whether your child’s vaccination record needs translating, and into which language? Start with certified legal translation, or run a free document route check to confirm the language, tier, and any attestation steps before any work begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a foreign vaccination record need to be translated for UAE schools?
Usually yes, if it is not already in Arabic or English. KHDA-regulated schools in Dubai and ADEK-regulated schools in Abu Dhabi ask for an immunization record that a DHA- or DoH-approved clinic can read and verify against the UAE schedule, so a record in French, Russian, Urdu, Hindi, Tagalog, or another language generally needs a certified translation. Requirements vary by school and health authority, so check the current rule with the body asking for it.
Is a vaccination record the same as a medical report?
No. A vaccination or immunization record lists the vaccines given with their dates and batch details, while a medical report describes a diagnosis, treatment, or test result. They are separate documents, each may need its own translation, and a school or clinic asking for one will not accept the other in its place.
Which language should the vaccination record be translated into?
Into the language the receiving body acts on. For a UAE school or clinic that is usually Arabic or English; for use abroad it is the destination country’s official language. Translate into the language the end recipient requires, not just any major language, so the clinic or registrar can read every entry.
Do I need to attest the vaccination record as well as translate it?
For local school admission a certified translation is often enough, and attestation may not be required. For use outside the UAE, or where a specific authority asks for it, MOFAIC and embassy attestation may be needed in addition to translation. Whether attestation applies, and in what order it sits relative to translation, varies by the receiving authority - confirm before you start.
Who can certify the translation of a vaccination record in the UAE?
For Arabic to English, Arkan issues MOJ-certified translation under License #701. Other major language pairs are handled through contracted MOJ-licensed translators, each under their own licence, and rare pairs are issued under Arkan company certification. The right tier depends on your language pair and where the record is going.
Can Arkan tell me which vaccines my child still needs?
No. That is a medical decision for a DHA- or DoH-approved clinic and the school health team, who compare the record against the UAE immunization schedule. Arkan’s role is to translate the record accurately so the clinic can read every entry; which doses are missing or due is for the clinic to determine, not the translator.
Next Steps
Before the admissions deadline, confirm the language and certification your child’s vaccination record needs. Run a free document route check or go straight to certified legal translation. If a school health or clinic appointment needs spoken language support, our medical interpretation team can help separately. Related reading: medical report translation, birth certificate translation, and school transfer certificate translation, the documents most often requested alongside a vaccination record during a school move.