From our office in Office 1-04-106, Riqaa Al Buteen Plaza Building, 35 Al Maktoum Road, Al Muraqqabat, Deira, Dubai, you receive a complete translation, stamped and signed for submission; tell us which language you need and which receiving authority has asked for it.
What is a certified translation?
A certified translation is a complete translation prepared for submission, with a stamp and signature on the finished work. It is generally submitted with the original document or a copy. The word "certified" describes the translation, not Arkan or its office.
Nothing is left out. Text on the reverse side belongs in the translation, as do stamps and handwritten notes. A summary is not a substitute for translating what the document says.
The stamp and signature identify the finished work as a certified translation. They do not decide whether it meets the requirements of the organisation asking for it. That decision belongs to the receiving authority, so the language and purpose of the submission are worth identifying before the translation begins.
What do you receive with certified translation services in Dubai?
You receive a full translation of the document, stamped and signed. This includes the material that can be easy to overlook when someone reads only the main text: a note in the margin, a stamp beside a signature or writing on the back. None of that is replaced by a summary.
Names need particular care. We use passport copies to keep name spelling consistent throughout the translated document. If the original contains an error, the issuer corrects it; the translator does not silently change the source document in the translation. The two points belong together: consistent spelling is important, and so is staying faithful to what the original actually says.
The translation is usually submitted with the original or a copy. Whether the finished translation is suitable for a particular submission is for the organisation receiving it to decide. Arkan can prepare the stamped and signed translation, but it cannot make that acceptance decision on the organisation's behalf.
Certified vs legal translation: what's the difference?
Legal translation describes the subject matter. Contracts, court documents and company papers can contain legal wording that needs to be translated accurately. Certified translation describes the form in which the completed translation is presented for submission.
The same document can be both legal and certified. A contract, for example, has legal subject matter and may also be requested in stamped and signed form. A birth certificate has different content, but can likewise be requested as a certified translation. Read more about legal translation in Dubai if the legal wording of your document is the main concern.
Who translates Arabic and English legal documents?
Arabic↔English written legal translation by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice (licence no. 688). You can check this licence on the UAE Ministry of Justice translator register.
We also translate into and from other languages; the translation is stamped and signed, and the receiving authority decides whether to accept it. We handle Urdu and Arabic in both directions, as well as Turkish and Arabic in both directions. We also handle Spanish, German and Russian.
Keep the distinction between translation and interpretation in mind. Arkan offers court and legal interpretation as a separate service. Interpretation is not MOJ-licensed. If the request concerns spoken communication rather than a written document, see our interpretation services.
Which documents are commonly submitted as certified translations?
Personal documents include birth and marriage certificates. For these, you can read the specific pages on birth certificate translation and marriage certificate translation. They cover a different kind of content from a contract or a court paper, but the need to translate the source completely remains the same. Family books (khulasat al qaid) can be translated too; see family book translation.
Educational documents include degrees and transcripts. Financial and company documents include bank statements and company papers. Contracts and court documents are another common group. These examples describe the kinds of documents people request translations for; they are not a list of documents that every organisation requires to be certified.
The request might come from an employer, a school, a bank or another organisation. Instead of assuming that every organisation uses the term in exactly the same way, identify where the document is going. Check the current requirement with the receiving authority.
What should I send for a certified translation quote?
Send the entire document: every page, both sides, all stamps and any annexes. State the target language and name the organisation requesting the translation. That gives us the document and the intended use to review together, without guessing what might be printed or written on a page you have not sent.
Include a passport copy where name spelling needs to be kept consistent. It is especially useful to establish the spelling that should be followed across the translation.
The quote and delivery time are confirmed after we review the document and before work starts. The document type alone does not establish a delivery time. Send the actual pages rather than relying on the document name; the material on those pages is what needs to be translated.
If the request is urgent, mention that when you send the pages. Arkan Go handles urgent online translation of eligible documents, and eligibility is decided after review.
Does proofreading make a translation certified?
No. Proofreading or reviewing an existing translation is a separate service. It does not, by itself, produce a certified translation. If you already have translated text and need it reviewed, see reviewing an existing translation.
If the request you received is specifically for a complete, stamped and signed translation, make that clear when asking for a quote. Having an existing translation reviewed and requesting a certified translation are different services, even when the source document is the same.
Do you attest documents?
Arkan does not provide attestation; it is handled by the competent authorities before or after translation, and you should confirm the required order with the receiving authority.
Where is the Deira office?
The Deira office is open Sunday to Thursday, 9:00 to 18:00. You can call or send a WhatsApp message to +971 50 520 3966, or contact the office.