Wills and testamentary papers · Arabic ↔ English
Will translation in Dubai
A will (وصية) is a legal instrument. We translate the will and the testamentary papers that sit with it - a codicil, a court will form, or another paper the receiving office has asked for - so you can submit them in the language that office uses.
Send the document and tell us where it is going. We read it and confirm the scope before work starts. We do not draft a will, advise on its validity, or decide how an estate is distributed.
What should I send?
- The will, every page, including the reverse of any stamped or signed sheet.
- Any attached testamentary paper that will be submitted with it.
- Passport spellings for the person who made the will, and for any other name the receiving office has to match.
- The receiving authority and, if you have them, that office’s current instructions.
A clear scan, or a straight, well-lit photo, is enough for us to read the file. If the will is handwritten or the ink is faint, send the best copy you have. We will say if a passage is not legible enough to translate.
What do you check before work starts?
We check names against the spellings you give us, the dates, and any registration or reference numbers as they appear. We do not correct or tidy the source. If a name on the will and a name on a passport differ, we flag the difference instead of guessing.
Written legal translation that we certify here is Arabic ↔ English. Translator Mohamed Khalid holds UAE Ministry of Justice licence no. 688 for that pair only. The licence is personal to him. You can check it on the UAE Ministry of Justice translator register. For another language direction, send the document first so we can confirm whether we can take the work.
Where is a will translation used?
People usually need a translation when the will, or a paper that sits with it, has to go to an authority that works in the other language.
Dubai Courts and the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) operate in Arabic. DIFC Courts and ADGM Courts operate in English as the primary language. A will already in English may still need an Arabic translation if it is going to Dubai Courts or ADJD. A will in Arabic may need an English translation if it is going to a DIFC office, a bank, or a foreign authority. The receiving office decides what it will take.
We also translate testamentary papers that accompany a will for a notary public (كاتب العدل). The notary is a separate authority. We prepare the translation; we do not notarise the document.
This page is for the will as a legal instrument and for closely related legal papers, not for a different certificate issued about an estate.
How do you prepare the translation?
We confirm the document set, the language direction and the delivery format before work begins. The finished translation can be a paper original with the stamp and signature, or a signed PDF, depending on what you need to submit.
Our office is open Sunday to Thursday, 9:00–18:00. You can send the file on WhatsApp or by email to info@arkanlegaltranslation.ae. We reply during office hours.
If a correction is needed because of our mistake, we correct it promptly and at no extra charge. If the source changes, or the receiving authority asks for a different format, we explain the update and confirm any cost before proceeding.
Does a will need attestation?
Arkan does not provide attestation. Attestation is done by the issuing country’s authorities, the UAE embassy there and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in the UAE. Our part is the translation that sits before or after it.
Ask the receiving authority whether attestation stamps must appear on the document you want translated, and in which order. A translation can only include stamps that are already on the source you send. The sequence is explained in our guide to translation before or after attestation.
Questions about will translation
Do you draft or register a will?
No. We translate the will or the testamentary paper you send. Drafting a will, advising on its validity, and registering it are not translation work, and we do not offer them.
If the will is for DIFC, do I still need a translation?
It depends on where the document will be submitted. DIFC Courts operate in English as the primary language. If the same paper also has to go to Dubai Courts or ADJD, those courts operate in Arabic, and an Arabic translation may be asked for. Send the receiving office’s current instructions with the will.
Can you translate a handwritten will?
Yes, if the copy is legible. Send a clear scan or photo of every page. We will tell you if we cannot read a passage before work starts.
What language pair do you certify for a will?
Written legal translation that we certify here is Arabic ↔ English. For another pair, send the document first so we can confirm the scope.
How should I send the file?
WhatsApp a clear photo or scan to +971 50 709 1633, or email it to info@arkanlegaltranslation.ae, and tell us which office will receive the translation.
Ready to send the will?
Include every page and tell us which office will receive the translation. We confirm the scope before work starts.