Legal translation and true copy attestation are two separate legal processes in Sharjah. Both are required for many court, visa, business, and university submissions. Getting the order wrong is one of the most common reasons documents get rejected.
This guide breaks down what each process involves, who is authorized to perform them, and the correct sequence to follow.
Why Sharjah Requires Both
Sharjah operates under federal UAE law and emirate-level judicial administration. Courts, the Sharjah Economic Development Department, SAIF Zone, and the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce all require documents in Arabic, or in a form that’s legally interchangeable with the original.
A translation from a bilingual employee, an unlicensed agency, or a machine translation tool has no legal standing here. Only a translation completed by a Ministry of Justice (MOJ)-licensed translator is accepted by Sharjah courts, notaries, and government departments — this is the credential that makes a properly licensed provider of legal translation services in Sharjah necessary rather than optional for anything official.
Once a document is finalized, most authorities still won’t accept the original for routine, repeat submissions. A true copy attestation in Sharjah solves this: a lawyer or notary compares a copy against the original and certifies it as genuine, so the original stays with you.
Two Different Processes, Two Different Purposes
- Legal translation — converts a document’s content into Arabic or English with certified legal accuracy, so a court or authority can rely on it as an official record.
- True copy attestation — verifies a copy matches the original exactly, so the original doesn’t need to be handed over repeatedly.
Some situations need only one. Court filings, university admissions, visa sponsorship, and cross-border business transactions usually need both.
What Counts as Legal Translation
Legal translation applies to any document submitted to a government body, court, or official institution. Common categories include:
- Contracts, MOAs, and shareholder agreements
- Powers of attorney
- Court judgments, pleadings, and case files
- Marriage, birth, and divorce certificates
- Educational transcripts and degree certificates
- Medical reports for insurance or hospital admission
Only a translator holding an active MOJ license can produce a translation accepted without further scrutiny. Fluency alone doesn’t qualify someone for this work — the license is what gives the document legal standing, not the quality of the wording alone.
Where accuracy matters most: Powers of attorney and commercial contracts carry the highest stakes. A single mistranslated clause — scope of authority, a date, a beneficiary’s legal name — can invalidate the document or create disputes later. This is why UAE courts reject unlicensed translations outright, no matter how fluent they read.
Typical turnaround: Standard certified legal translation in Sharjah usually takes one to two working days. Same-day or express service is available for urgent documents.
What True Copy Attestation Involves
A lawyer, notary, or authorized signatory compares a photocopy against the original and certifies the match, typically with wording such as: “This document is certified as a true and correct copy of the original.”
Attested true copies are commonly required for:
- Bank account opening and KYC compliance
- Business setup, trade licenses, and free zone registration
- Buying or selling property
- Visa and immigration applications
- Court, ministry, and government submissions
- Certified-copy requirements at foreign embassies and consulates
Documents issued outside the UAE need a longer chain. They typically require notarization in the country of origin, verification by that country’s foreign ministry, legalization by the UAE Embassy there, and finally attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC).
The UAE is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention. An apostille alone does not replace this chain — full embassy-to-MOFAIC legalization is still required. MOFAIC’s published fee schedule lists AED 150 for a personal document and AED 2,000 for a commercial document, worth budgeting for in advance.
The Correct Sequence
Translation and attestation are not interchangeable steps. Most Sharjah submissions follow this order:
| Step | What Happens | Who Handles It |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Legal Translation | Document translated by an MOJ-licensed translator | Licensed legal translation provider |
| 2. Notarization | Translation certified and paired with the original | Notary Public / Ministry of Justice |
| 3. True Copy Attestation | Copy of the translated, notarized document certified as genuine | Authorized lawyer or attestation office |
| 4. MOFAIC Attestation | Final legalization for foreign-issued documents | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
Attesting a copy before it’s translated and notarized is one of the most common rejection causes in Sharjah. Authorities won’t accept a true copy of an unofficial translation.
Common Rejection Triggers
- Using a general translator instead of an MOJ-licensed one
- Mismatched names or dates between the original and the translation
- Attesting a copy before notarizing the translation
- Assuming an apostille replaces full embassy-to-MOFAIC legalization
- Submitting a translation not physically bound to the original where required
Who Typically Needs Both Services
- Court cases, POAs, contracts — translation and notarization, plus attestation if the document goes to multiple offices
- University applications, job sponsorship — translation plus attestation, especially for foreign transcripts and degrees
- Business setup, banking (KYC) — true copy attestation of existing official documents; translation only if the original isn’t in Arabic or English
- Visa and family sponsorship — usually both, since certificates are often foreign-issued
Pre-Submission Checklist
- Translation done by an MOJ-licensed translator, not a general agency
- Every name, date, and figure matches exactly between original and translation
- Translation notarized where required
- True copy attested only after the translation was finalized
- Foreign-issued originals have completed the full notary-to-MOFAIC chain
Frequently Asked Questions
Is machine translation accepted in Sharjah? No. Only translations stamped by a licensed legal translator are accepted, regardless of accuracy.
Can a true copy be attested without translating first? Yes, if the original is already in Arabic or English and only a certified duplicate is needed.
How long does the combined process take? Standalone translation with notarization: one to two working days. Foreign-issued documents needing full MOFAIC legalization: often several weeks.
Do Sharjah and Dubai accept the same certified documents? Generally yes, since MOJ licensing and MOFAIC attestation operate federally. Some departments have their own formatting preferences, so confirm beforehand.
What causes most rejections? An unlicensed translator, a name or date mismatch, or attestation done out of sequence.
What Sets a Licensed Provider Apart
Not every “certified translation” offered in Sharjah meets the legal bar. Before choosing a provider, it helps to verify a few things directly.
- Confirm the translator’s MOJ license is active, not expired or pending renewal
- Ask whether the provider also handles notarization and attestation in-house, or only translation
- Check how long the company has operated in Sharjah specifically, since local court and department preferences vary
- Look for ISO certification or similar quality accreditation as a secondary trust signal
- Ask for a sample of a previously accepted document in the same category (POA, degree, contract) as evidence of a track record
A provider that has handled thousands of Sharjah submissions across courts, banks, and government departments will already know the formatting and binding preferences of each office — which is often the difference between same-day acceptance and a rejected first attempt.
Working With One Provider for Both Steps
Translation, notarization, and attestation are sequential, not independent. Splitting them across separate providers creates avoidable delay — a translation formatted for one notary may need rework before another office will attest it.
A single provider handling both legal translation and true copy attestation in Sharjah, familiar with the specific requirements of Sharjah Courts, SAIF Zone, and the Sharjah Economic Development Department, keeps a multi-step submission moving as one process instead of several disconnected ones.
Costs to Expect
Pricing varies by document type, language pair, and urgency, but a few reference points are worth knowing before you budget:
- MOFAIC attestation: AED 150 for a personal document, AED 2,000 for a commercial document
- Legal translation: typically priced per page or per word, with express turnaround costing more than standard
- True copy attestation: usually a flat per-document fee, lower than translation costs
- Foreign-issued documents requiring the full notary-to-embassy-to-MOFAIC chain carry additional third-party fees at each stage
Getting an itemized quote upfront, covering translation, notarization, and attestation together, avoids surprise costs partway through a multi-step submission.