The honest answer depends on length and document type, but most people asking want to know whether same-day or next-day is possible. For most personal documents and standard business documents, it is. What usually decides the timeline is not the translation itself, but what has to happen before and after it.
Typical turnaround
- Certificates and short personal documents (birth, marriage, degree, driving licence, police clearance): usually the same day.
- Documents under ten pages (short contracts, bank statements, medical reports): usually the same day.
- Urgent larger files: we can translate more than 20 pages in a single day. Send it in the morning and it is normally back with you before the day is out.
- Large bundles (full incorporation packs, litigation files with exhibits): a firm delivery date is agreed before we start, not an estimate that slips.
What actually slows a translation down
- Attestation that has not happened yet. A document issued abroad often has to be attested first, in the issuing country, at the UAE embassy there and by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That chain runs on the authorities’ timelines, and the certified translation normally comes last so it can reproduce the stamps.
- Unreadable pages. Scans, photos, handwriting and stamped originals are routine for us, but a blurred or cropped page means asking for it again.
- Missing context. If we know where the document is going, we format it the way that authority expects the first time, instead of reworking it after a rejection.
- Bilingual layouts. Some documents, especially powers of attorney for the Notary Public, need Arabic and the second language side by side on the same page, which takes more layout time.
- Name questions. If a name could be spelled more than one way, we match it to the passport or Emirates ID. Sending a copy with the document saves a round of questions.
How to send a document so it moves fast
- Photograph every page, flat and in good light, including the back if it has stamps.
- Send a copy of the passport or Emirates ID for the names.
- Tell us the receiving authority and your deadline.
- Say whether you need a printed copy or a stamped PDF.
When the clock starts
The clock starts when we have every page and the go-ahead on the quote. We give the delivery time with the quote, so you know before you pay, and we tell you honestly if a deadline is not achievable rather than promising a date we cannot keep.
Same day, done properly
Speed only helps if the translation is accepted. Every certified translation is made by a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice and checked by a second person before it leaves the office. You can confirm any translator in the Ministry’s public search; ours is registered under number 302.
Questions we hear
Can I collect it in the evening?
We are open every day from 9 am to 10 pm, and until 7 pm on Fridays. Most clients receive the stamped translation online and never need to come in.
Is an urgent job a different quality?
No. The same translator and the same second check apply; urgent work is simply moved to the front.
Can you start before the attestation is finished?
Sometimes, if the authority accepts the stamps being added later. Usually it is safer to translate once the attestation chain is complete.
Get a timeline now
Send the document on WhatsApp to +971 54 588 5472 with your deadline, and you will have a quote and a realistic delivery time within 10 minutes. Related: Certified translation services · Document attestation · Corporate account with priority delivery