The honest answer depends on length and document type, but most people asking this question want a same-day or next-day answer, and for most personal and standard business documents, that is realistic.
Typical turnaround
Documents under ten pages, birth certificates, degree certificates, short contracts, bank statements, are usually ready the same day. For urgent matters we can handle 20 to 30 pages within a single day: send it in the morning and it is normally back with you before the day is out. Larger bundles, full company incorporation packs or lengthy litigation files, are quoted with a firm delivery date before we start, rather than an estimate that slips as the work progresses.
What actually slows a translation down
- Poor quality scans or handwriting. Legible originals move faster. Scans, photographs, handwritten forms and stamped originals are all routine for us, but heavy handwriting still takes longer to read accurately than typed text.
- Missing context. Telling us where the document is being submitted lets us format it the way that authority expects the first time, rather than reworking it after a rejection.
- Attestation that has not happened yet. If a foreign document still needs Ministry of Foreign Affairs or embassy attestation before translation, that chain runs on the issuing authorities’ timelines, not ours, and has to complete first.
- Bilingual layout requirements. Some documents, particularly powers of attorney for the Notary Public, need Arabic and the second language side by side on the same page, which takes more formatting time than a straightforward translation.
How to get an accurate timeline
Send the document on WhatsApp and tell us the deadline you are working to. We will tell you honestly whether it is achievable rather than promising a date we cannot keep. You will have a quote and a realistic delivery time within 15 minutes.
Contact us on +971 54 588 5472. Related: Certified translation services · Document attestation