Should a legal notice be bilingual, in English and Arabic?

Dear Ahmed,

Thank you for your inquiry!

In the UAE, Arabic is the official language of the courts, and any legal notice served through the Notary Public must include an Arabic text as the binding version. However, when the recipient is a non-Arabic speaker, it is common practice—and often recommended—to provide an English translation for clarity.

Recommended approach:

Take all 16 pages (Arabic + English) to the Notary Public and request that the Arabic version be treated as the official text, with the English version attached for reference.

The Notary will usually stamp or seal the complete set and note that the Arabic version prevails.

If the Notary prefers a shorter filing, you may still submit only the Arabic text for official service through Tableegh and send the English version separately, but the safest route is to notarize the full bilingual document together.

We can assist with preparing the bundle and coordinating with the Notary Public to ensure smooth acceptance.

Best regards,

Mohammed Salah

Legal Consultant

To make your legal notice fully valid and enforceable under UAE law, you must present all 16 pages (Arabic + English) as one bilingual instrument, with signatures on every page, and have it stamped by the Notary Public. This ensures the notice cannot be challenged later.

Submitting only the Arabic version and sending the English separately would expose you to legal objections and weaken your position. Courts require bilingual documents to be notarized as one continuous text.

Under UAE law, the official language before the Notary Public and the courts is Arabic.

Therefore, the legal notice that you submit for notarization must be in Arabic, as that is the version that carries legal weight.

Hello,

For a legal notice in the UAE, the official language is Arabic, so the Arabic version is mandatory. It is also common and advisable to prepare a bilingual notice (Arabic and English) to ensure clarity, especially for non-Arabic-speaking recipients.

When notarizing, you should ideally bring all pages of the notice — both Arabic and English versions — so the notary can stamp the entire set, usually on the last page. This ensures the full bilingual notice is officially recognized as one document.

If the notary prefers smaller documents, you can discuss notarizing only the Arabic version while sending the certified English translation separately through a recognized translator like TABLEEGH. However, notarizing both together reduces the risks of disputes about the versions.

Certified translation by a UAE Ministry of Justice-approved translator is essential for validity.

Let me know if you need help preparing or notarizing the notice.

You must take all 16 pages (Arabic and English) to a notary public for stamping, as the legal notice must include both copies to ensure their validity in your legal proceedings.

In some cases, both copies may need to be submitted together, or a translation may be attached to the original document, so it is advisable to check the notary public's requirements.

Dear Sir,

Thank you for reaching out to us!

We appreciate the opportunity to assist you with your legal concerns.

Upon reviewing your inquiry, we believe a detailed discussion would be beneficial to address your specific needs and provide tailored guidance. To facilitate this, we are pleased to offer a complimentary 15-minute consultation, which can be conducted online at your convenience.

To schedule your session, kindly contact us via [-------------].

In the UAE, legal notices, especially those intended for official or legal proceedings, are typically required to be in Arabic, as it is the official language of the country.

However, when dealing with non-Arabic speakers, it is often practical and courteous to provide a bilingual notice to ensure that the recipient fully understands the content.

Here are some considerations for your situation:

1. Arabic Requirement:

The official language for legal documents in the UAE is Arabic. Therefore, the Arabic version of your legal notice is the one that holds legal weight in any official or legal proceedings.

2. Bilingual Notices:

While the Arabic version is the official one, providing an English translation is beneficial for clarity and understanding, especially if your business partner does not speak Arabic.

3. Notary Public:

When you visit the Notary Public, they will likely focus on the Arabic version, as this is the legally recognized document. However, practices can vary, and some notaries might be willing to stamp both versions if presented together.

Ultimately, the key is to ensure that the Arabic version is officially recognized and stamped, while the English version serves as a helpful translation for your non-Arabic-speaking business partner.

We can assist you with notarizing the legal notice through our Notary Public online service, so there is no need for you to go personally to the notary and waste your time. The cost will be the same as if you were to do it yourself.

The notarization fee for the legal notice, including the service of process notification, is AED 1,620.

You can contact us to complete the procedure on your behalf.

Dear questioner,

The strongest evidence for the court is one single, officially stamped document that your partner received, which explicitly contains both the Arabic and the source English.

Do not attempt to separate the officially translated documents yourself—you want the Notary Public to authenticate the entire, complete package.

If you need more details, kindly share your WhatsApp number.