
Executive Summary
Effective immediately, supporting documents for immigration applications submitted in Dubai, including diplomas and marriage certificates, must be in Arabic or accompanied by an Arabic translation. If the original language of the document is English, the Arabic translation will not be required.
The situation
Supporting document rule change
A closer look
Effective immediately, supporting documents for immigration applications submitted in Dubai, including diplomas and marriage certificates, must be in Arabic or accompanied by an Arabic translation. If the original language of the document is English, the Arabic translation will not be required.
- Background. Previously, foreign nationals could submit supporting documents in English or in Arabic.
- Reason for change. Arabic documents have long been a requirement in Abu Dhabi. Authorities are standardizing requirements across the United Arab Emirates.
- Impact. Immigration applications may take longer to complete if they require an extra translation step. Fragomen can assist with obtaining translated documents.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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