Translation Services for Free Zone Companies in the UAE

Companies in UAE free zones such as JAFZA, DAFZA and RAKEZ usually work in English. Their documents are issued in English. The problem starts when a document has to leave the free zone: an onshore court, a bank, a government department or a foreign counterpart may need it in another language, with a translator's stamp.

Documents free zone companies usually need translated

• Trade license. See the Free Zone Trade License translation.
• Memorandum and Articles of Association. See MOA translation.
• Certificate of incorporation, share certificates and registers.
• Board and shareholder resolutions and powers of attorney.
• Lease agreements and commercial contracts.
• Audited financial statements. Read our guide to financial statements translation.

When Arabic is required

Arabic is the official language of onshore court proceedings, so a free zone contract or license submitted as evidence in an onshore case needs a certified Arabic translation. Many government departments and some banks also ask for Arabic versions. Requirements differ by entity, so confirm with the receiving party.

Common reasons translations get rejected

• The company name or legal form is written differently from the license.
• Shareholder names do not match their passports.
• Licensed activities are paraphrased instead of translated as listed.
• The translator's stamp is missing or the translator is not licensed by the Ministry of Justice.

After translation: attestation

Documents going abroad, or to some UAE authorities, may also need attestation. See the MOFA and MOJ attestation guide.

How we work with free zone clients

Send a clear scan of the document. A Ministry of Justice-licensed translator translates it, and the translation carries the stamp, seal and certificate of accuracy. Prices for each document type are published on the legal translation hub. To start, contact us.

Preparing Free Zone Documents for Translation

Free zone documents are usually short, but the details matter because they identify the company.

• Send the latest version. Licenses are renewed and shareholders change. Send the current license and the current shareholder documents, not older copies.
• Match the legal name exactly. Company names often include a legal form such as FZE or FZ-LLC. Give the translator the exact spelling used on the license.
• Share the passports of the people named. Shareholders, managers and signatories are written the way their passports spell them.
• Say where the translation will be used. A bank, a court, a ministry and a foreign counterparty may ask for different languages and formats.

Keeping Documents Consistent

A company file is a set of documents. The trade license, the articles of association, the share certificates and the resolutions all refer to the same people and the same activities.

• Use one spelling for each name across all documents.
• Translate the licensed activities as the authority lists them, rather than rewording them.
• Keep dates, numbers and references identical in every document.

A reviewer will compare these documents against each other, and any difference may lead to questions.

Questions to Ask Your Translation Provider

• Is the translator licensed by the Ministry of Justice, and will they sign and stamp the translation?
• Can the same team handle the whole set of documents so that terms stay consistent?
• Does the translation need attestation, and in which order?
• How is the file kept confidential?

After the Translation

Check the company name, the license number, the shareholders and the dates against the original. Keep the stamped copy together with the original so you can present both when asked.

Typical Situations Where Free Zone Translations Are Used

Opening or reviewing a bank account. A bank may ask for the license, the articles of association and the shareholder details in Arabic or English, depending on its own procedures.

Contracting with an onshore company. When a free zone company signs with an onshore party, the onshore side may want Arabic versions of the license and the authority documents.

Appearing before an onshore court. Evidence in a foreign language needs a certified Arabic translation because Arabic is the language of the proceedings.

Residency and immigration files. Company documents are sometimes requested to support sponsorship or visa applications, and the receiving authority may ask for a translation.

Foreign counterparties and investors. An investor or a bank abroad may ask for a certified translation of the license and the constitutional documents into its own language.