Arabic Apostille Translation Services

One of the most common questions we receive is whether a UK document needs an apostille or embassy attestation for use in an Arab country. The answer depends entirely on whether the destination country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention.

Arab countries that accept apostilles (Hague Convention members):

• United Arab Emirates — Joined the Hague Convention in 2023. UK apostilles are now accepted directly by UAE authorities for residency visas, employment, company registration, and education.
• Bahrain — Hague Convention member. Apostilled UK documents accepted for visa applications, business registration, and official submissions.
• Oman — Hague Convention member. Apostilled documents accepted for employment visas, family visas, and official purposes.

Arab countries requiring embassy attestation (NOT Hague members):

• Saudi Arabia — Requires full embassy attestation followed by MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) attestation in Saudi Arabia. This is a multi-step process: translation → notarisation → FCDO legalisation → Saudi Embassy attestation → MOFA stamp.
• Kuwait, Qatar — Require embassy attestation through their respective London embassies.
• Egypt, Jordan, Iraq — Require embassy attestation. Each embassy has specific document requirements and processing times.

The full legalisation chain for non-Hague countries follows this sequence: certified translation → UK notarisation → FCDO legalisation → embassy attestation. We handle every step of this process, regardless of which route your destination country requires.

Not sure which route applies to your situation? Use our legalisation checker tool to find the correct process for your destination country, or browse our country-specific legalisation guides for Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait.

We handle apostille and legalisation for a wide range of UK documents destined for Arabic-speaking countries. Here are the most commonly requested document types and the situations that require them:

• UK birth certificates — Required for Saudi and UAE residence visa applications, family sponsorship, school enrolment in Arab countries, and nationality applications. One of our most frequently requested apostille documents. See our birth certificate translation page.
• UK degree certificates and transcripts — Required for employment in Gulf countries where employers and government authorities need to verify foreign qualifications. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar all require legalised degree translations for work permit applications. See our academic transcript translation page.
• UK company documents — Certificates of incorporation, articles of association, board resolutions, and powers of attorney required for GCC business registration, opening corporate bank accounts in Arab countries, and establishing joint ventures with Arab partners.
• UK police clearance certificates (ACRO) — Required for visa applications to most Arab countries. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar all require legalised police clearance certificates as part of their employment visa process. See our police clearance translation page.
• UK marriage certificates — Required for spousal visa applications, family residence permits in Arab countries, and registering a foreign marriage with Arab authorities. See our marriage certificate translation page.
• Medical reports and vaccination records — Some Gulf countries require legalised medical documents as part of residence visa processing, particularly for dependants.

Each document type has specific formatting and presentation requirements that vary by destination country. We ensure your translated and apostilled documents meet the exact specifications of the receiving authority, avoiding rejections and delays.