ADGM Rejected the Will. The Translation Was Fine. The Translator's Card Was Missing.

A returning client sent us a screenshot from the ADGM will registration portal. The will was translated, notarised, stamped on every page, and bilingual. ADGM returned it anyway. The submission checklist had a line item the client had never seen before: “Copy of the translator’s card.”

What happened

The client had registered a previous will through ADGM without any issue. This time, the portal’s submission checklist included a new requirement — a copy of the translator’s MOJ license card alongside the translated document.

The translation was not the problem. The notarisation was not the problem. The missing item was a photocopy of a card the client did not know existed.

What is the translator’s card

Every MOJ-certified legal translator in the UAE holds a physical license card issued by the Ministry of Justice. The card shows:

• The translator’s full name
• The MOJ license number
• The languages the translator is authorised to work with
• The card’s validity period

This card is separate from the stamp that appears on the translated document. The stamp proves the translation is certified. The card proves the translator is licensed. ADGM now requires both.

Why ADGM added this requirement

ADGM’s will registration involves significant legal and financial consequences. The requirement appears designed to add a verification layer — allowing ADGM staff to confirm that the person who stamped the translation is a currently licensed MOJ translator, not just someone with a stamp.

The full ADGM will registration checklist now reads:

1. Will to be notarised, translated into bilingual format (Arabic/English), signed by the testator and stamped by a legal translator on each page
2. Passport of the testator
3. Copy of the translator’s card
4. For UAE residents: Emirates ID required
5. For non-UAE residents: valid UAE visit visa or entry stamp required
6. For wills specifying estate assets: documents proving ownership, translated into bilingual format

How we fixed it

We sent the client a scanned copy of the translator’s MOJ license card within the hour. The client resubmitted the package with the card included and the registration was accepted.

The fix took minutes. The delay and confusion took days — because no one told the client about the requirement before the first submission was returned.

How to prevent this

• Ask your translator for a copy of their MOJ license card before submission. Not all translation offices provide it automatically. If you are submitting to ADGM, request it specifically.
• Check the ADGM portal checklist before submitting. Requirements change. The translator’s card was not on the checklist for previous will registrations with the same client.
• Use a translator who includes the card as standard practice. We now include a copy of the translator’s card with every will translation submitted for ADGM registration.

What this means for other authorities

As of April 2026, ADGM is the first UAE authority we have seen adding the translator’s card as a formal checklist item. Other Abu Dhabi authorities and free zone registrars may follow. If you are submitting translated documents to any authority that handles wills, property, or corporate filings, it is worth asking whether they require the card.

We now include the translator’s card copy with all ADGM submissions and recommend the same for DIFC and Dubai Courts filings as a precaution.

ADGM rejected your will submission? Send the rejection notice and your translated documents on WhatsApp — we will check what is missing and provide the translator’s card if that is the issue.