In short:
- Appointments and service requirements come only from the official website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia.
- Documents commonly translated: marriage contracts, birth certificates, court deeds and police clearance certificates.
- US guidance generally asks for a complete translation signed by a translator who certifies its accuracy and their competence.
- Prepare translations well before your appointment. Appointments are booked in advance and leave little room for missing paperwork.
The US Consulate Dhahran serves the Eastern Province. American citizens living in Al Khobar, Dammam and Dhahran use it for services such as passports, registering a child’s birth abroad and notarial services, and others deal with it for travel or immigration matters. Many of these involve a Saudi document issued in Arabic, or a document in a third language, that may need translating.
This article does not explain consular procedures; only the official website can do that. What we offer is a practical view of what may need translating and how to avoid losing an appointment over a document that is not ready.
Start with the official website
Before anything else, open the website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia and read the page for the exact service you need. There you will find:
- How to book. Non-emergency services need an appointment, and each person needs their own.
- The documents required for each service.
- Instructions for documents that are not in English.
Do not rely on forum posts or friends’ experiences to decide what you need. Instructions differ from one service to another and are updated regularly.
Documents people often have translated
Marriage contracts
Saudi marriage contracts are usually issued in Arabic and are often needed for citizenship, immigration or registering children. We translate the complete contract, including the details of the spouses, witnesses, dowry and any written conditions, keeping the layout as close to the original as possible.
Birth certificates
Registering the birth of a child born abroad to a US citizen parent usually requires the local birth certificate. If it is in Arabic only, a translation may be requested. See our birth and marriage certificate translation service.
Court deeds
Divorce, custody and inheritance deeds are requested in some cases. These are precisely worded legal documents, handled through our legal and contract translation service.
Police clearance certificates
Often required for immigration. Saudi certificates are issued through official channels and may need translating, depending on the instructions.
What US guidance says about translations
The US Department of State’s guidance on civil documents for visa applications says a document that is not in English, or in the official language of the country where you apply, must come with a certified translation. The translator must sign it and state that it is accurate and that they are competent to translate.
In practice that means:
- The translation must be complete, not a summary.
- It must carry the translator’s signed statement of accuracy and competence.
Arabic is the official language of Saudi Arabia, so some Arabic documents may not always need translating. Documents in a third language, such as an Urdu or Filipino birth certificate, usually do. Follow the instructions for your specific service.
Our embassy and visa translation service produces a complete English translation, stamped, signed and checked by a second translator. Acceptance is always the consulate’s decision.
Certified translation is not a notarial service
A notarial service means a consular officer witnesses your signature on a document such as an affidavit or power of attorney, by appointment. A certified translation is a licensed office rendering a document into another language and stamping it. You might need both: for example, a power of attorney signed at the consulate in English, then translated into Arabic for a Saudi authority. In that case, translation comes after notarisation.
Tips for preparing
- Start early. You may discover a page is missing or a document needs updating.
- Send every page, including pages that only carry a stamp.
- Match the names. Send passport copies for everyone named in the document.
- Bring the original together with the translation.
- Check legalisation. Some cases require a Saudi authority to legalise the original first.
Ordering from our Al Khobar branch
- Send the document and passport copies on WhatsApp.
- We reply with a quote and delivery time.
- You receive a stamped electronic copy on WhatsApp.
- Collect the printed copy from the branch at SQ Towers, Al Khuzama, Sunday to Thursday, 10:00 to 16:00.
If your appointment is very close, ask for urgent service, which carries an extra fee shown in your quote. Live in Dammam or Dhahran and want to skip the trip? Read our guide to ordering without visiting.
FAQ
Are you connected with the US Consulate?
No. We are an independent translation office. We do not book appointments or submit applications for anyone.
Will the consulate accept your translation?
We provide a complete, signed translation with the translator’s statement, in line with published general guidance. Acceptance is the consulate’s decision alone.
Do you translate from languages other than Arabic?
Yes, from virtually any language into English, including Asian and African languages.
How long does a marriage contract take?
It depends on its length. Send it on WhatsApp and we will confirm the time with your quote.
Note: Consular services and requirements change. The official website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia is the only reference. This article is general guidance only.
Written by the Almadani Translation Team · Information last reviewed: October 2026