Embassy of the United States

Public Services

Christian Marriage 

STEP 1: Choose a minister (below is a list of several local ministers). Certain documents may be required (divorce decrees, birth certificates, etc.). Some ministers will only marry members of their denominations and none of the ministers will perform the marriage if one party is a Muslim.

Father Daniel Cherofolini (Catholic): Tel: 04-337-0087 or 04-335-8504, 8 A.M. – 12 P.M., 4 P.M. – 7:30 P.M., not available on Tuesdays

Reverend Canon Stephen Wright, Christ Church (Anglican): Tel:04-884-5436
Pastor Leonardo A, Castro Jr. (Interdenominational): Tel: 04-297-6645 or 050-455-9372
Pastor Daniel Spletts, United Christian Church of Dubai (Interdenominational): Tel: 04-344-2509
Emirates Baptist Church International (Southern Baptist): Tel: 04-349-1596, E-mail:ebci@emirates.net.ae.

STEP 2: After the marriage ceremony, the minister will give you a marriage certificate in English, which must be translated into Arabic by a court-approved legal translator. Translation fees range between 40 to 50 UAE Dhms per page. Below is a list of several court-approved translators (a complete list can be obtained from the Dubai Ministry of Justice, Tel: 04-282-5999):

Al-Diwan (Legal Translation Division), Modern Pharmacy Building (near Nassar Square), 2nd floor, Office #209, Al-Maktoum Street, Deira, Tel: 04-223-2189 E-mail:aldiwan@emirates.net.ae
Eman Translation Services, Modern Pharmacy Building, 1st Floor, Office #104, Nasser Square, Al Maktoum Street, Tel: 04-224-7066 E-Mail: ets@emirates.net.ae
Arabian Translation Center, P.O. Box 6549, Sharjah, UAE, Tel: 06-561-5552 E-Mail:raadtrns@emirates.net.ae

Diamond Legal Translation, Rigga Road, Golden Fork Restaurant Building, Block C, Mezzanine Floor, Office #07, Dubai, UAE, Tel: 04-227-3133, E-mail:dlt@emirates.net.ae

Dana Translation, P.O. Box 7992, Dubai, UAE, Tel: 04-393-5702, E-mail:danatran@emirates.net.ae

STEP 3: Submit the original English marriage certificate and the Arabic translation (keep copies of both) to the Notary Public office at the Dubai courts. They will certify the documents for a fee of 80 UAE Dhms.

STEP 4: Take your documents to the Ministry of Justice (04-282-5999) near the Garhoud Bridge to authenticate the signature and the Notary Public seal. Then take the documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to authenticate the seal of the Ministry of Justice.

STEP 5: Finally, bring all your documents to the US Consulate General for authentication of the seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Your marriage certificate will then be legal for use in the US.