Cross-Border Jurisdictional Protocol
The UAE has not signed the Hague Service Convention, so U.S. litigants generally rely on diplomatic channels and Letters Rogatory absent a specific treaty (the UAE does have bilateral judicial assistance treaties with some countries, such as the UK and France, but not with the United States). Domestically, UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 57 of 2018 modernized service under the Civil Procedure Code: notices can now be served between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. (extended from 6 p.m.), including on non-business days, and by modern technological means, with service carried out by a court bailiff, the claimant's authorized attorney, or a private company subcontracted to the court.
Absent a treaty covering the requesting country, we prepare and route Letters Rogatory through diplomatic channels to the UAE Ministry of Justice for execution through the appropriate emirate's court system.
Discuss Letters Rogatory options →Since the 2018 Cabinet Resolution reforms, we can arrange service by court bailiff, an authorized attorney, or a private process company, within the expanded 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. service window, including electronic means where the court permits.
Confirm the applicable service method →UAE courts operate in Arabic. We prepare certified Arabic translations of filings to meet UAE Civil Procedure Code requirements.
Prepare a compliant translation →Complete National Jurisdiction
Active network of local agents, court officers, and Central Authority specialists covering every administrative region.
All international document handoffs are executed pursuant to local sovereignty statutes and returned with court-certified evidentiary declarations.
Judicial Knowledge Base
No. The UAE has not signed the Convention. U.S. litigants generally rely on diplomatic channels and Letters Rogatory, since there is no bilateral judicial assistance treaty between the U.S. and the UAE (unlike, for example, the UK or France, which do have such treaties with the UAE).
Cabinet Resolution No. 57 of 2018 extended the permitted service window from 7 a.m.–6 p.m. to 7 a.m.–9 p.m., allowed service on non-business days, and permitted service by modern technological means for natural or private legal persons, excluding government entities.
A court bailiff or process server, the claimant or their authorized attorney, or a private company subcontracted to the court.
Federal Law No. 11 of 1973 allows any emirate's judicial authority to request that another emirate carry out a judicial process on its behalf within its territory, executed according to that emirate's own laws.
Yes. UAE courts operate in Arabic, so filings and served documents generally require certified Arabic translation.
Consult with our international legal support specialists about service of process in United Arab Emirates.