Filipino Documents for Saudi Arabia: DFA Apostille → Saudi Embassy Manila 2026

A Filipino PSA certificate or CHED-authenticated degree legalised for Saudi Arabia in 2026 costs roughly PHP 8,000-15,000 end-to-end and clears in 14-21 working days from the moment the document enters PSA or CHED. Saudi Arabia acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention on 7 December 2022, but for OFW employment and family-visa use the Saudi Embassy in Manila still applies its own consular legalisation stamp on top of the DFA Apostille, and a final MOFA Saudi endorsement at SAR 30 per certificate is still requested by most Riyadh and Jeddah employers.

Stage	Authority	Indicative cost	Typical time
1. PSA certificate (birth, marriage, CENOMAR)	Philippine Statistics Authority	PHP 365 per certificate (online) / PHP 155-210 (walk-in)	3-7 working days
1. CHED CAV (degree authentication)	Commission on Higher Education	PHP 80 per set	7 working days
2. DFA e-Apostille	DFA Authentication Division (Aseana / Pampanga / Davao / Cebu)	PHP 200 per document	2-5 working days
3. Saudi Embassy Manila legalisation	Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Makati	PHP 6,500 per certificate	5-10 working days
4. MOFA Saudi final stamp	Saudi MOFA (Riyadh / Jeddah / Dammam)	SAR 30 per certificate	1-3 working days
Arabic translation (if required)	Saudi-licensed sworn translator	SAR 50-100 per page	1-2 working days
OEC (Overseas Employment Certificate)	DMW / former POEA	PHP 6,000-7,000 (incl. OWWA, Pag-IBIG)	Same day to 3 days

Most OFWs stack three certificates in parallel (PSA birth, PSA marriage or CENOMAR, plus a CHED-authenticated degree) and pay around PHP 12,000-13,000 all-in for the bundle including translation. For end-to-end handling see our Saudi Arabia attestation service or the broader attestation service hub.

The Hague Apostille Convention entered into force for Saudi Arabia on 7 December 2022, making Saudi the 124th member state. Under the Convention, a single DFA Apostille issued in Manila should, in principle, be enough to make a Filipino public document usable in Saudi Arabia without further consular involvement. In practice, the Saudi Embassy in Manila and downstream Saudi government users have applied the rule unevenly through 2024-2026, particularly for OFW employment files.

Where the Apostille alone is accepted

• Personal certificates used purely for Saudi residence (Iqama) renewal once the employment file is already open.
• Marriage and birth certificates supporting an internal Saudi dependent transaction where the sponsor's file is already verified.
• Court documents and powers of attorney filed at the Saudi Ministry of Justice under the new Najiz e-services portal.

Where the Saudi Embassy Manila stamp is still demanded

• OFW employment files: The Saudi Embassy's labour section, in coordination with the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources (HRSD), continues to require its own legalisation on employment-contract supporting documents.
• Degree attestation for licensed professions: Nurses, engineers, teachers, doctors and pharmacists need the Saudi Cultural Attache (SACA) verification chain for SCFHS, MOH, Saudi Council of Engineers and similar licensing bodies.
• Family visa (Iqama dependent) for new dependants: Spouses and children being added to a sponsor's Iqama still need PSA marriage and birth certificates legalised by the Saudi Embassy in Manila before MOFA Saudi will issue the family visa.
• CENOMAR for unmarried female OFWs: Saudi HRSD has consistently required embassy legalisation of CENOMARs as part of the worker-protection checks for women under 25 deployed to private households.

The net practical reality in 2026: treat the DFA Apostille as a necessary but not sufficient step. Plan for the Saudi Embassy Manila legalisation stamp and the final MOFA Saudi endorsement on top of the Apostille for any OFW deployment, family-visa or licensed-profession use case.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is the single source of truth for civil-registry documents used in Saudi attestation. The three documents that matter most for OFW and family-visa files are the PSA birth certificate, the PSA marriage certificate, and the Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR). All three are required in PSA-issued SECPA (Security Paper) format; locally issued local civil registry copies are not accepted by the Saudi Embassy.

PSA fees and channels in 2026

Document	Walk-in PSA outlet	PSASerbilis / PSAHelpline (courier)	e-Certificate (digital)
Birth certificate (SECPA)	PHP 155	PHP 365	PHP 290
Marriage certificate (SECPA)	PHP 155	PHP 365	PHP 290
CENOMAR / CENOMAR-Advisory	PHP 210	PHP 420	PHP 345
Death certificate	PHP 155	PHP 365	PHP 290

What the Saudi Embassy requires

• SECPA original on security paper: Issued within the last six months from the date of submission at the Saudi Embassy. Older copies are typically returned for re-issuance.
• Apostilled originals only: The Saudi Embassy will not accept a PSA certificate that has not first been e-Apostilled by the DFA Authentication Division.
• Photocopies with the original: One photocopy of every page, including the Apostille certificate, presented at the consular counter.
• Passport copy of the document holder: Bio page plus signature page; required even for parents' or spouse's documents being legalised on behalf of an OFW.

When the digital e-Certificate replaces the SECPA

Since the DFA suspended paper Apostilles on 9 March 2026 and migrated to a fully digital e-Apostille, PSA digital e-Certificates are now accepted as the input document for the DFA e-Apostille workflow. The Saudi Embassy in Manila, however, has continued to insist on a printed SECPA original when the document is presented physically at its consular counter, even when the underlying Apostille is digital. The safest play in 2026 is to obtain both: the SECPA for the embassy counter and the digital e-Certificate as backup for any online Saudi-side verification.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) authenticates Philippine college degrees and transcripts of records through the Certification, Authentication and Verification (CAV) service. CAV is the first stamp in the chain for any Filipino degree bound for Saudi Arabia. The fee is PHP 80 per set at CHED Central or any CHED Regional Office, with processing in 7 working days from acceptance.

What a complete CHED CAV set contains

• Original Transcript of Records (TOR) with the registrar's signature and dry seal.
• Original diploma or certified true copy on school-letterhead paper.
• Endorsement letter from the school addressed to CHED (required at CHED Regional Office submissions).
• One photocopy of each document plus a valid government-issued ID of the applicant.
• Special Power of Attorney if a representative is filing on behalf of the graduate.

CHED CAV vs DepEd vs PRC verification

Document type	First-stamp authority	Fee (PHP)	Saudi use case
College / university degree, TOR	CHED CAV	80 per set	SCFHS for nurses; SCE for engineers; MOH for doctors
Senior High / High School diploma	DepEd Regional Office	0 (no government fee)	School transfers for OFW dependants in Saudi schools
PRC board certificate / licence	PRC Authentication	75	SCFHS DataFlow for healthcare; SCE for engineers
TESDA NC II / NC III	TESDA Certification Office	50	Skilled worker deployment via DMW
Bar / law certificates	Supreme Court of the Philippines	500	Limited; mostly for legal-services secondments

CHED Regional Office vs Central submission

CHED Central Office in Quezon City accepts CAV applications without a school endorsement letter when the school is a state university or has a long-standing electronic verification arrangement with CHED. CHED Regional Offices (one per administrative region) accept CAV applications from any school in their region but require the school's endorsement letter. For OFWs based outside Metro Manila, the regional office route is usually faster because the endorsement letter and CAV can be lodged in the same trip back to the home province.

The DFA Authentication Division applies the Apostille that converts a Philippine public document into an internationally recognisable legalisation under the Hague Convention. On 16 March 2026 the DFA launched the Fully Digital e-Apostille (eAPP-compliant), making the Philippines the first ASEAN country to fully implement the HCCH Electronic Apostille Programme. Paper Apostille services have been suspended since 9 March 2026; e-Apostille at PHP 200 per document is now the only available channel.

DFA Authentication consular offices accepting Apostille submissions

Office	Address	Typical turnaround
DFA Aseana (Main)	ASEANA Business Park, Bradco Avenue, Parañaque	2-3 working days
DFA San Fernando, Pampanga	Robinsons Starmills, San Fernando, Pampanga	3-5 working days
DFA Davao	SM Lanang Premier, Davao City	3-5 working days
DFA Cebu (Pacific Mall)	Pacific Mall Metro, Mandaue City, Cebu	3-5 working days
DFA Iloilo	Robinsons Place Iloilo	3-5 working days
DFA Cagayan de Oro	SM CDO Downtown Premier	3-5 working days

How the e-Apostille works

1. Book an appointment through the DFA Authentication appointment system (appointment.apostille.gov.ph).
2. Pay PHP 200 per document online; print the payment reference.
3. Submit the underlying PSA SECPA, CHED CAV-stamped degree, or notarised document at the chosen DFA office.
4. The DFA issues a digitally signed Apostille linked to the document by QR code and reference number; you receive the e-Apostille PDF by email and can collect a printed counterpart at the office.
5. For Saudi onward use, present both the printed underlying document and a printout of the e-Apostille at the Saudi Embassy in Manila.

The e-Apostille's QR code can be verified by Saudi MOFA officers through the HCCH e-Register at any time, which is the technical mechanism that should, in principle, eliminate the need for further consular legalisation. In practice the Saudi Embassy in Manila still requires its physical legalisation stamp for OFW deployment files; this is a Saudi-side policy choice rather than a Hague rule.

The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Manila legalises Filipino documents intended for OFW deployment, family-visa and licensed-profession use. The consular counter at 128 H.V. Dela Costa corner Sanchez Streets, Salcedo Village, Makati City accepts walk-in submissions Monday to Thursday mornings. The standard legalisation fee in 2026 is PHP 6,500 per certificate for personal and educational documents, payable in cash at the embassy cashier; commercial documents attract a substantially higher fee.

What the embassy verifies

• That the DFA Apostille on the document is genuine and references the correct underlying PSA or CHED record.
• That the document type is acceptable for the stated Saudi onward purpose (employment, family visa, licensing).
• That the name on the document matches the OFW's Philippine passport exactly; minor transliteration differences are the most common cause of rejection.
• For CENOMARs of female applicants, that the document has been issued within the past six months and shows a clean "no marriage record" status.

Indicative Saudi Embassy Manila fees

Document type	Saudi Embassy fee (PHP)	Turnaround
PSA birth certificate	6,500	5-10 working days
PSA marriage certificate	6,500	5-10 working days
PSA CENOMAR	6,500	5-10 working days
CHED-authenticated degree	6,500	5-10 working days
PRC professional licence	6,500	5-10 working days
Power of attorney (notarised)	6,500	7-12 working days
Commercial contract / SPA	20,000-30,000	10-15 working days

Submission rules in practice

• No online booking system; walk-in submission only.
• Embassy hours are 09:00-12:00 Monday-Thursday for document submissions; Friday is closed; Saudi holidays are observed.
• Cash payment in PHP at the cashier; cards and bank transfers are not accepted at the counter.
• Original passport of the document holder is required at submission; a copy alone is not accepted.
• For CENOMARs of female OFWs deployed as household workers, the embassy additionally requires a parental consent affidavit if the applicant is under 25.

The Saudi Embassy Manila pre-flight stamp is non-refundable even if the document is later rejected at MOFA Saudi or by an employer in Riyadh, so make sure every input document is clean before submission. See the rejection-reasons section below for the dominant pitfalls.

Once the OFW is in Saudi Arabia and the employer or sponsor opens the file, the legalised Filipino documents are presented to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA Saudi) for the final endorsement. The MOFA fee is SAR 30 per certificate, payable through SADAD or through the Absher e-services portal. Processing is typically same day to three working days at the MOFA branches in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah and Abha.

What MOFA Saudi confirms

• That the Saudi Embassy Manila stamp on the document is genuine and matches the embassy's specimen register.
• That the document is now within the Saudi government data layer and can be used by HRSD (Ministry of Human Resources), the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat), SCFHS, MOH, and the Saudi Council of Engineers.
• For family-visa documents, that the relationship declared on the PSA marriage or birth certificate is consistent with the sponsor's Iqama-linked dependant record on Absher.

How the stacking with Tasheel works

For a Filipino sponsor or OFW in Riyadh, the most efficient flow is to have the MOFA Saudi endorsement applied at the same Tasheel centre that opens the Iqama, family-visa or HRSD file. Our Tasheel Riyadh Olaya centre applies the MOFA Saudi endorsement and files the downstream HRSD or Jawazat transaction in a single sitting once the Saudi Embassy Manila stamp is in place. For the Saudi family-visa pathway specifically, see Saudi Arabia family sponsorship.

The Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), formerly known as the "exit clearance", is a separate document from the attestation chain. It is issued by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW, which absorbed POEA in 2022) and certifies that an OFW's deployment is registered and contract-verified. The OEC is checked at the airport immigration counter on departure; without it, an OFW cannot leave the country on a worker classification.

OEC fees in 2026

Item	Amount	Notes
DMW processing fee	USD 100 (PHP equivalent)	Per deployment cycle
OWWA membership	USD 25 (PHP equivalent)	Valid 2 years
PhilHealth contribution	PHP 2,400	Annual coverage
Pag-IBIG contribution	PHP 100 minimum	Voluntary tier
Indicative total	PHP 6,000-7,000	Direct hire route
OEC issued at POLO Saudi	SAR 113 (PHP 1,650)	For returning OFWs renewing contract

OEC routes

• Agency-hired: Recruitment agency handles OEC issuance as part of the deployment package. Worker pays nothing directly to DMW.
• Direct hire: Worker registers on the DMW e-Registration portal, submits contract verification papers, attends a Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) and pays the fees directly.
• Balik-Manggagawa (returning OFW): Online OEC processing via the DMW portal; if the contract is unchanged, no DMW visit is required.
• POLO-issued OEC at Saudi MWO: Returning OFWs whose contracts were verified by the Migrant Workers Office in Riyadh, Jeddah or Al-Khobar can receive the OEC for SAR 113.

Where attestation and OEC intersect

The DMW contract-verification step requires a CHED-authenticated degree or PRC licence for licensed professions, and a Saudi Embassy-attested CENOMAR for unmarried women under 25 deployed to private households. Plan the attestation chain to finish at least two weeks before the DMW contract verification, otherwise the OEC issuance is delayed and the visa stamp at the Saudi Embassy visa section cannot proceed.

Most Saudi employers, HRSD, SCFHS, the Ministry of Health and the family-visa section require an Arabic translation of the Filipino document. The translation must be performed by a translator licensed by the Saudi Ministry of Commerce as a sworn translator; an Arabic translation produced in the Philippines, or by an unlicensed translator in the Kingdom, is not accepted.

Indicative translation costs in Saudi Arabia

Document	Typical pages	Cost per page (SAR)	Total (SAR)
PSA birth certificate	1	50 - 80	50 - 80
PSA marriage certificate	1	50 - 80	50 - 80
PSA CENOMAR	1	50 - 80	50 - 80
CHED-authenticated degree	1	70 - 100	70 - 100
Transcript of Records	2-4	70 - 100	140 - 400
PRC licence	1	70 - 100	70 - 100

When you can defer translation

• For initial Saudi Embassy Manila legalisation, translation is not required; the embassy stamps the underlying English document directly.
• For some internal Saudi HRSD transactions where the OFW's data is already on the Iqama record, the English document plus the MOFA Saudi endorsement is accepted.
• For SCFHS DataFlow verification of healthcare workers, the English original plus the MOFA endorsement is accepted; the Arabic translation is only required at the licensing stage after DataFlow passes.

Order the Arabic translation in Riyadh or Jeddah, not in Manila. A translation prepared in the Philippines, even by a Saudi-Embassy-recommended translator, is routinely returned by HRSD because the translator is not on the Saudi Ministry of Commerce register. Our Tasheel Riyadh Olaya centre routes the translation to an in-house licensed translator and stacks it with the MOFA endorsement on the same day.

Filipino documents attract a recurring set of rejection reasons at the Saudi Embassy Manila and at MOFA Saudi. Most are correctable but each adds one to three weeks to the OFW deployment timeline.

Rejection reason	Where it surfaces	Fix
CENOMAR older than six months	Saudi Embassy Manila	Request a fresh PSA CENOMAR (PHP 365); re-Apostille and re-submit. Adds 7-10 working days.
Name mismatch between PSA and passport (middle name initial vs full)	Saudi Embassy Manila	Notarised affidavit of one-and-the-same person, Apostilled separately, presented alongside the original. Adds 1-2 weeks.
Missing parental consent for female OFWs under 25 (household workers)	Saudi Embassy Manila labour section	Obtain notarised parental consent, Apostille, and include with CENOMAR submission.
School-issued TOR without CHED CAV	DFA Apostille intake	Route through CHED CAV first (PHP 80, 7 working days), then DFA Apostille.
Apostille used alone without embassy legalisation	Saudi MOFA / employer in Riyadh	Return to Saudi Embassy Manila for the legalisation stamp (PHP 6,500).
Local civil registry copy used instead of PSA SECPA	DFA Apostille intake	Request PSA SECPA via PSASerbilis / PSAHelpline (PHP 365).
Diploma without dry seal / signature	CHED CAV	Return to issuing school for re-issuance with registrar signature and dry seal.
Arabic translation done by Manila-based translator	HRSD / SCFHS in Saudi Arabia	Re-translate with a Saudi Ministry of Commerce licensed sworn translator after arrival.
Photocopy submitted instead of original Apostille	Saudi Embassy Manila	Present the original e-Apostille print-out with QR code; photocopies are not accepted.
PRC licence not yet authenticated by PRC Authentication Division	Saudi Embassy Manila	Route through PRC Authentication (PHP 75) before DFA Apostille and embassy submission.

The dominant rejection: CENOMAR for unmarried women

The single most common Saudi Embassy Manila rejection in 2026 is a stale CENOMAR for female OFWs deployed as household workers, nurses or teachers. The Saudi Embassy labour section enforces a strict six-month validity window on CENOMARs as part of HRSD worker-protection rules. A CENOMAR issued in January and presented in August will be returned even if every other document is in order. Order the CENOMAR no earlier than three months before the planned embassy submission date to leave a safety margin for the legalisation turnaround. For female OFWs under 25 deployed to private households, the embassy additionally requires a parental consent affidavit; missing this is the second-most-common rejection trigger in this category.

If you can complete the Manila-side chain before flying, the only remaining steps in Saudi Arabia are the MOFA Saudi endorsement at SAR 30 per certificate and the Arabic translation through a sworn translator. The pre-flight sequence below assumes a Filipino nurse moving to Riyadh with a spouse and one child on the OFW route.

1. Week 1 - PSA certificates: Order PSA birth (self), PSA marriage, PSA CENOMAR (if applicable), and PSA birth (child) via PSASerbilis (PHP 365 each); delivery in 3-5 working days.
2. Week 1 - CHED CAV: Submit degree and TOR to CHED Central or Regional Office (PHP 80); collect after 7 working days.
3. Week 1 - PRC Authentication: Submit nursing licence to PRC Authentication Division (PHP 75); same-day or next-day issuance.
4. Week 2 - DFA e-Apostille: Book DFA Aseana appointment; pay PHP 200 per document for PSA certificates, CHED CAV degree and PRC licence. Collect after 2-3 working days.
5. Week 3 - Saudi Embassy Manila: Walk-in submission at Salcedo Village consular counter; pay PHP 6,500 per certificate in cash (around PHP 32,500 total for five documents); collect after 5-10 working days.
6. Week 4 - DMW OEC: Complete contract verification at DMW; attend PDOS; obtain OEC (PHP 6,000-7,000 inclusive of OWWA and PhilHealth).
7. Week 5 - Saudi visa stamp: Submit passport to Saudi Embassy visa section with employment-visa support documents; receive the visa stamp.
8. Week 5-6 - Fly to Saudi Arabia: Carry original embassy-legalised documents in cabin baggage; do not check in.
9. Week 6 - Riyadh / Jeddah arrival: Open Iqama file at HRSD via Tasheel; apply MOFA Saudi endorsement at SAR 30 per document; arrange sworn Arabic translation. See our Tasheel Riyadh Olaya centre.

Manila-side cost summary (nurse + spouse + one child)

Item	Quantity	Cost (PHP)
PSA certificates (birth x2, marriage, CENOMAR)	4	1,460
CHED CAV (degree)	1	80
PRC Authentication (nursing licence)	1	75
DFA e-Apostille	5	1,000
Saudi Embassy Manila legalisation	5	32,500
DMW OEC, OWWA, PhilHealth, PDOS	1	6,500
Pre-flight subtotal	-	41,615

Saudi-side cost summary on arrival

Item	Quantity	Cost (SAR)
MOFA Saudi endorsement	5	150
Arabic translation (5 documents, avg 1 page)	5	300-500
Saudi-side subtotal	-	450-650

This is the realistic full-bundle pre-flight cost for a Filipino nurse onboarding to Saudi Arabia in 2026 with two dependants. A single document (e.g., just one PSA birth certificate) clears for around PHP 7,500 end-to-end on the Manila side plus SAR 80-100 on arrival. For the Saudi family-visa pathway specifically, see Saudi Arabia family sponsorship.

For Filipino OFWs already in Saudi Arabia, or about to deploy on a tight timeline, the most efficient route is to authorise an end-to-end agent in Manila for the PSA-CHED-DFA-Saudi Embassy stages and accept the embassy-legalised originals by international courier. The Wathim attestation desk handles this for Filipino documents and the Saudi-side MOFA endorsement, Arabic translation and downstream HRSD or Jawazat filing are completed at our Tasheel Riyadh Olaya centre.

How the handoff works in practice

1. You request PSA certificates online via PSASerbilis and courier the school-issued TOR and diploma (or PRC licence) to our Manila-side desk along with a notarised Special Power of Attorney and a copy of your passport bio page.
2. We run CHED CAV (or PRC Authentication for licences), then DFA e-Apostille at Aseana, then walk in to the Saudi Embassy in Salcedo Village for the legalisation stamp.
3. We courier the embassy-legalised originals to your nominated Saudi address; you receive scanned copies by email at each stage.
4. On receipt in Riyadh, our Tasheel Olaya centre applies the MOFA Saudi endorsement (SAR 30 per document), orders the sworn Arabic translation, and files the HRSD employment record, Iqama dependant addition, or Jawazat family-visa entry in the same sitting.

When the bundle approach pays off

• Family deployment where PSA birth certificates for multiple children, PSA marriage and CENOMAR must move in parallel; sequential processing adds three to four weeks.
• Licensed-profession OFW (nurse, engineer, teacher, doctor) where the CHED CAV degree and PRC licence both need attestation alongside personal certificates.
• Female OFW under 25 with a parental-consent affidavit running in parallel rather than sequentially with the CENOMAR.
• Direct-hire OFW who is also their own DMW contract verifier and needs the OEC issued in time for the Saudi Embassy visa-section stamping.

Corridor comparison

For corridor benchmarking, the Filipino-to-Saudi chain is more involved than the Filipino-to-UAE chain because UAE does not require the Embassy stamp on most documents post the 2025 digital MOFA reform. The Indian and Pakistani corridors are different again: see our analysis of the Indian degree attestation digital MOFA route for the September 2025 e-stamp reform, and Pakistani documents UAE attestation for the NADRA-HEC-MOFA chain. To start your Filipino chain, see the Saudi Arabia attestation service or contact us with your document list, sponsor Iqama number and target Saudi city.