MOFA Attestation in Saudi Arabia
Get every certificate attested before you fly - re-doing it after arrival is slow and expensive.
Last verified: 2026-06
Overview
Most Saudi government services - family sponsorship, work permits, professional licensing - require foreign documents to be attested by both the issuing country and the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
Saudi Arabia is not yet a full party to the Hague Apostille Convention for all document types, so most certificates still go through the longer Saudi embassy + MOFA chain rather than apostille. Confirm the current treaty status with the Saudi embassy in your home country before paying.
Costs and timelines vary by country, but plan for 2-6 weeks if you're attesting degrees or marriage certificates from scratch.
Documents required
- Original document (degree, marriage, birth, police clearance, etc.)
- Notarised true copy where required
- Translation into Arabic by an approved translator (often after embassy stage)
- Applicant's passport copy
- Sponsor letter from Saudi employer (for some categories)
Eligibility
- Document was legally issued in the country of origin
- Issuing authority is recognised by the Saudi embassy
- Document is not on the Saudi negative list (e.g., certain religious documents)
Fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home-country foreign ministry stamp | Varies SAR | Charged in local currency; typically USD 20-100 equivalent. |
| Saudi embassy attestation (home country) | Varies SAR | Typically USD 50-150 per document; pay in local currency at the embassy. |
| MOFA attestation in Saudi Arabia | 30-60 SAR | Per document, paid on Absher MOFA service. |
| Certified Arabic translation | 100-300 SAR | Per page from a Ministry of Justice-approved translator. |
Step by step
- 1
Notarise and verify in home country
Get the original certificate verified by the issuing authority (e.g., university, registrar) and then notarised.
1-2 weeks · center
- 2
Home-country foreign ministry attestation
Submit to your country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (or designated authority) for an apostille or attestation stamp.
3-10 days · center
- 3
Saudi embassy attestation
Submit the document to the Saudi embassy or consulate nearest you. Pay the embassy fee and collect the stamped document.
3-15 days · center
- 4
Arabic translation in KSA
Once in Saudi Arabia, get a certified Arabic translation from a Ministry of Justice-approved translator if the document is not bilingual.
1-3 days · center
- 5
MOFA attestation in Saudi Arabia
Book a MOFA appointment on Absher, pay the fee online, and submit the document at the MOFA branch. Many cities now offer e-attestation pickup.
1-5 days · either
Processing time: End-to-end: 2-6 weeks. The slowest step is usually the Saudi embassy queue in your home country.
Where to do it online
- Absher
Book MOFA attestation appointments and pay fees
Ministry of Justice-approved translators and typing centres prepare Arabic translations and handle MOFA submissions on your behalf.
Common pitfalls
- Translating before embassy attestation - translation must be done after the embassy stamp
- Assuming apostille alone is enough (Saudi Arabia still requires consular attestation in many cases)
- Attesting only the diploma but not the transcript - some employers ask for both
- Forgetting marriage certificate attestation until family sponsorship is filed
FAQs
Saudi Arabia joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2022 for many document types, but several Saudi authorities still ask for the older consular attestation. Confirm with the Saudi embassy in your country before relying on apostille alone.
Before is faster. The Saudi embassy in your home country attests originals more easily than after you've arrived. After arrival you can still attest via courier through the embassy, but timelines double.
Degrees, transcripts, marriage and birth certificates, police clearance, and work experience letters - whenever they're used for Saudi family sponsorship, professional licensing, or government employment.
Indefinitely for the issued document itself, but some employers require attestation within the last 2 years for hiring purposes.
They can submit the MOFA Saudi-side step on your behalf and arrange translations, but the home-country stages must be done where the document was issued.
Skip the hassle
A vetted typing centre can handle the paperwork end-to-end.
Get help with MOFA Attestation