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How to Get Qualifications Attested for Saudi Arabia

Before you can work in a regulated profession in Saudi Arabia — or in many cases before your employer can process your Iqama — your educational qualifications must be officially attested. This is a multi-step process involving your home country's government, your country's embassy in Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). This guide explains the full attestation chain, the costs, the timeline, and the shortcuts available.

Highlights

  • ★Attestation is mandatory for most regulated professions — healthcare, engineering, education, law, and accounting all require verified credentials.
  • ★The process has three main stages: local government attestation in your home country, embassy legalisation, and MOFA attestation in Saudi Arabia.
  • ★The full process can take 4–12 weeks depending on your home country and whether you use an attestation agent.
  • ★Attestation agents can handle the process on your behalf — costs range from SAR 300–1,500 per document depending on country and urgency.
  • ★Saudi Arabia accepts apostille for countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention — this can significantly simplify the process for eligible nationals.
  • ★Original documents are required for submission — certified copies are not accepted at most stages.

Who Is This For?

Professionals relocating to Saudi Arabia for work, particularly in healthcare, engineering, education, and other regulated fields where credential verification is required by Saudi authorities or professional licensing bodies.

Step-by-Step Process

  1. 1Gather your original certificates: degree certificate, transcripts, and any professional licences. Ensure they are originals, not photocopies.
  2. 2Step 1 — Home country authentication: Get your documents authenticated by the relevant authority in your home country (e.g., HEC in Pakistan, WES in Canada, NARIC in UK, university registrar stamp). The exact body varies by country.
  3. 3Step 2 — Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your home country: Take the authenticated documents to your home country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (or equivalent) for official state attestation.
  4. 4Step 3 — Saudi Embassy legalisation: Submit the attested documents to the Saudi Embassy or Consulate in your home country for legalisation. This confirms Saudi Arabia recognises the document.
  5. 5Step 4 — MOFA attestation in Saudi Arabia: Once you arrive in Saudi Arabia (or your employer can do this on your behalf), submit the documents to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs for final attestation.
  6. 6Step 5 — Professional body verification: For regulated professions, submit the attested documents to the relevant Saudi body: SCFHS for healthcare, SCE for engineers, Ministry of Education for teachers. Each body has its own additional process.
  7. 7Keep multiple certified copies of all documents at every stage — you will need them for future applications, Iqama renewals, and professional re-registrations.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • ✗Submitting photocopies at stages that require originals — always check requirements in advance.
  • ✗Skipping the home country Ministry of Foreign Affairs step — the Saudi Embassy will reject documents not first attested by your home state.
  • ✗Not apostilling when eligible — nationals of Hague Convention countries can use apostille instead of full embassy legalisation, which is faster and cheaper.
  • ✗Waiting until arrival in Saudi Arabia to start — begin the process well before your departure date as delays are common.
  • ✗Not checking whether your employer's PRO (public relations officer) will handle Saudi-side MOFA attestation — many large employers do this as part of onboarding.
  • ✗Using the wrong attestation body in your home country — requirements differ by country. Research your specific chain before starting.
  • ✗Forgetting to get transcripts attested in addition to the degree certificate — professional bodies often require both.

Practical Tips

  • 💡Use a reputable attestation agent in your home country if you are short on time — they know the exact chain of authorities and can navigate the process faster.
  • 💡For Pakistani professionals: HEC (Higher Education Commission) attestation is required before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs step. HEC has offices in major cities and an online verification portal.
  • 💡For Indian professionals: the attestation chain is State HRD department → Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) → Saudi Embassy. MEA offers an online appointment system.
  • 💡If you are already in Saudi Arabia and need attestation done, you can appoint a trusted person in your home country (family member or agent) to handle the home-side steps via a power of attorney.
  • 💡Check the MOFA Saudi Arabia website for the current list of accepted attesting authorities by country — this list is updated periodically.
  • 💡SCFHS (Saudi Commission for Health Specialties) has its own credential verification process in addition to MOFA attestation — start both simultaneously if you are a healthcare professional.
  • 💡Keep digital scans of all attested documents stored securely in cloud storage — you will be asked for them repeatedly throughout your Saudi career.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between attestation and apostille?

An apostille is a simplified form of legalisation accepted between countries that are members of the Hague Convention. If your home country is a Hague member (e.g., UK, USA, Australia, most EU countries), you can get an apostille instead of going through the full embassy legalisation chain. Saudi Arabia accepts apostilled documents from Hague member countries. If your country is not a member (e.g., Pakistan, Bangladesh, many African countries), you must follow the full attestation chain.

How long does qualification attestation take?

Typical timeline: home country authentication (1–2 weeks), Ministry of Foreign Affairs in home country (1–2 weeks), Saudi Embassy legalisation (1–2 weeks), MOFA Saudi Arabia (1–3 days if done in person, 1–2 weeks if submitted by employer). Total: 4–8 weeks for most countries. Using an attestation agent can shorten this significantly.

How much does attestation cost?

Costs vary by country and document type. Rough estimates: home country authentication SAR 50–200, Ministry of Foreign Affairs SAR 50–150, Saudi Embassy SAR 200–500 per document, MOFA Saudi Arabia SAR 50–100. Total per document: SAR 350–950. Using an attestation agent adds their service fee (typically SAR 300–800 per document).

Can my employer handle the attestation?

Many Saudi employers, especially large companies and government-linked entities, handle the MOFA Saudi Arabia stage on your behalf as part of onboarding. However, the home country stages (authentication and embassy legalisation) must usually be completed by you or your appointed agent before you arrive.

Do I need to attest all my degrees or just the highest one?

This depends on the professional licensing body. For SCFHS (healthcare), both your primary degree and any postgraduate qualifications are required. For SCE (engineering), your bachelor's degree is typically sufficient. Your employer and the relevant licensing body will confirm exactly what is needed for your specific role.