Attestation
Saudi Certificate Attestation in the UAE
Saudi documents, from degrees to birth and marriage certificates, follow a specific attestation route before they are valid in the UAE. Here is exactly how it works for Saudi Arabia, what it costs and how long it takes.
How Saudi document attestation works
Saudi Arabia is not part of the Apostille Convention, so its documents take the full embassy-legalisation route: attestation within Saudi Arabia, then the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UAE embassy, and finally MOFAIC in the UAE.
The chain for Saudi certificates
- 1In-country attestationThe document is attested at the issuing authority (GCC documents follow the same legalisation route).
- 2Saudi Arabia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThe foreign ministry verifies the document before it leaves.
- 3UAE embassy legalisationThe UAE embassy in Riyadh legalises the certificate.
- 4MOFAIC attestation in the UAEThe final UAE-side stamp.
See our document-specific guides for degree certificates and marriage certificates.
Cost and timeline
The Saudi Arabia-side steps typically take one to three weeks. Once in the UAE, MOFAIC attestation is usually 0–3 working days. DocuGulf's UAE-side service fee starts from AED 230 per document, with government fees shown separately at cost; if the Saudi Arabia-side steps are outstanding we'll map the full chain and price it in writing first.
What you'll need to provide
- The original Saudi certificate (degree, birth, marriage, PCC, etc.)
- A clear copy of your passport
- The city or authority in Saudi Arabia that issued it
- Any attestation or apostille already completed
Key takeaways
Key takeaways: Saudi documents go in-country attestation → Saudi Arabia MoFA → UAE embassy → MOFAIC in the UAE. There is no apostille shortcut. Home-side steps take one to three weeks; MOFAIC is 0–3 working days, from AED 230 per document.
Attesting a Saudi Arabia document for the UAE is only as smooth as the weakest link in the chain, so the order of steps matters: each authority checks the stamp before it. Send us the exact document and the city or authority that issued it in Saudi Arabia, and we will confirm the precise route, the government fees at cost, and a realistic timeline before any work begins.
Frequently asked questions
Is Saudi Arabia part of the Apostille Convention?
No. Saudi Arabia uses the full embassy-legalisation route, so there is no apostille shortcut for its documents.
Do Saudi Arabia documents need UAE embassy attestation?
Yes. Saudi Arabia is not an Apostille member, so its documents are legalised at the UAE embassy after the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then attested by MOFAIC in the UAE.
How long does Saudi Arabia certificate attestation take?
The Saudi Arabia-side steps usually take one to three weeks, and MOFAIC attestation in the UAE is typically 0–3 working days once the document arrives.
How much does it cost?
DocuGulf's UAE-side service fee starts from AED 230 per document, with any government charge shown separately at cost. We confirm the exact figure in writing before starting.
Do you handle the home-country steps too?
Yes. If the Saudi Arabia-side attestation or apostille is still outstanding, we map and manage the full chain end to end.
Which documents can you attest?
Degrees, diplomas, mark sheets, birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates, police clearances and commercial documents from Saudi Arabia.
A note on scope: DocuGulf is a documentation facilitation service. All regulated work is performed by licensed notaries, translators and approved typing centres. Reach us at info@docugulf.com or +971 58 569 3628.