Indian Document Attestation for Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 23 January 2023. This simplifies the process of authenticating and legalizing Indian documents for use in Saudi Arabia. Previously, Saudi Embassy attestation was required, which involved a more complex procedure. Now, as a member of the Hague Convention, Saudi Arabia accepts apostille attestation as the sole requirement for recognizing the legality of documents from other member countries, such as India. This change streamlines various processes, including recruitment and immigration, for both Saudi Arabian nationals and foreign nationals.
Saudi Embassy in India Attestation
Saudi Embassy attestation is essential for various purposes in Saudi Arabia. For job seekers, attesting educational and professional certificates is often required to obtain work visas. This ensures employers can verify their qualifications.
For expatriates, personal documents like marriage and birth certificates must be attested to secure residence visas for family members. In education, attestation helps students enroll in Saudi schools and universities.
Businesses dealing with Saudi Arabia need attested commercial documents to prove their legitimacy. Additionally, attested documents may be required for services like healthcare and legal benefits, making the process vital for a smooth stay in the Kingdom.
What is an Apostille?
Why is Apostille Attestation Required for Saudi Arabia?
As a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, Saudi Arabia mandates that documents originating from other member countries, including India, must bear an apostille to be considered legally valid. This applies to various situations, such as:
Work Visas: Indian citizens seeking employment in Saudi Arabia need to have their educational documents, such as degrees and experience letters, apostilled.
Dependent or Family Reunion Visas: Individuals applying for visas to join their families in Saudi Arabia need to get an apostille on personal documents like marriage and birth certificates.
Business Operations: For conducting business activities in Saudi Arabia, Indian companies and individuals must obtain an apostille on commercial documents like GST certificates, Articles of Association (AOA), Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), and registration certificates.
What documents can I get attested?
- Educational certificates and transcripts
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- School Transfer certificate
- Medical certificates
- Death certificates
- Police clearance certificates
- Commercial documents
How to Get Saudi Embassy Attestation
The attestation process generally involves several stages, and you cannot directly submit documents to the Saudi Embassy. You need to go through authorized agencies. The typical steps are:
- Notarization (for some documents): Some educational and personal documents might need to be verified by a local notary.
- State Level Attestation:
- Educational Documents: Usually attested by the Human Resource Development (HRD) department of the state where the certificate was issued. In Karnataka, HRD attestation for educational documents is done by the Regional Commissioner of the Revenue Region under which the issuing University is located. For Tamil Nadu, it is primarily handled by the state HRD department in Chennai.
- Personal Documents: Typically attested by the Home Department of the state or the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).
- Commercial Documents: Usually start with attestation from the Chamber of Commerce. This can be done from any Chamber of Commerce in India.
- Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Attestation: After state-level attestation, the documents are attested by the MEA in India. You need to submit your documents through MEA-authorized outsourced agencies.
- Saudi Cultural Attaché Attestation (for educational documents): For educational certificates required for employment (Iqama), attestation from the Saudi Cultural Attaché (SACA) in New Delhi is often needed after MEA attestation. This often involves an online verification process.
- Saudi Embassy Attestation: This is the final step, where the Saudi Embassy in New Delhi or the Consulate in Mumbai attests the document. Again, this is done through authorized agent near you
We offer a number of other services, such as translation and document legalization.
Saudi Consulate in Mumbai
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia maintains a consulate in Mumbai, India, to serve the needs of Saudi citizens in India and Indian citizens who require assistance with various matters related to Saudi Arabia. The consulate plays a crucial role in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries and provides a range of services, including visa and passport assistance, attestation and legalization of documents, and assistance to Saudi nationals in India.Contact Information
Address: 4th Floor, Maker Tower, F Wing, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai, Maharashtra – 400005 Phone Number: +91 22 2215 6001 Another Phone Number: +91 22 2215 6002 Fax: +91 22 2215 6006 Email Address: INCON@MOFA.GOV.SA Website: Saudi Consulate Mumbai Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Head of Mission: MR. Saad Zafer AlqarnAttestation and Legalization Services Saudi Consulate
The consulate provides attestation and legalization services for documents that need to be used in Saudi Arabia. This includes documents such as educational certificates, marriage certificates, and commercial documents. Attestation is a part of the visa documentation process, which is done by obtaining a stamp from the Consulate. There are other levels of document authentication prior to the Consulate attestation. It is required for issuing long-term visas such as resident, employment, or student visas.
Other Services
In addition to the attestation and legalization services, the Saudi Consulate in Mumbai also:
- Represents Saudi Arabia matters between the two countries.
- Assists Saudi authorities visiting India for official matters.
- Provides information and guidance to Indian citizens on various aspects of Saudi Arabia, including its economy, culture, and society.
- Handles financial matters and business-related affairs concerning the government of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Embassy in India
The Saudi Embassy in India is located in New Delhi and serves as the primary diplomatic mission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the country. It plays a crucial role in fostering and strengthening bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and India. The embassy provides a range of consular services to Saudi and Indian citizens, promotes Saudi interests in India, and facilitates cooperation between the two countries in various fields.Attestation Services
The Saudi Embassy in India provides attestation services for various documents that need to be used in Saudi Arabia. This includes educational certificates, personal documents like birth and marriage certificates, and commercial documents. However, with Saudi Arabia joining the Hague Apostille Convention, the process has been simplified. Now, an apostille stamp from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is sufficient to legalize Indian documents for use in Saudi Arabia.Saudi Embassy in India Contact Details
Address: EP-30, Chandragupta Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi – 110021 Phone Number: +91-11-24102000 Fax: +91-11-26111008 Email: inemb@mofa.gov.sa Website: Saudi Embassy India Head of Mission: Dr. Saud bin Mohammed AlSati – Ambassador Working Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to FridayHow can GloboPrime India help me to get my documents attested for Saudi Arabia?
Apostille Attestation: We can help you to get your documents apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi. We will handle all of the paperwork and follow-up on your behalf.
HRD / Saudi Cultural Attaché Attestation: If you are getting your educational documents attested for Saudi Arabia, we can help you to get them attested by the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry in New Delhi and then to the Saudi Cultural Attaché in India. We will handle all of the paperwork and follow-up on your behalf.
What are the time frames for the attestation process?
Notary: 1-2 working days
SDM: 2-3 working days
Apostille from MEA: 5-7 working days
HRD: 25-30 working days
Saudi Cultural Attaché: Depends on HRD and Cultural Attaché (minimum 2 months)
Required documents for Saudi Embassy Attestation:
Documents Required for Attestation
For Educational Certificates:
- Original degree/diploma certificate
- All semester mark sheets
- Passport copy
- University verification letter (if required)
For Personal Documents:
- Birth/marriage certificate (original)
- Passport copy
- Notarized affidavit (if required)
- Arabic translation (if applicable)
For Commercial Documents:
- Company incorporation certificate
- Power of attorney
- Director’s passport copy
- Chamber of Commerce letter
HRD Attestation
Process:
Required documents:
- Original document
- Copy of passport
- Notary attested copy of document
- Saudi Cultural Attaché Attestation
How to Get Saudi Cultural Attaché Attestation for Degree Certificates?
For jobs in Saudi Arabia, degree certificates often require Saudi Cultural Attaché attestation, which involves:
- ✅ Online Mosadaqa verification (Saudi Cultural Attaché contacts the university)
- ✅ A valid job offer letter from a Saudi employer
- ✅ Mark sheets and transcripts
🔹 Processing Time: Can take 60+ working days, so apply early.
Process:
Required documents:
- Original degree
- Copy of transcripts
- Copy of passport
Why should I choose GloboPrime India to attest my Indian documents for Saudi Arabia?
experts in attestation
We have a team of experienced attestation experts who can guide you through the entire process.
fast and efficient
We will get your documents attested as quickly as possible.
reliable
We have a proven track record of success in getting our clients' documents attested.
located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
We are conveniently located to serve our clients in Chennai and throughout India.
