Saudi Arabia is not a member of the Hague Convention of 1961, so documents from Saudi Arabia cannot be apostilled for use in other countries under the Hague Convention. Instead, documents issued in Saudi Arabia must go through the consular legalization process to be recognized for use abroad.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to legalize documents from Saudi Arabia for use in countries that are members of the Hague Convention:

Steps to Legalize a Document in Saudi Arabia for International Use:

1. 1. Prepare Your Document:
      

       

      • • The document you want to legalize must be original and issued by a Saudi authority (e.g., birth certificates, marriage certificates, educational diplomas, notarial documents, or court documents).

       

      • • If the document is not in Arabic, you will need to have it translated into Arabic before it can be legalized, as Saudi authorities typically require documents in Arabic.

       

       

1. 1. Notarization (if necessary):
      

       

      • • If the document is a private document (such as a contract), it may need to be notarized by a notary public in Saudi Arabia before the legalization process.

       

       

1. 1. Verify the Document with the Relevant Saudi Authority:
      

       

      • • The first step in the legalization process is to have the document verified by the relevant Saudi authority. For instance:
          

           

          • • For birth, marriage, or death certificates, these documents must be authenticated by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

           

          • • For academic documents, these must first be verified by the Saudi Ministry of Education or the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education.

           

           

       

       

1. 1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Authentication:
      

       

      • • Once your document is verified by the appropriate ministry (e.g., Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice), the document must be authenticated by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). This step is crucial, as the MOFA confirms the authenticity of the signature and seal on the document.

       

       

1. 1. Consular Legalization by the Embassy or Consulate:
      

       

      • • After the document has been authenticated by the MOFA, it must be submitted to the embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used.

       

      • • The embassy or consulate will verify the authenticity of the document and attach its own certification or stamp (similar to the apostille process) to confirm that the document is legal for use in that specific country.

       

      • • This process is referred to as consular legalization, and each country’s embassy or consulate may have specific requirements for document submission, such as appointment scheduling, translation requirements, or additional documentation.

       

       

1. 1. Fees:
      

       

      • • The fees for consular legalization can vary depending on the embassy or consulate. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs typically charges a fee for the authentication process, and each embassy or consulate will charge its own fees for legalization.

       

       

1. 1. Receiving the Legalized Document:
      

       

      • • Once the document is legalized by the embassy or consulate, it can be used in the destination country for official purposes, such as work visas, university admissions, or legal matters.

       

       

Important Notes:

• • Consular Legalization vs Apostille: Since Saudi Arabia is not a member of the Hague Convention, apostille cannot be used for documents from Saudi Arabia. The only alternative for recognizing documents internationally is consular legalization.

• • Hague Convention Countries: While Saudi Arabia’s documents can’t be apostilled, consular legalization serves as the method of making documents valid for use in Hague Convention countries.

• • Translation: Ensure that your documents are translated into Arabic before submission for verification, and check if they require translation into the target country’s language for the consular legalization process.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your documents from Saudi Arabia are recognized internationally for legal and official use in other countries.