Diploma Apostille for Saudi Arabia Work Visa — Inside MoFA: Why Some Files Stall

Diplomas submitted to Saudi Arabia for skilled worker or employment visa application purposes are checked against a precise document chain. The chain includes the original record, the apostille from the issuing state, and (when the source language differs from Saudi Arabia's working languages) a sworn translation done by a translator recognized in Saudi Arabia. We've handled this exact pipeline for thousands of applicants since 2018, and the process described below mirrors what we do day-to-day rather than a textbook summary.

What this service includes for Saudi Arabia

Authentication authority for Saudi Arabia

Documents bound for Saudi Arabia are authenticated through the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) following Saudi Embassy attestation in the country of origin. Saudi Arabia requires the longer consular-legalization chain rather than a single apostille. The document is first authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country of origin, then attested at Saudi Arabia's embassy or consulate before it is recognized by Saudi Arabia institutions.

How DoCertify processes your diploma

  1. Free eligibility check. We confirm that your university diploma qualifies for an apostille from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) following Saudi Embassy attestation in the country of origin, and flag any pre-step (notarization, state-level certification) needed first.
  2. Document intake. You ship the original record to our processing office, or we collect it from your address by courier. Scans are accepted only for documents that the issuing authority will re-print on demand.
  3. Apostille issuance. Our team submits the document to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) following Saudi Embassy attestation in the country of origin, monitors the queue and retrieves the apostille — typically in 3–7 working days for standard processing, or 24–48 hours for urgent service where available.
  4. Certified translation (optional). If Saudi Arabia requires the document in another language, we add a sworn translation that satisfies Saudi Arabia's receiving authorities.
  5. Delivery. The apostilled document is returned to you with tracked international courier, or — when accepted — sent directly to your destination institution in Saudi Arabia.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the apostille process take for Saudi Arabia?

Standard turnaround for apostille of your university diploma bound for Saudi Arabia is 3–7 working days from the moment we receive the original document. Urgent processing is available in 24–48 hours for most countries of origin where the issuing authority offers expedited service.

Do I need to be in Saudi Arabia to start the process?

No. The entire apostille chain is processed in the country where your university diploma was issued, not in Saudi Arabia. You only need to ship the original document to our processing office; the apostilled and translated package is then couriered to wherever you are.

Will my diploma be accepted by Saudi Arabia authorities?

Yes. The apostille we issue is performed by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) following Saudi Embassy attestation in the country of origin, the recognized authority for documents of this type. Receiving institutions in Saudi Arabia — embassies, consulates, employers and immigration offices — verify the document through the same channel.

Do I need to translate the document into Saudi Arabia's official language?

If your diploma is not in one of Saudi Arabia's working languages, a sworn translation is normally required in addition to the apostille. We can add a certified translation as part of the same order.

Employers and skilled-worker visa officers in Saudi Arabia sit on dozens of applications per week. A document chain that arrives correctly authenticated and translated the first time moves through the queue faster, while a chain with a missing step is set aside and often only flagged after weeks of waiting. We process your university diploma so that the work-visa decision-maker can verify it on first inspection.