Procedure for MOFA attestation in Saudi Arabia

In order to make any degree, certificate or another document valid for official use outside Saudi Arabia, you need to go through the MOFA attestation procedure from Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam. Similarly, a document issued by a foreign country needs to go through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ attestation process in KSA to be valid in Saudi Arabia.

1. Fill the form and pay the fee
   • Fill the form and pay the fee
   • Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office
   • MOFA attestation requirements
   • MOFA Appointment for Jeddah Office

The first step to do MOFA attestation in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam or any other city of Saudi Arabia is to go to their Website through this link. Scroll down a little bit and find E-Services there. You need to click on this tab.

A new page will open containing different services you can get out of this link. As you are looking for the MOFA attestation, you need to select “Ratification Services on Documents” which also means attestation of documents.

A new page will open containing all the details of the service you are taking. Read it once and click on the button “Start the Service” at the end of the page.  You can get the following services from here.

• Verification of Educational Documents
• Ratification of agencies and marriage contracts
• Verification of commercial documents
• Verification of letters
• Verification of personal status.

In the next step of MOFA attestation, you need to fill a form giving your personal details like name, iqama number, mobile number, etc. The mobile number will be used to send a verification code at the end of the procedure.

In the next step, just scroll down a little bit and you will find an option to “add new document”. Once you click there, a small window will pop-up from where you will have to select the type of document you want to attest from the MOFA and the number of documents. As I was doing the attestation of only one Birth Certificate from the MOFA, I have selected the same.

Once you click on the close button in the above screen, a document will be added to your account. In the next step, just scroll down a little bit more until you see a captcha code. You need to enter the captcha code in the given box and click on the “submit” button to move ahead.

In the next step, the system will generate a bill number which you need to pay through SADAD. The MOFA attestation fee for the birth certificate is SR 30. Make sure you take a print of this document as it is required at the time of attestation in every office of the MOFA be in Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam.

You can pay it yourself following the procedure we have explained in the link below. Recommended: Payment of Fee for Attestation of Documents to MOFA Saudi Arabia

1. Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office

After successfully submitting the online application for MOFA attestation, try to find the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam near to you. We have given you some map locations of the MOFA buildings in the important cities of Saudi Arabia.

• MOFA Riyadh Location: The Map Location of MOFA Riyadh
• MOFA Jeddah Location: The Map Location of MOFA Jeddah
• MOFA Dammam Location: The Map Location of MOFA Dammam
• MOFA Khobar Location: The Map Location of MOFA Khobar

Try to be there early in the morning. There are separate counters for companies and individuals. Make sure you take a token for Individuals.

1. MOFA attestation requirements

A-The first and foremost MOFA attestation requirement is the filled and paid application form. We have explained its procedure above.

B-If your documents are in a language other than Arabic, you need to translate them into Arabic. You will find many translators in the surroundings of the building of MOFA.

C-Don’t forget to take your Iqama with you, you would not be allowed to enter the building without it. Don’t carry your laptop or mobile phones with you. They will keep your mobile phone in the security check.

D-Make sure that your legal documents (degree or marriage certificate) are duly attested by Saudi Embassy of the country which issued it.

E-Sometimes you need to attest letters issued by companies in Saudi Arabia e.g. letter of invitation for business visit visa. In that case, make sure that the letter is attested by the Chamber of Commerce of the city. Recommended: Important Points about Attestation from Chamber of Commerce

Upon your turn, you will be asked to show your valid Iqama, appointment taken from MOFA and payment of SR 30 fee print. He will check stamp from the Saudi Embassy of your country and translation of a legal document from an approved translator.

It is important to mention here that you can attest your own documents or documents of your dependents. They will not attest to your cousin’s documents if you carry them with you.

1. MOFA Appointment for Jeddah Office

I am not sure about the MOFA offices in Riyadh and Dammam but the attestation from Jeddah office is very difficult for the heavy crowd and the low number of counters available. People normally come at 8:00 am, take a token and come back after some time.

Although I don’t recommend this practice, people who want to attest their documents from the MOFA in urgency can contact agents sitting in front of the entrance of the MOFA Jeddah office. They charge around SR 130 per document for the MOFA attestation service.

If you are intending to utilize their services, don’t pay for the MOFA attestation fee yourself and let those agents pay it. The MOFA attestation fee is included in SR 130 fee which they charge for their service. 

In case you have paid MOFA attestation fee by mistake or you don’t need the service anymore, you can easily refund the fee. Recommended: How to refund MOFA attestation fee?