A document issued in Saudi Arabia is attested for UAE use in three stages: verification by its issuing authority or a Saudi notary, attestation by Saudi MOFA, and digital attestation through the UAE Embassy in Riyadh or the UAE Consulate General in Jeddah, which also covers UAE MOFA. The result is an electronic document you can use in the UAE and verify online.
This guide walks through each step, the rules that cause rejections, and what the UAE missions say about timing. If you need the opposite direction, UAE documents going to Saudi Arabia, see our Saudi Embassy and Consulate attestation page. For help with the Saudi-to-UAE route, see Saudi certificate attestation for the UAE.
Which Route Applies to Your Document?
| Your situation | Typical chain | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi-issued document for use in the UAE | Issuing authority or notary → Saudi MOFA → UAE Embassy in Riyadh or Consulate in Jeddah, with UAE MOFA (digital) | This guide |
| UAE-issued document for use in Saudi Arabia | Issuing authority or notary → UAE MOFA → Saudi Embassy (Abu Dhabi) or Consulate (Dubai) | Saudi embassy attestation in the UAE |
| Document from a third country for use in the UAE | That country’s chain, then the UAE Embassy there and UAE MOFA | What is certificate attestation? |
How Are Saudi Documents Attested for UAE Use? Step by Step
- Verification by the issuing authority or a notary. A university, ministry, court or notary in Saudi Arabia confirms the document. Legal documents such as a power of attorney must be signed before a local notary or legal authority in Saudi Arabia first.
- Saudi MOFA attestation. The UAE Embassy in Riyadh states that Saudi documents must first be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.
- Application on the UAE MOFA website. Log in with UAE Pass, choose the attestation service, select the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the country of issue, complete the form and pay.
- Pickup of the originals. A MOFA-approved provider contacts you to arrange collection. The original physical document is required for the digital attestation process.
- Digital attestation. You receive the digitally attested document by email, certified by the UAE Embassy in Riyadh and UAE MOFA. The originals are returned by courier.
The UAE Consulate General in Jeddah publishes the same kind of digital attestation service, and the Riyadh embassy’s own page is here: attestation information.
Which Saudi Documents Can Be Attested?
The UAE Embassy in Riyadh says it can attest personal and commercial documents, with one exception: commercial invoices and certificates of origin go through MOFA’s separate eDAS system. In practice that covers:
- Personal documents: birth, marriage and death certificates, which must be submitted as originals.
- Educational documents: degrees, diplomas and transcripts.
- Commercial documents: company papers, board resolutions and powers of attorney.
Two points about commercial papers matter. A power of attorney containing commercial content is treated as a commercial document, and memoranda and articles of association must be attested separately. For other documents, the embassy says originals or true copies are accepted if they have been attested by the relevant Saudi foreign office.
What Rules Cause Saudi Documents to Be Rejected?
- Laminated documents. The UAE missions state that laminated documents cannot be attested.
- Apostilles issued in a bundle. The embassy says each document must be apostilled individually.
- Skipping Saudi MOFA. The Saudi attestation has to come first.
- A power of attorney that was not notarized before the Saudi MOFA step.
- Merging memorandum and articles of association into a single application.
- Details that do not match the document when you complete the MOFA form.
A rejected application cannot be reopened, so check the form carefully before you submit.
How Long Does It Take?
The UAE Embassy in Riyadh states that most requests are completed within 2 to 3 business days once the application is with the digital service. That figure covers the UAE side only. Verification by the issuing authority, the Saudi MOFA step, pickup of the originals and courier return all add time, and none has a single published figure for every document. Anyone who promises one number for the whole chain is guessing.
The page does not list a fee amount, so we do not quote one here. For a quote based on your documents, contact us. If you have a deadline, see our urgent attestation page.
How Do You Verify a Digitally Attested Saudi Document?
Go to the UAE MOFA verification service at verify.mofa.gov.ae and enter the attestation reference number and the issue date. The result confirms whether the attestation is valid. Keep the reference number with your records, because receiving authorities in the UAE may ask for it.
Does Saudi Arabia's Apostille Membership Change the Route?
Saudi Arabia is a party to the Apostille Convention, and the HCCH status table lists it as in force from 7 December 2022. The UAE does not appear on that table. A Saudi apostille alone therefore does not replace the route above for UAE use. Our guide to Saudi embassy and consulate attestation in the UAE covers how the Convention affects each direction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first step to attest a Saudi document for UAE use?
Have the document verified by its issuing authority or, for legal documents such as a power of attorney, signed before a local notary or legal authority in Saudi Arabia. Saudi MOFA then attests it, and only after that does it go to the UAE digital attestation service.
Do I attest Saudi documents at the UAE Embassy in Riyadh or the Consulate in Jeddah?
Both the UAE Embassy in Riyadh and the UAE Consulate General in Jeddah publish a digital attestation service. You apply through the UAE MOFA website, choosing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the country of issue, and a MOFA-approved provider arranges collection of your originals.
Can I attest Saudi documents from inside the UAE?
The application is made online with UAE Pass, but the original physical document is required for the digital attestation, so the original has to reach the provider. Contact us and we will advise on the practical route for your documents.
How do I check that an attested Saudi document is genuine?
Use verify.mofa.gov.ae and enter the attestation reference number and the issue date shown on the attested document.
Can a laminated Saudi document be attested?
No. The UAE missions state that laminated documents cannot be attested. Use the original, unlaminated document or request a fresh copy from the issuing authority.
Is attestation of a Saudi document for the UAE a one-time process?
Generally yes. Once a document has completed the full chain, the attestation does not need to be repeated for that document. A UAE authority can still ask for a recently issued document, so check what it expects before you start.
For the fuller picture of how UAE attestation works end to end, see our guide on what certificate attestation is. To have the Saudi-to-UAE route handled for you, visit our Saudi certificate attestation page. Degree holders can also read about the extra step some Saudi employers ask for in our guide to Saudi culture attestation.
Sources and last review: UAE Embassy in Riyadh, attestation information; UAE Consulate General in Jeddah, digital attestation; UAE MOFA, Documents Attestation service; HCCH Apostille Convention status table. Last reviewed 15 October 2026.
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