Are you planning to work, join your family, study, or do business in Saudi Arabia? If so, your UK-issued documents must be officially legalised before they can be used in the Kingdom. At Apostille and Certification Services Limited, we provide reliable document legalisation services for Saudi Arabia from the UK — covering personal, academic, and commercial documents alike. While we don’t legalise the documents ourselves, we manage every step of the process on your behalf so you don’t have to navigate the authorities alone.

The Hague Convention — What Has Changed?

Following Saudi Arabia’s accession to the Hague Apostille Convention, the Saudi Embassy in the UK has stopped stamping any documents. This means that, for most categories of documents, an FCDO Apostille is now sufficient and your documents will be accepted in Saudi Arabia without needing embassy attestation.

This applies to:

• Personal Documents — such as birth certificates and marriage certificates (FCDO apostille only).
• Commercial Documents — such as company registration certificates, memorandum & articles of association, and share documents (require solicitor certification followed by FCDO apostille).
• Educational Documents — the apostille covers the legalisation step, however work and family residency visas additionally require Mosadaqa, and work visas also require QVP verification.

Saudi Arabia Visa Requirements — Mosadaqa & QVP

For Saudi Arabia visa purposes, the verification requirements depend on the type of visa you are applying for:

• Work Visa — your degree must be attested through both Mosadaqa and QVP.
• Family Residency Visa Approval (Yellow Slip) — if you are already in Saudi Arabia and applying for your family’s residency visa, only Mosadaqa attestation is required.

What is QVP?

QVP (Qualification Verification Program) is a service launched under Professional Accreditation, designed to ensure the reliability of academic qualifications and professional experience. It verifies that expatriate professional workers possess the required skills, by aligning their credentials with professional standards and the requirements of the Saudi labour market.

Mosadaqa Attestation

The Mosadaqa attestation is a relatively straightforward process. To begin, we will need the following documents from you:

• Scanned copy of your passport (ID page).
• Scanned copy of your Bachelor’s degree certificate (any field accepted).
• Scanned copy of your transcript.
• Completed and hand-signed consent form (provided by us).
• Completed application form (provided by us).

QVP Verification

QVP is a more involved process than Mosadaqa, as it independently verifies your work experience with each of your previous employers. Some professions require a minimum of 6 years’ experience.

Required Documents for QVP

• Colour-scanned copy of your passport (ID page).
• Scanned copy of your academic certificate. Where possible, please provide a qualification that is directly relevant to your designated profession — for example, a PGCE for teaching roles, an ACCA certificate for finance roles, or a relevant engineering qualification for engineering roles. If your Bachelor’s degree is not directly related to your job title, we recommend submitting your most relevant additional or specialist qualification to improve the chances of a successful verification.
• Scanned copy of your transcript.
• Experience letter (reference letter) from your previous employer(s).
• Copy of your job offer.
• Completed and hand-signed consent form (provided by us).
• Completed application form (provided by us).

Important Information About QVP

Direct contact with your previous employer: The QVP team will contact your previous employer(s) directly to verify your experience before approving the verification. Please ensure that your experience letter includes accurate and up-to-date contact details for each previous employer.

Additional verification fee for multiple employers: If you have worked at more than one company in the last six years, an additional £70 verification fee per employer will apply.

Experience relevance to your job title: QVP will assess whether your submitted experience is directly relevant to the job title stated on your visa block. If your experience is not considered relevant to your designated occupation, QVP may reject the verification application. Please ensure that the experience letter(s) you provide clearly reflect duties and responsibilities consistent with your job title. If you are unsure whether your experience meets this requirement, please contact us before submitting your documents.

Personal & Commercial Document Legalisation

For documents not requiring Mosadaqa or QVP, the legalisation process is far simpler. Since Saudi Arabia joined the Hague Convention, an FCDO apostille is now sufficient for the following:

Personal Documents (FCDO Apostille Only)

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• No Criminal Record certificates (ACRO)

Commercial Documents (Solicitor Certification + FCDO Apostille)

• Company registration certificates / Certificate of Incorporation
• Memorandum and Articles of Association
• Share certificates and shareholder documents
• Board resolutions and Power of Attorney documents
• Commercial agreements and contracts

These commercial documents must first be certified by a UK solicitor or notary public before being apostilled by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

What is Document Legalisation?

Document legalisation is the process of verifying your UK-issued documents so they are officially recognised in Saudi Arabia. Before issuing work, family, business, or study visas, Saudi authorities require authentication that your documents are genuine.

The legalisation process for Saudi Arabia typically includes the following steps:

• Notarisation or solicitor certification (where required)
• Authentication by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO Apostille)
• Mosadaqa attestation (for academic documents used for visa purposes)
• QVP verification (for work visa applications only)

How Do We Help?

The legalisation process involves coordination between multiple authorities. With our professional assistance, you don’t need to navigate them alone. Our services include:

• Reviewing your documents to ensure they meet the requirements
• Providing guidance on the next steps for your specific case
• Managing submissions to the relevant authorities on your behalf
• Liaising with Mosadaqa, QVP, and other relevant bodies throughout the process
• Keeping you updated at every stage

If you want to make the legalisation of documents for Saudi Arabia clear, efficient, and far less overwhelming, contact us today.