What you need for Saudi Arabia
Why people send Canadian documents to Saudi Arabia
Each situation has its own requirements. Here are the ones we see most often, with the detail that avoids a refusal.
Working in Saudi Arabia: authenticating your degree
For employment, Canadian degrees held by non-Saudis are authenticated by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau in Canada, in Ottawa. Its 2025 form asks for original degrees or notarized copies with an apostille, a copy of the employment contract certified by the Saudi Chamber of Commerce (or your iqama if you already live there) and a criminal record check. Transcripts often have to be sent directly by the school.
Bringing your spouse and children
For family residence visas, the Saudi embassy asks for a notarized copy of the marriage certificate for the wife and a notarized copy of each child's birth certificate showing the parents' names. A police certificate is also required for anyone 16 or older. The Government of Canada notes that you need proof of marriage to register in the country.
Health professionals: verification done at the source
Doctors, nurses and other health professionals must register with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). Degrees and licences are verified through the DataFlow Group, which contacts the issuing schools and regulatory bodies directly. DataFlow states that it does not require attestation or an apostille for this verification.
Setting up a branch or company in Saudi Arabia
A Canadian company setting up in Saudi Arabia first obtains an investment registration from the Ministry of Investment (MISA). The ministry's FAQ asks for a copy of the foreign company's commercial registration and its latest financial statements, certified. It adds that translation is not required for documents submitted to the ministry, but other ministries may require it.
Which Canadian authority apostilles your document
The authority depends on where in Canada the document was issued or notarized, never on where you live now or where the document is going. We confirm it at the free pre-check, before you send anything.
| Document | Canadian authority | Notary first? |
|---|---|---|
| Birth, marriage or death certificate | The province that issued it (Québec, Ontario, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan), or Global Affairs Canada for all others | No |
| RCMP criminal record check | Global Affairs Canada | No |
| Degree, diploma, transcript | The province of the institution | Often, depending on the province |
| Power of attorney, statutory declaration, affidavit | The province of the notary or lawyer | Yes, the notarial act is what gets apostilled |
| Corporate documents | The province of the registry, or Global Affairs Canada for Corporations Canada | Sometimes, depending on the document |
Do you need a translation for Saudi Arabia?
Arabic is the language of the Saudi administration. Depending on the authority, an Arabic translation is often requested, usually done in Saudi Arabia by an approved translation office; the Ministry of Investment itself points companies to these approved offices. Some procedures skip translation altogether: the Ministry of Investment says translation is not required for documents it receives, and DataFlow's verification works from the original documents.
Our honest advice: do not get anything translated in Canada until you know who will receive the document. A translation done in Canada can be refused where an approved Saudi office is expected. Get the apostille on the Canadian document first; the translation comes afterwards, on the apostilled document, if the authority asks for it. If the authority accepts a translation done in Canada, we coordinate a certified translation.
Three mistakes that delay a file for Saudi Arabia
Avoid this
A criminal record check that is too old
The Saudi Cultural Bureau asks for a criminal record check issued within the last six months. If the file drags on between the check, the apostille and shipping, the document can become too old. Order the record check last, once the rest of the file is ready.
Avoid this
A common-law relationship instead of a marriage
The Government of Canada says common-law partners must provide proof of marriage to register in Saudi Arabia. A common-law declaration does not replace a marriage certificate. Check this point before you prepare the family file.
Avoid this
Following old legalization instructions
Several Saudi pages, including some from the embassy in Ottawa, still describe the old chain: notary, federal authentication, then the embassy stamp. Since 2024, the Canadian apostille replaces that chain for most documents. If an employer or agent insists on the embassy stamp, ask them to confirm it in writing.
Useful guides: RCMP fingerprints from abroad · Apostille for a Canadian degree · RCMP criminal record check · Marriage certificates · Corporations Canada documents
Does Saudi Arabia accept Canadian apostilles?
Do I still need to go through the Saudi embassy in Ottawa?
Does my degree have to go through the Saudi Cultural Bureau?
I am a nurse or doctor. Do I need apostilles?
Which birth certificate should I provide for my children?
I already live in Saudi Arabia. Can everything be done remotely?
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