Apostille for Saudi Arabia
ApostilleUsing US documents in Saudi Arabia · Middle East & North Africa
Saudi Arabia is a Hague Apostille Convention member, so US documents only need an apostille — no embassy legalization. State-issued documents (birth certificates, diplomas, notarized papers) are apostilled by the issuing state; federal documents (FBI checks, IRS letters) by the U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications. Fees run $1–$40 by state, $20 federally.
| Hague status | Member since December 7, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Embassy legalization needed? | No — apostille only |
| State documents go to | The issuing state's competent authority |
| Federal documents go to | U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications ($20/doc) |
Your exact steps for Saudi Arabia
Prefilled for this page. Open the full Pathway Checker →
Which documents does Saudi Arabia usually ask for
- Birth certificate (state example: California)
- Marriage certificate (state example: California)
- Single status affidavit (state example: California)
- FBI background check (Identity History Summary) (federal)
- Corporate documents (state example: California)
State documents vs federal documents
The routing never depends on Saudi Arabia — it depends on who issued your document. A birth certificate, diploma, or notarized paper is a state document, apostilled or certified by the issuing state. An FBI background check, IRS letter, or naturalization certificate is federal and goes only to the U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications.
Special notes for Saudi Arabia
Saudi authorities commonly require a certified Arabic translation of the apostilled document.
Frequently asked questions
＋Does Saudi Arabia accept an apostille?
Yes. Saudi Arabia is a Hague Apostille Convention member (in force since December 7, 2022), so a US document needs only an apostille — no embassy legalization. State documents are apostilled by the issuing state; federal documents by the US Department of State.
＋Do I still need to legalize documents at the Saudi Arabia embassy?
No. Because Saudi Arabia accepts apostilles, the embassy legalization step is skipped entirely. That is the whole point of the Convention — one certificate replaces the old multi-step chain.
＋Does Saudi Arabia require a translation?
Saudi authorities commonly require a certified Arabic translation of the apostilled document.
＋Which US office issues the apostille for Saudi Arabia?
It depends on the document, not on Saudi Arabia. State documents (birth certificates, diplomas, notarized papers) go to the issuing state's authority. Federal documents (FBI checks, IRS letters) go to the US Department of State.
More country requirements
Sources
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor
Last verified: July 13, 2026 against the HCCH status table(official page). See how we verify and how often on ourmethodology page.
This is informational, not legal advice. The receiving authority sets the final requirements — confirm with them and the office named above before you send anything.