Saudi Arabia Apostille Service for U.S. Documents

Saudi Arabia ministries, government agencies, banks and customs accept a U.S. public document once it carries the correct apostille, with no Saudi Arabia Embassy step. The Arab American Chamber of Commerce gets the right apostille for your corporate, federal and personal documents and authenticates the invoices and certificates of origin that Saudi Arabia Customs requires.

Start Your Order (202) 347-5800

Saudi Arabia accepts the apostille. The Hague Apostille Convention has applied in Saudi Arabia since December 7, 2022. U.S. public documents need only an apostille, with no Saudi Arabia Embassy legalization. Commercial invoices and certificates of origin are outside the apostille, so they are authenticated by a U.S. chamber of commerce instead.

Start here

Choose Your Case: 1, 2 or 3

Choose the order for your type of document. Each order already follows the Saudi Arabia route.

Case 1

Business legal document to be authenticated

Powers of attorney, good standing, articles, agency agreements, personal records and federal certificates (FDA, USDA, USPTO, FBI).

Apostille · Secretary of State or U.S. Dept. of State Start Order

Case 2

Invoice and certificate of origin certification

The chamber authentication Saudi Arabia Customs requires on U.S. invoices and certificates of origin.

Chamber authentication · Same day Start Order

Case 3

Obtaining the stamp of the Arab American Chamber of Commerce

The chamber stamp for other export documents, such as packing lists, halal certificates and price lists.

$35 per document · Same day Start Order

Saudi Arabia document apostille

What the Apostille Confirms, and What It Doesn't

An apostille doesn't check what your document says. It confirms that the signature and seal of the notary or official who signed it are genuine. Because Saudi Arabia and the United States are both parties to the Apostille Convention, that single certificate replaces the old chain of the U.S. Department of State and the Saudi Arabia Embassy.

The apostille process

The Apostille Process for Saudi Arabia

Who issues the apostille depends on who issued or signed your document. Each document needs one certificate, and none goes to the embassy.

Your document

Preparation

Final step

Signed by you or your company (POA, affidavit, resolution, agreement)

PreparationSigned in person before a notary

Final stepSecretary of State apostille

Issued by a state (birth, marriage, good standing, articles)

PreparationCertified copy from the issuing office (no notary)

Final stepSecretary of State apostille

Issued by a federal agency (FDA, USDA, USPTO, FBI)

PreparationOriginal document, not notarized

Final stepU.S. Department of State apostille

Invoice & certificate of origin (Case 2)

PreparationSigned on company letterhead

Final stepChamber authentication

Notarization or certified copyA document you sign is signed in person before a U.S. notary public. The notary confirms who signed it, not whether the content is true. A state record is not notarized. You order a certified copy from the issuing office instead.
County certification, where requiredSome states, such as Maryland and New York, have the county clerk certify the notary before the state apostille.
ApostilleThe Secretary of State apostilles state records and notarized documents. The U.S. Department of State apostilles federal documents only. This is the last U.S. step.
Returned to youWe send the apostilled document back with tracking, ready to use in Saudi Arabia. You don't need the embassy.

Common mistake: sending a notarized or state document to the U.S. Department of State for an apostille. The Department of State apostilles federal documents only. Everything else is apostilled by the Secretary of State of the state where it was notarized or issued.

Before you send

Required Documents for the Apostille

What to send us

The original: notarized in person, a certified copy from the issuing state, or the original federal certificate. Plain photocopies and printouts aren't accepted.
Your online order for Case 1, 2 or 3, paid online or through Pay Invoice. You don't need a separate request form.
A prepaid return label: a FedEx or UPS air waybill, or a USPS Priority Mail envelope with tracking. You can also buy a label at checkout.
Invoices and certificates of origin can also be uploaded as digital files.

Saudi Arabia rules we check for you

Each document gets its apostille from the correct office: the state or the U.S. Department of State.
Federal documents are sent as originals, exactly as the agency issued them.
Saudi Arabia ministries generally require a certified Arabic translation, which is usually prepared in Saudi Arabia after the apostille.
Invoices and certificates of origin show the Saudi Arabia consignee, HS codes and matching values.

Case 2

Authentication of Commercial Shipping Documents for Saudi Arabia

1. Required shipping documents

Commercial invoiceOn company letterhead, with the buyer, seller, goods, HS codes, quantities, unit prices, total value and terms of sale.
Certificate of originStates the country where the goods were made. It must match the invoice exactly in consignee, description, quantities and weights.
Authorized signatureA company officer signs both documents, and the signer's name must be clearly printed.
Chamber authentication, same dayWe authenticate the U.S. origin of the goods on the business day we receive the documents. Saudi Arabia requires this authentication from a U.S. chamber of commerce. There is no embassy step.

2. Importance of authenticating shipping documents

Customs filingYour importer or broker uploads the invoice, bill of lading and certificate of origin to customs clearance before arrival.

PaymentSaudi Arabia banks often list chamber-authenticated documents as a condition of a letter of credit.

Fewer delaysMismatched or unauthenticated documents are the most common reason goods are held at port.

For packing lists, halal certificates, price lists and other export papers, choose Case 3.

Processing time

Processing Time and Fees

Chamber authentication (Cases 2 & 3)

Arab American Chamber of Commerce stamp	$35 per document
Embassy fee	None
Processing	Same business day

Apostille (Case 1)

Secretary of State apostille	Varies by state
U.S. Department of State apostille	Federal documents
Embassy step	Not required

Times are counted from the day we receive your documents, and return shipping is added at checkout. Apostille times depend on the issuing state, and U.S. Department of State apostilles take longer. Call us for a current estimate.

Why AACC

Why Choose the Arab American Chamber of Commerce?

Arab League recognizedEvery chamber stamp carries a unique number that officials can verify online.

Correct apostille officeEach document goes to the state or the U.S. Department of State, whichever can apostille it.

No unnecessary stepsSaudi Arabia needs no embassy legalization, so we never add fees you don't need.

Mailing

Where to Send Your Documents

Maryland office (fastest)

Arab Chamber of Commerce
1615 Bay Head Rd., Annapolis, MD 21409
(410) 349-1212

Washington, D.C. headquarters

1330 New Hampshire Ave. NW, B1, Washington, DC
(202) 347-5800
Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm ET

FAQ

Saudi Arabia Apostille: Common Questions

Does Saudi Arabia accept an apostille from the United States?

Yes. The Hague Apostille Convention applies in Saudi Arabia. U.S. public documents with a valid apostille no longer need Saudi Arabia Embassy legalization.

Who issues the apostille for my document?

The Secretary of State of the state where the document was notarized or issued. Federal documents such as FDA, USPTO and FBI records are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State.

Do invoices and certificates of origin need the Saudi Arabia Embassy?

No. They are outside the Apostille Convention, and Saudi Arabia requires them to be authenticated by a U.S. chamber of commerce. We do this the same business day for $35 per document (Case 2).

Do I need to notarize a birth certificate or good standing certificate?

No. State records are not notarized. Order a certified copy from the issuing office, and it goes straight to the Secretary of State for the apostille.

Do my documents need an Arabic translation?

Saudi Arabia ministries generally require a certified Arabic translation of foreign documents, which is usually prepared in Saudi Arabia after the apostille.

Not sure which case fits your document?

Tell us what it is and who will receive it in Saudi Arabia. We'll confirm the right apostille office before you ship.

(202) 347-5800 Email us