For getting visa for any professional job in Saudi Arabia, you need to get your educational degrees duly attested by Saudi Cultural office and Saudi Embassy/consulate in your home country. Without this attestation; visa can’t be stamped on your passport by Saudi Embassy.
In this post, we will be explaining step by step process for getting your degree attested from Saudi Cultural office and Saudi Embassy in Pakistan.
Step 1: Degree Attestation from HEC and Foreign Office
Before you could go for an attestation from Saudi Cultural office or embassy; your first step is to get your degree attested from Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and from the foreign office.
To get your degree attested from HEC, visit HEC office nearby by taking an appointment in advance. HEC will entertain you only if you go in person or nominate someone on your behalf with an authority letter. Another option is to use courier service.
HEC will attest your highest level degree obtained from any HEC recognized university. You need to provide your matriculation and intermediate certificates as well obtained from any board of intermediate and secondary education.
HEC attestation process normally takes a week or so after which your record is updated online along with stamping on your degree.
Once your degree is attested from HEC, next you need to proceed towards Foreign office to get your degree stamped from there. Foreign office will attest your degree by first ensuring that HEC attestation is done. Attestation from FO is done on same day and you get your attested degree back in afternoon.
Step 2: Degree Attestation from Saudi Cultural Office
For attestation of your degree from Saudi Cultural office you need to visit the cultural office with following documents:
- Your original passport
- Your original degree attested already from HEC and FO
- Your transcript (detailed marks sheet)
- A letter of bonafide/regular student from your university
- CNIC
- Letter from your employer in Saudi Arabia addressed to Cultural office (duly attested by Chamber of Commerce)
- Your employment contract
Saudi Cultural office staff will verify all your documents and will submit only if they are satisfied with all the required documents. For any anomalies in the name in your passport or degree; they will reject it and will ask you to submit after clearing the doubts.
Saudi cultural office will give you some tentative date for collecting the attested degree along with other submitted documents. Its recommended to first call them before going for collection.
Note that there is no fee of the attestation from Saudi cultural office. However, if you opt for any agent to do this on your behalf; he will charge you for his services.
Step 3: Attestation from Saudi Embassy
For attestation from Saudi Embassy or consulate; they will require a letter from employer addressed to the embassy asking them for attestation of the degree. Saudi Embassy will attest your degree after verifying attestation from cultural office, FO and HEC. It usually takes just a couple of days for getting your degree attested from Saudi Embassy.