Your parent company’s documents, country by country.
Since 7 December 2022, one apostille replaces the embassy chain for most countries. For a few, the full chain still applies. Here is the route and the issuing authority for each, and the order that keeps a file from coming back.
Route and issuing authority, by country
| Parent registered in | Apostille | Who issues it, or the chain |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Secretary of State of the state that issued or notarised the document; federal documents: US Department of State |
| United Kingdom | Yes | FCDO Legalisation Office, e-apostille available; private documents certified by a notary or solicitor first |
| China | Yes, since 7 Nov 2023 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an authorised local office, after a notary or CCPIT certificate |
| India | Yes | Ministry of External Affairs (e-Sanad); commercial documents authenticated by a chamber of commerce first |
| France | Yes | Notaries, since 1 May 2025, with e-apostille |
| Germany | Yes | President of the regional court where the notary sits; federal documents: Federal Office for Foreign Affairs |
| Japan | Yes | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the one-stop service at notary offices |
| South Korea | Yes | Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Justice, e-apostille available |
| Indonesia | Yes | Ministry of Law online, after an Indonesian notary |
| Canada | Yes, since 11 Jan 2024 | Global Affairs Canada, or the authority in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec or Saskatchewan |
| Australia | Yes | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; private documents notarised first |
| Italy | Yes | Public prosecutor’s office (notarial acts) or prefecture (administrative documents) |
| Spain | Yes | Ministry of Justice (e-apostille) or notarial colleges |
| Netherlands | Yes | District courts |
| Switzerland | Yes | Cantonal state chancellery |
| Türkiye | Yes | Governorship or district governorship |
| Russia | Yes | Regional bodies of the Ministry of Justice and other designated authorities |
| Pakistan | Yes, since 9 Mar 2023 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, online |
| Singapore | Yes | Singapore Academy of Law, after a notary public |
| Bahrain · Oman | Yes | Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| United Arab Emirates | No | Issuing authority → UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs → Saudi Embassy in Abu Dhabi or Consulate in Dubai → Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs where asked |
| Egypt | No | Notary or chamber → Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs → Saudi Embassy in Cairo → Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Jordan | No | Chamber and Companies Control Department → Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs → Saudi Embassy in Amman → Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Kuwait · Qatar | No | Chamber → the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs → Saudi Embassy → Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Lebanon · Malaysia | No | Notary (and chamber) → the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs → Saudi Embassy → Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
Another country? Every party to the Convention designates a competent authority; the Hague Conference publishes the list. If your country is not a party, the chain above applies.
The order that avoids rejections
- Notarise private documents, such as board resolutions and powers of attorney, so they become public documents.
- Apostille each document, or take it through the full chain if your country is not a party.
- Translate everything into Arabic in the Kingdom, through a certified translation office, stamps included.
- Keep registry extracts recent: no official validity window is published, but plan for three months.
The pack
- Commercial registration extract or certificate of good standing of the parent.
- Audited financial statements for the latest financial year (some activities ask for three).
- Board resolution approving the Saudi entity, its capital and its manager, and authorising a representative.
- Power of attorney for the representative who will file for you.
- The ownership chain up to the natural persons who ultimately own or control the parent.
- Premium Residency holders are exempt from the parent documents at MISA.
What MISA’s guide still says
Saudi Arabia joined the Apostille Convention on 8 April 2022 and has applied it since 7 December 2022, with every party. The central bank’s circular of 6 April 2023 tells banks the apostille replaces embassy and foreign-ministry authentication. The Ministry of Investment’s guide (March 2026) still asks for the parent’s registration and financial statements “certified by the Saudi Embassy”. We confirm the route for your country with MISA before the first document moves.
See it for your company.
The readiness check applies these rules to your country, activity and plans, and names the longest pole in your file. No email.
Sources: hcch.net Apostille status table (read 29 Sep 2026) and Saudi competent authority · rulebook.sama.gov.sa circular 44073468 · misa.gov.sa Investor Guide (13th ed.) · ratification.mofa.gov.sa · issuing authorities’ own pages