Handling a Saudi legal matter from outside the Kingdom
If you live outside Saudi Arabia, you can usually deal with a legal matter there without travelling. A licensed Saudi lawyer can act for you under a power of attorney signed in your own country, and Saudi courts run most hearings electronically. The steps depend on your matter, your country and the Saudi office that receives your documents.
Published by RAED ALI ALJOHANI COMPANY FOR Lawyership and Legal Consultations · Last updated
General information about Saudi law — not advice on your situation.
Tell us which country you are in and, in a few lines, what the matter in Saudi Arabia is about. We’ll tell you whether it can be handled from there.
At a glance
- Who this is for
- People and companies outside Saudi Arabia with a legal matter there, including former residents and families abroad who are helping a relative. If someone is detained or stopped at the airport now, start with urgent help.
- Can it be handled from outside Saudi Arabia?
- Yes. A Saudi lawyer can usually act for you under a power of attorney signed in your country. Some steps may need you, or someone you appoint, in person.
- What usually decides the route
- What the matter is, which Saudi court or office deals with it, and whether your country uses the apostille or legalisation.
- What you usually need first
- A short outline: where you live, what the matter is, and any notice or date you know of. No documents yet.
- First step with us
- Send that outline by WhatsApp, a call or email.
- Working languages
- Arabic and English
Common situations we help with
We handle Saudi legal matters for people and companies outside the Kingdom, through a power of attorney and documents certified in their own country. Start with the page closest to your question.
- Act: giving someone the right to act for you
How do I give a Saudi lawyer a power of attorney from my country?
You sign the power of attorney in your own country, usually in front of a notary (an official who confirms signatures). It then needs official stamps for use in Saudi Arabia, and often a certified Arabic translation.
Power of attorney for Saudi Arabia, signed abroad - Act: getting documents stamped
Which stamps do my documents need for Saudi Arabia?
Some documents from abroad need an apostille, a single certificate. Others need legalisation, a chain of stamps that includes one from a Saudi embassy or consulate. Which one applies depends on where the document comes from and which Saudi office receives it, so we check that before you pay for any stamps.
Apostille or legalisation? Documents for Saudi Arabia by country - Decide: a court case while you live abroad
Can a Saudi court case continue while I live abroad?
Usually, yes. A licensed Saudi lawyer can file and follow the case for you under a power of attorney, and Saudi courts run most hearings electronically.
Court cases in Saudi Arabia while you live abroad - Urgent: a case against you
A case was filed against me after I left Saudi Arabia. What now?
Don’t ignore it. Leaving Saudi Arabia does not close a case, but you can usually respond from abroad through a licensed Saudi lawyer under a power of attorney.
A case filed against you after you left Saudi Arabia
We are preparing pages on three more situations:
what the family can do from abroad
When a family member dies in Saudi ArabiaComing soondeposits, balances and money still owed to you
Money left behind after you’ve left Saudi ArabiaComing soongetting them accepted at home
Using Saudi judgments and documents in your countryComing soon
How handling a Saudi matter from abroad usually works, step by step
Most matters handled from abroad go through four steps. Not every matter needs all four, and some steps happen at the same time.
Give someone the right to act for you. Sign a power of attorney in your own country, in front of a notary or another official who is allowed to do this. See power of attorney for Saudi Arabia, signed abroad. Where a lawyer helps: drafting wording that covers your matter and gives no powers you did not mean to give.
Get your documents stamped for use in Saudi Arabia. This means an apostille or legalisation. Some documents also need a certified translation into Arabic. See apostille or legalisation? Documents for Saudi Arabia by country. Where a lawyer helps: checking what the receiving Saudi office accepts before you pay for any stamps.
Deal with the matter itself, from where you are. This may be a court case in Saudi Arabia while you live abroad or a case filed against you after you left. A page on what the family can do when a relative dies in Saudi Arabia is coming soon.
Get money and documents out to your country. This may mean money still owed to you in Saudi Arabia, or a Saudi judgment or document you need to use at home. Pages on both are coming soon. Where a lawyer helps: checking, before you sign, that your power of attorney lets the holder receive money for you, if you want that.
Can you deal with a Saudi legal matter without travelling to Saudi Arabia?
Usually, yes. A licensed Saudi lawyer can act for you under a power of attorney signed in your own country, and Saudi courts run most hearings electronically. Some steps may need you, or someone you appoint, in person.
Najiz is the Ministry of Justice’s online platform for cases and powers of attorney. To sign in, Najiz uses Nafath, the Saudi government’s login app. Nafath needs a Saudi digital identity, which is linked to an ID issued in Saudi Arabia. So a client abroad usually works through a lawyer who holds their power of attorney. The lawyer can check your case file, file documents and follow each step for you.
Some investigations and some signatures may need you, or someone you appoint, to be there in person. We’ll tell you early if your matter has such a step, so you can plan for it.
For how hearings, filing and language work in a court case, see court cases in Saudi Arabia while you live abroad.
Who can act for you in Saudi Arabia while you are abroad?
Usually a licensed Saudi lawyer, under your power of attorney. A relative or friend you trust can sometimes act for you too. Your embassy can stay in contact with you, but it does not represent anyone in Saudi courts.
| Who | What they can usually do | What they need from you | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| A licensed Saudi lawyer | Checks your case file on Najiz, files documents, attends hearings and negotiates for you. | A power of attorney, signed in your country and stamped for use in Saudi Arabia. | No lawyer can promise an outcome. You can check a Saudi lawyer’s licence from anywhere. |
| A relative or friend you trust | Some steps with Saudi offices, within what the power of attorney allows. | A power of attorney, with wording limited to what they need to do. | Some Saudi courts and offices limit who may act for another person. Ask before you choose who holds it. |
| Your embassy or consulate | Stays in contact with you and can share a list of local lawyers. | It depends on the embassy. | It does not represent anyone in Saudi courts. What it offers depends on your country. |
| You, travelling for one step | A step that a court or office needs you for in person. | Your passport and any notice you received. | Ask us first. Before you fly, check that nothing is open against you. |
What should you do first if you are still in Saudi Arabia, or already abroad?
Your first steps depend on where you are. Still in Saudi Arabia? Keep your records and check what is open under your name before you leave. Already abroad? A lawyer usually acts for you under a power of attorney.
If you are still in Saudi Arabia
- Keep copies of your contracts, receipts, bank statements and any messages about a dispute.
- Check what is open under your name before you leave. This may be a case, an enforcement file (a file at the court that enforces judgments and debts) or a travel ban. See how to check for a travel ban or an open case.
- Note which Saudi mobile number is registered in your name. Messages about a court case may be sent to it.
- Ask a lawyer whether to sign a power of attorney before you leave.
If you are outside Saudi Arabia
- Sign a power of attorney in your own country, then have it stamped for use in Saudi Arabia.
- Let a lawyer check Najiz for you, since it needs a Saudi login.
- If you received a notice or message about a case, don’t ignore it. See what you can do about a case filed after you left.
- Before you plan to come back for work, a visit or Umrah (a Muslim pilgrimage), check whether anything is still open against you.
What should you prepare before contacting a Saudi lawyer?
A short outline is enough for a first message. Leave out ID numbers.
- The country you live in, and your nationality.
- What the matter is about, in a few lines, and who the other side is.
- Any notice, text message (SMS) or case number you have, and when it arrived.
- Key dates, such as when you left Saudi Arabia or the date of a hearing.
- The documents you hold, listed by name.
- How we can reach you, and whether you prefer Arabic or English.
Keep them ready — don’t send them yet.
What’s changed recently
- 7 December 2022 (background). The Apostille Convention took effect for Saudi Arabia. Some documents from abroad now need an apostille, and some still need legalisation. Which one depends on where the document comes from and who receives it. See documents from abroad, by country.
- 28 October 2026. The new Enforcement Law applies from this date. It changes when a ban can be used in an enforcement file. This matters to anyone who left Saudi Arabia with a debt still unpaid. See the dated entry on our what’s changed page.
How we help
It starts with a short outline from you: your country and what the matter is about. We tell you whether we can help, what we need and how fees are agreed.
- Work starts only after an engagement letter (the written agreement between you and the firm) is signed.
- You then sign a power of attorney in your country, and we act for you in Saudi Arabia under it.
- We check your case file, deal with the Saudi courts and offices in Arabic, and explain each step in plain words.
- We keep you updated by WhatsApp, phone or email, in Arabic or English.
No lawyer can promise an outcome. We’ll tell you plainly what can be done, what it takes and on what written terms. Payment is arranged directly with the firm, never on this site. Raed AlJuhani is a licensed Saudi lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Najiz from outside Saudi Arabia?
Usually not by yourself. Najiz is the Ministry of Justice’s online platform for cases and powers of attorney. To sign in, it uses Nafath, the Saudi government’s login app. Nafath needs a Saudi digital identity, which is linked to an ID issued in Saudi Arabia. So a client abroad usually works through a lawyer who holds their power of attorney. The lawyer can then check the case file and follow it for you.
Does Saudi Arabia accept apostilled documents?
Often, yes. The Apostille Convention, an international treaty, took effect for Saudi Arabia on 7 December 2022. Depending on the office that receives them, documents from abroad need an apostille or stamps from a Saudi embassy or consulate. Some Saudi offices still mention embassy stamps in their own guides. So before you pay for any stamp, we check what that office accepts. See documents from apostille countries for use in Saudi Arabia.
Are court cases in Saudi Arabia in Arabic?
Yes. Court work in Saudi Arabia is done in Arabic. Documents in another language usually need a certified translation, made by an approved translation office. Ask the translator to use the same Arabic spelling of your name on every document. We work with you in Arabic or English and explain each step. See court cases in Saudi Arabia while you live abroad.
Can my lawyer receive money for me in Saudi Arabia and send it to my country?
Only if your power of attorney says so. You decide whether to include this power, and you can limit it to one matter or one payment. We explain how it would work before you sign. See power of attorney for Saudi Arabia, signed abroad.
How do we stay in touch across time zones?
By WhatsApp, phone or email, whichever suits you. Saudi Arabia is three hours ahead of UTC (the world’s standard time) all year round. The clocks do not change in summer. Our page on how we work with clients outside Saudi Arabia explains how updates and meetings work.
What if I get a message about a case in Saudi Arabia after I’ve left?
Don’t ignore it. Keep the message exactly as you received it, and note when it arrived and from which number. Speak to a lawyer before you reply to anyone or sign anything. Our page on a case filed against you after you left Saudi Arabia explains the first steps.
Official sources
This page draws on 3 official sources. Each line shows who publishes it, its language and, where recorded, the date we last checked it.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Ratification services on documents (in English) · checked
- Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) · Apostille Convention status table (in English) · checked
- Ministry of Justice · Najiz (Ministry of Justice e-services) (in Arabic) · checked
Talk to a lawyer about a Saudi matter you are handling from abroad
We handle Saudi legal matters for people and companies outside the Kingdom, through a power of attorney and documents certified in their own country. A few lines are enough: your country, what the matter is about, and any date on a notice or message.
General information about Saudi law, not advice on your situation. Contacting us does not create a lawyer–client relationship until an engagement letter is signed.