An Indian living in Saudi Arabia can sign a power of attorney before a Saudi notary and obtain an apostille from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or sign before a consular officer at the Embassy of India in Riyadh or the Consulate General in Jeddah. The original is couriered to India, stamped within three months and, for property sales, registered or authenticated under the Registration Act as the state requires.
- Document route
- Saudi notary (including Najiz e-notarisation), then apostille from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or signing at the Indian mission
- Time difference
- IST is 2h30 ahead of Saudi time all year (no daylight saving)
- Recognition
- Section 33, Registration Act 1908
- Authentication
- Indian mission, or notary plus apostille
Power of Attorney from Saudi Arabia: how it works
We draft a specific power for the task, naming the property by survey number, plot number or flat number exactly as in the title deed, and listing each act the attorney may perform. Generic powers are frequently refused. If you choose the apostille route, the notary must see your passport and iqama, and the Saudi foreign ministry then issues the apostille. If you choose the mission route, book through the Embassy or Consulate service provider and bring photographs, passport copies and the unsigned draft.
Once the original reaches India, the attorney holder has it adjudicated and stamped with the Collector of Stamps or sub-registrar within three months. For property transactions, states such as Punjab, Haryana, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh may require registration or authentication under section 33 of the Registration Act before relying on it. Ask us to confirm the local office's preference, because some still query Saudi apostilles. Keep a register of every power you sign, and revoke old ones formally when the job is done.
What clients in Saudi Arabia should know
- Since December 2022 a Saudi apostille replaces the earlier route of Saudi foreign ministry attestation followed by Indian mission attestation.
- Arabic-only notarial certificates should carry an English translation, because Indian registrars will not act on a document they cannot read.
- If the attorney will sell property, the power should state how sale proceeds are to be paid, ideally into your own NRO account, to protect you and the buyer.
Step by step from Saudi Arabia
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits Saudi Arabia, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in Saudi Arabia
Saudi notary (including Najiz e-notarisation), then apostille from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or signing at the Indian mission
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in Saudi Arabia where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in Saudi Arabia. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Power of Attorney, or see all services for clients in Saudi Arabia and the Inheritance & Documents practice area.
Questions from clients in Saudi Arabia
Is a power signed at the Indian Consulate in Jeddah valid across India?
Yes. A consular attestation is recognised throughout India, though stamping and any registration still follow the law of the state where it is used.
Can my Saudi employer's in-house notary sign it?
Only a notary authorised by the Saudi Ministry of Justice can notarise a document that will then be apostilled. In-house signatures without that authority will not do.
Can I give one power for a property and a court case together?
You can, but separate powers are cleaner. A registrar may refuse a power that also covers unrelated litigation, and revoking one task later is easier.