What documents do I need to move to Saudi Arabia as a Philippines citizen?

Typical pathway: Work Visa

Last verified: September 22, 2026

Philippine e-Passport with at least 6 months validity (before) — Source: https://www.jeddahpcg.dfa.gov.ph/visa-requirements
Original machine-readable/e-Passport issued by the DFA, valid for at least six months beyond the intended date of entry into Saudi Arabia. Name spelling must match the employment contract, visa authorization and all attested civil/educational documents, as mismatches are a common cause of DMW and Saudi consular rejection.
Saudi employment (work) visa stamped by the Royal Saudi Embassy in Manila (before) — Source: Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Manila / Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (visa.mofa.gov.sa)
The physical visa sticker placed in the Philippine passport after the Saudi employer obtains the visa authorization / block visa number from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Enjaz/MOFA number). The employer/sponsor initiates this; the applicant or the licensed agency submits the passport for stamping. The visa must generally be used within its stated validity window (commonly 90 days from issuance) — verify the exact validity printed on your own visa.
Employment contract verified by DMW and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO/POLO) in Saudi Arabia (before) — Source: Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Philippines
The Saudi employer's job offer/contract must be verified by the Migrant Workers Office at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, PCG Jeddah, or MWO Al Khobar, then registered with the Department of Migrant Workers. It must state salary (meeting DMW-set minimums for the job category), free accommodation, transportation, medical/health insurance, working hours and leave. Insist on an English version — do not sign an Arabic-only contract.
Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) / DMW exit clearance (before) — Source: DMW Balik-Manggagawa Online (BM Online), Department of Migrant Workers
Mandatory Philippine exit clearance proving legal deployment; without it, Bureau of Immigration will not allow departure for employment. New hires receive it through the DMW-accredited agency's contract processing; returning (Balik-Manggagawa) workers process it via the BM Online system. It also gives travel-tax and terminal-fee exemption at Philippine airports.
Wafid (GAMCA) medical fitness certificate from a Gulf-approved medical centre (before) — Source: Wafid – Gulf Health Council (GAMCA) medical appointment portal
Pre-employment medical issued only by a Wafid/GAMCA-accredited clinic in the Philippines (auto-assigned by the Wafid portal), covering chest X-ray for TB, HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, drug screening and a physical exam. Booking requires the passport, the sponsor/visa reference and the appointment slip. A 'Fit' result is required before the Saudi visa is stamped and the report is normally valid about 90 days.
Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) certificate (before) — Source: Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)
Certificate of completion of the OWWA/DMW-run PDOS (a country-specific session for Saudi Arabia covering labour law, the Iqama system, culture and worker rights). Household service workers additionally undergo the comprehensive pre-departure education programme. The certificate is presented during OEC issuance.
OWWA membership certificate / official receipt (before) — Source: Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)
Proof of paid OWWA membership (typically USD 25 per contract) giving the OFW insurance, welfare, repatriation and scholarship benefits while in Saudi Arabia. Membership must be active at departure and renewed with each new or re-processed contract.
Printed colour photographs, 4x6 cm with white background (2 copies) (before) — Source: https://www.jeddahpcg.dfa.gov.ph/visa-requirements
Physical photo prints submitted with the Saudi work visa application at the Saudi Embassy in Manila — separate from the digital biometrics (ten-finger prints and facial scan) captured later in Saudi Arabia. Number and exact specification can vary; confirm with the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Manila or its authorised visa centre before printing.
Attested diploma and transcript of records (CHED CAV + DFA Apostille/authentication + Saudi Embassy legalisation) (before) — Source: Department of Foreign Affairs (Philippines) – Apostille/Authentication Division; Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
For professional and skilled roles, Philippine educational credentials must be verified by CHED (Certification, Authentication and Verification) or TESDA for technical-vocational certificates, then apostilled/authenticated by the DFA and legalised by the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Manila. Some Saudi ministries or employers also require a certified Arabic translation — confirm the exact format demanded by your employer.
PRC professional licence and Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) classification (before) — Source: Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS); Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Philippines
Required only for regulated professions — e.g. nurses, medical technologists, pharmacists, physicians and some engineers. Healthcare workers must obtain SCFHS DataFlow primary source verification and professional classification/registration before the work permit and practice licence can be issued; engineers may need Saudi Council of Engineers registration.
NBI clearance (police clearance) for travel abroad, authenticated (before) — Source: National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippines
Criminal-record clearance issued by the National Bureau of Investigation with the 'For Travel Abroad – Saudi Arabia' purpose. Often requested by Saudi employers and for certain professions or for later family-visa and licensing steps; not uniformly demanded for every work-visa category — verify with the hiring employer and the Saudi Embassy in Manila.
Release letter / No Objection Certificate from a previous Saudi sponsor (before) — Source: https://www.jeddahpcg.dfa.gov.ph/visa-requirements
Applies only to applicants who previously worked in the Kingdom: the Saudi Embassy requires a release letter from the former employer, and the applicant should confirm through MWO/Jawazat that no absconding (huroob) report, labour case or re-entry ban is recorded against them.
Post-arrival medical examination report from a Saudi MOH-approved centre (during) — Source: Saudi Ministry of Health / General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat)
A second, in-Kingdom medical screening (physical exam, blood tests for HIV/hepatitis B and C/syphilis, chest X-ray) that must be completed shortly after arrival — commonly cited as within 14 to 30 days, depending on region and employer instructions. Results are transmitted electronically to the Ministry of Health and Jawazat and are a precondition for Iqama issuance.
Jawazat biometric enrolment record and Absher/Nafath account (during) — Source: https://my.gov.sa/en/services/116997
Digital capture of ten fingerprints and a facial photograph at a Ministry of Interior biometric centre or Jawazat office, followed by activation of a personal Absher account (and Nafath digital identity) linked to a Saudi mobile number. These underpin access to all e-government services, exit/re-entry permits and Iqama functions.
Iqama (residence permit card) (during) — Source: Ministry of Interior (Absher) / Muqeem portal, Saudi Arabia
The employer/sponsor applies via Muqeem/Absher Business and pays the issuance fee; the Iqama is the worker's legal identity and work authorisation in the Kingdom and is normally issued within 90 days of arrival. It is required to open a bank account, get a SIM line, sign a lease, enrol children in school and access healthcare. Carry it at all times and keep a photocopy separately.
CCHI-compliant health insurance card (during) — Source: Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI), Saudi Arabia
Mandatory employer-provided medical insurance meeting Council of Cooperative Health Insurance minimum standards; the policy must be active and registered before the Iqama can be issued or renewed. Verify that the card covers the worker (and dependants if sponsored) and note the network hospitals.
OFW registration with the Migrant Workers Office / Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia (during) — Source: https://riyadhpe.dfa.gov.ph
Voluntary but strongly advised on-site registration of the worker's contract, employer details and contact information with MWO Riyadh, MWO Al Khobar or MWO Jeddah (at PCG Jeddah). It speeds up welfare assistance, legal aid and repatriation, and is useful evidence in labour disputes; the 24/7 OFW assistance hotline can be reached from inside the Kingdom.
Iqama renewal record and Qiwa-authenticated employment contract (after) — Source: Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) / Qiwa, Saudi Arabia
The Iqama is typically valid one year and must be renewed by the sponsor before expiry (late renewal triggers fines starting around SAR 500, and can lead to travel bans). Renewal requires an active Qiwa-registered digital employment contract, valid health insurance and up-to-date biometrics; workers should verify their own status in Absher rather than rely solely on the employer.
Exit/Re-entry visa (or Final Exit visa) (after) — Source: Absher (Saudi Ministry of Interior) / Muqeem portal
Iqama holders cannot leave Saudi Arabia without an exit/re-entry permit issued through Absher/Muqeem, or a final exit visa when the contract ends. Under the Labour Reform Initiative workers can in many cases request it themselves via Absher; when going home for vacation, the returning worker must also secure a Balik-Manggagawa OEC from DMW before flying back out of the Philippines.
Philippine passport renewal or extension processed in-Kingdom (after) — Source: https://riyadhpe.dfa.gov.ph
Renew the Philippine e-Passport at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, PCG Jeddah, or the accredited ePassport Renewal Centres in Riyadh and Al Khobar well before expiry, since Iqama renewal, exit/re-entry visas and salary/banking records are tied to the passport number. The same offices issue Embassy endorsement letters needed for NBI fingerprinting and police clearance from abroad.

Not legal advice. Based on cached research — verify with official sources before making decisions.

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