Apostille & Sworn Translations for Gulf Licensing: Clean Sequence for DHA, DOH, SCFHS & QCHP

The clean sequence (signals, not guarantees)

1. Collect originals
   Degrees + full transcripts, professional licence, Good Standing Certificate, employment references, identity page, and any civil status documents you might need later (marriage/birth certificates).

2. Check your document’s origin path

   • If your country is in the Hague Apostille Convention → Apostille by the competent authority.

   • If non-Hague → follow consular/legalisation chain (foreign ministry + UAE/Saudi/Qatar embassy, as applicable).

3. Embassy/consular attestation (when required)
   Some regulators/employers expect embassy attestation in addition to apostille; confirm for your pathway (DHA/DOH/SCFHS/QCHP). When in doubt, add it—attested is rarely rejected.
4. Sworn translation (after legalisation)
   Translate into English or Arabic (as required) after the apostille/attestations are attached. Upload both the original legalised file and the sworn translation.
5. UAE/KSA/Qatar in-country steps
   Certain employers later request MOFA attestation or local notarisation of select papers. Keep your originals handy; plan a half-day for these errands after arrival.

Golden rule: Legalise → then translate → then upload. Reverse order = rework.

What to legalise (typical clinical pack)

• Education: degree + full transcripts (hours/credits visible).

• Professional: active licence + recent Good Standing Certificate.

• Employment: references on letterhead (duties, FTE, start/end dates, signature/stamp).

• Identity/civil: passport identity page; marriage/birth certificates if sponsoring family.

• Extras (role dependent): internship/residency/fellowship certificates, specialist boards, name-change evidence.

Name hygiene: every document must show your passport-exact name (all middle names). If it doesn’t, request a reissue or an official annotation before legalisation.

DataFlow/PSV mapping (so verifiers pass you first time)

• Map documents to the correct component: Education, Licence/Good Standing, Employment.

• Upload colour PDFs with intact apostille/attestation pages and translation; avoid photos/screenshots.

• Prefer documents with QRs/verifier links; if provided by the issuer, include the link field in the portal.

• Track each component to Verified before pushing licensing portal steps (DHA/DOH/SCFHS/QCHP).

Scanning & file naming (small habits, big wins)

• Scan in colour at 300–400 dpi; include full margins and seals.

• One PDF per document set (e.g., Original + Apostille + Translation in order).

• File names: Surname_Name_Degree_University_YYYY.pdf, Surname_Name_GSC_Regulator_YYYYMM.pdf.

• Keep a one-page index of every file and where it is uploaded.

Country nuances you should expect

• Hague vs non-Hague: apostille vs consular chain is the main fork.

• Embassy expectations can differ by regulator and employer; SCFHS often scrutinises attestation chains closely; QCHP may want both apostille and embassy stamps depending on origin.

• MOFA: UAE/KSA/Qatar MOFA endorsements are sometimes requested at contract or immigration stage—budget time and fees.

(Policies evolve; this guide focuses on execution quality rather than quoting thresholds that may change.)

Common pitfalls—and calm fixes

• Translated first, then apostilled → redo translation after legalisation.

• Cropped seals/QRs → rescan in colour with margins; reupload.

• Name mismatch (missing middle names) → obtain reissue/annotation; align everywhere to passport.

• Screenshots instead of PDFs → upload original verifiable PDFs; add the issuer link if available.

• Mixed dates across references/CV → correct CV or request amended letters before PSV.

• Good Standing expired mid-review → reorder fresh GSC; notify reviewer with the new file.

Copy-paste checklists

Pre-legalisation

• Passport-exact name confirmed on degree/licence/references

• CV dates match references; job titles consistent

• Decide: Hague apostille or consular chain

• Book embassy slots; confirm payment methods (card/cash)

Legalisation day

• Originals + copies packed; check opening hours

• Apostille/attestation applied to originals (not copies)

• Receipts scanned; turnaround recorded

Sworn translation

• Translate after legalisation; keep translator’s sworn statement attached

• Produce one combined colour PDF per document set

DataFlow/PSV upload

• Correct components selected (Education/Licence/Employment)

• Colour PDFs with intact seals/QRs; filenames clean

• Verifier link/QR added where applicable

• Track to Verified; screenshot status page for your records

Short FAQs