How do foreign-trained doctors get licensed to work in Saudi Arabia?
A foreign-trained doctor needs two approvals from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). The first is professional classification, which you can apply for from abroad in its Mumaris Plus system. The second is professional registration, which you get before you start work and which needs a Saudi residence permit. Classification needs your qualifications verified by an SCFHS-approved company, a valid licence from the country where you last practised and at least 1 year of experience. Registration lasts 2 years.
What are the steps to practise medicine in Saudi Arabia?
1. Apply for professional classification in Mumaris Plus, the SCFHS online system. SCFHS says you can apply from outside Saudi Arabia, and you do not need a Saudi work permit at this first stage.
2. Have your qualifications verified. SCFHS asks for a verification result from a company it has approved. If your application rests on a postgraduate degree, the higher degree is verified and the bachelor's degree is not.
3. Pass the assessment that SCFHS sets for your file. Its registration service lists four routes: a direct decision, a practical assessment, an electronic written examination at Prometric or Pearson VUE, and the national electronic licensing examination.
4. Apply for professional registration before you start work. SCFHS asks non-Saudis for a residence permit, and applicants who are already employed for an employment letter issued within the last 3 months.
5. Renew the registration every 2 years, with the continuing professional development (CPD) hours your category needs.
What documents does SCFHS ask for?
Your qualification certificates. For classification as a consultant in a sub-specialty, SCFHS asks for the bachelor's degree, the general specialty certificate and the sub-specialty certificate. For fellowship or board certificates, it asks for a certificate of completion of training that shows the programme, its duration and the dates you joined and finished.
A valid professional registration certificate from the official authority in the country where you practised before you came to Saudi Arabia, with a verification letter for it. If your country has no professional registration body, SCFHS asks for an official letter from that country's Ministry of Health, and the approved company's verification of your experience letter is enough.
An experience letter. SCFHS requires at least 1 year of experience for non-Saudis, except graduates of Saudi universities.
For professional registration: your residence permit, an employment letter if you are already employed, and a medical report if you are over 65.
If the verification company's final report is late, SCFHS's FAQ says to contact Dataflow, because the final report must be attached to the application.
Do foreign doctors have to pass an exam?
It depends on the route SCFHS sets for your file. Its professional registration service lists a direct decision, a practical assessment, an electronic written examination (Prometric or Pearson VUE) and the national electronic licensing examination.
For medical graduates, SCFHS's applicant guide says you must take the Saudi Medical Licensure Examination (SMLE) if you want to practise in Saudi Arabia or enter an SCFHS postgraduate training programme. You can apply with an MBBS or equivalent degree, during your internship year, or one year before you graduate. The SMLE runs at SCFHS-approved Prometric centres in Saudi Arabia and abroad.
The SCFHS pages we read do not list which qualifications exempt a doctor from an exam, or the experience needed for each level. Check the route for your own file when you apply in Mumaris Plus.
How long does it take?
SCFHS publishes these service times for professional registration: 7 business days for a direct decision, 45 business days for a practical assessment, 30 business days for an electronic written examination at Prometric or Pearson VUE, and 60 business days for the national electronic licensing examination.
Verification by the approved company comes before this. SCFHS does not publish its duration.
How long does SCFHS registration last, and how do I renew it?
Professional registration lasts 2 years. You can apply to renew it in Mumaris Plus from 3 months before it ends.
Renewal needs the CPD hours for your professional category. SCFHS's FAQ lists 60 hours for doctors, 40 for specialists, 40 for pharmacists and 20 for technicians, and it gives consultants their own figure on a separate page. If you have not completed the hours, SCFHS allows a one-year renewal, once in your registration period. Non-Saudis also need a valid residence permit to renew.
If your registration ended more than 1 year ago, you apply for professional registration again as a new registration.
What if a consultant does not have enough years of experience?
The healthcare institution can ask SCFHS for an exception from the experience requirement for registration at consultant level. It applies through Mumaris Plus Business, and two consultants in the same general specialty must endorse the doctor. SCFHS lists the service as free, with a service time of 10 working days.
How much does it cost?
SCFHS publishes its fees in a fee schedule linked from each service page. The schedule lists fees by professional category and assessment route, split into registration, classification and administrative fees. Check the current schedule on the SCFHS website before you pay.
Sources
Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). Mumaris Plus frequently asked questions. Page updated 20 October 2026, checked 21 October 2026. https://scfhs.org.sa/en/mumaris-faq
Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). Professional classification requirements. Page updated 20 October 2026, checked 21 October 2026. https://scfhs.org.sa/en/professional-classification-requirements
Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). Professional Registration service. Checked 21 October 2026. https://scfhs.org.sa/en/node/1985
Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). Professional Registration renewal service. Checked 21 October 2026. https://scfhs.org.sa/en/node/1986
Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). Exception from the experience requirement for registration at the consultant level. Checked 21 October 2026. https://scfhs.org.sa/en/node/2031
Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). SMLE Applicant Guide 2024. Checked 21 October 2026. https://scfhs.org.sa/sites/default/files/2024-06/SMLE%20Applicant%20Guide%202024_0.pdf
Related Directory Pages
A foreign-trained doctor needs two approvals from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). The first is professional classification, which you can apply for from abroad in its Mumaris Plus system. The second is professional registration, which you get before you start work and which needs a Saudi residence permit. Classification needs your qualifications verified by an SCFHS-approved company, a valid licence from the country where you last practised and at least 1 year of experience. Registration lasts 2 years. This guide is published by Zavis (https://www.zavis.ai) and covers healthcare services in Saudi Arabia. Its sources are listed on this page. Last reviewed 2026-10-21.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for an SCFHS licence from outside Saudi Arabia?
Yes, for the first stage. SCFHS says you can apply for professional classification from outside Saudi Arabia in Mumaris Plus, and you do not need a Saudi work permit for it. Professional registration, which you need before you start work, asks non-Saudis for a residence permit.
Who verifies a foreign doctor's documents for SCFHS?
A verification company that SCFHS has approved. If your application rests on a postgraduate degree, that degree is verified and the bachelor's degree is not. SCFHS's FAQ says to contact Dataflow if the final report is late, because it must be attached to the application.
How many years of experience does a foreign doctor need for Saudi Arabia?
At least 1 year for non-Saudis, according to SCFHS's classification requirements; graduates of Saudi universities are the exception. For consultant registration, a healthcare institution can ask SCFHS for an exception from the experience requirement, with two consultants in the same general specialty as endorsers.
Do I need to pass the SMLE?
SCFHS's applicant guide says medical graduates must take the Saudi Medical Licensure Examination (SMLE) to practise in Saudi Arabia or enter its postgraduate training. For professional registration, SCFHS lists four routes: a direct decision, a practical assessment, an electronic written examination and the national electronic licensing examination. Check the route for your file in Mumaris Plus.
How long is SCFHS professional registration valid?
2 years. You can renew it in Mumaris Plus from 3 months before it ends, with the CPD hours your category needs: SCFHS lists 60 hours for doctors.
How long does SCFHS registration take?
SCFHS publishes 7 business days for a direct decision, 45 for a practical assessment, 30 for an electronic written examination and 60 for the national electronic licensing examination. Document verification comes first, and SCFHS does not publish its duration.