Document Authentication in Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia

First, please be reminded that I wrote this post based on my personal experience, nothing more, nothing less.

I was trying to search through the internet on how can my document be authenticated by the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia here in Makati.  Unfortunately, I can only see the process in the websites of other countries (the website for my country is currently down).  I've also tried to read some blogs but some of the bloggers just wrote what are the things "needed" and types of visa, but not the whole process. Here's my experience:

1. I called up the Royal Embassy's number late at night, thinking that it is following  its own country's time (hehehe, idiot).  Somebody answered and informed me that the office is already closed. You can find the latest number from this website: http://www.mofa.gov.sa don't forget to click the word "English" on the upper left side for the English translation.

2. I went personally to the said office in Makati thinking that it is easy to get an individual authentication. When I arrived there, I was not allowed by the guard to enter, he informed me that as of 2008, the Royal Embassy is not allowing individual authentication anymore, instead, I need a travel agency for the authentication of documents.  I asked him if there is a bulletin board that I can read so that I will know what are the travel agencies that are certified.  He told me that I will only know that by calling up the office of the Royal Embassy.

3. The guard pointed a person in which I can talk to for the authentication of my document.  Of course I was hesitant, I know these things (the "fixers"). The other guard informed me that the person can be trusted.  There are some jolli-jeeps near the Royal Embassy, the man is currently eating.  So instead of wasting my time and the two guards have told me that the man can be trusted, I talked to him.

4. The man looked at my papers, he asked for a photocopy of my document and a pen.  He wrote there the name of the document that he will take and told me that I can return on the next day to get the authenticated document.  For how much? As of this writing it is 800php (eight hundred pesos), he told me that some agencies asks for 1,500php-1,600php.  What's good with this transaction is that I will pay him as soon as it is authenticated, no down-payment.

5. On the next day (afternoon), I went again to the place where I can get the authenticated document.  There are some people in the gate entrance, I've waited for him to arrive.  I've seen him go inside the embassy and after almost two hours of waiting, he went out, carrying lots of authenticated documents. I tapped him on the back but he ignored me. I've waited for him to finish arranging the authenticated documents and as soon as he was done, he talked to me and gave me the document and I've paid him the required amount.

6. Based on my observation, I think the man that I've spoke to is not from an agency.  I don't know, maybe he works inside because I've seen a red I.D., maybe this is an ID for them to get in.  They are just a few of them to get inside the embassy for releasing of documents. A man beside me asked me how much I've paid for the authentication, I've told him it's 800php.  He told me that I should not have paid it that much and it is actually free. I've told him that the guards did not allowed me to enter the embassy the other day.

I didn't even bother to ask the "fixer" man who he was and what is his job in the embassy. At least I've paid less and got the authenticated document.  Maybe this is the way things that you do in Royal Embassy for authentication of documents.  I didn't even bother to call up the office.