Issue with PDF/A-3B vs PDF/A-3A for ZATCA-compliant invoices with embedded XML

XML and business rules
1

Hello ZATCA Team / Community,

I am generating invoices in PDF/A-3 format with embedded XML as required. However, I am encountering some issues and need clarification:

  1. PDF/A Version:

    • The PDF I generate is recognized as PDF/A-3B with ISO 19005-3.

    • According to the ZATCA SDK, invoices should be PDF/A-3A with ISO 19005-3.

    • Will using PDF/A-3B cause any issues for submission or XML recognition?

  2. Page Size:

    • Does PDF/A-3 require a specific page size?

    • Do I need to adjust the invoice width/height to comply, or is it only about archival metadata?

  3. Embedded XML Recognition:

    • My PDF has the XML embedded properly (/AF and /AFRelationship=/Data).

    • Yet, the ZATCA portal sometimes does not recognize it and throws a warning about missing XML.

    • I have tried converting using Ghostscript, Aspose.PDF, and pikepdf in Python, but still face conformance issues.

  4. Library Recommendations:

    • For Python users, is there a reliable library or approach to generate PDF/A-3A with embedded XML that passes ZATCA portal validation?

    • Are there any PHP libraries that fully support PDF/A-3A with XML embedding?

I would greatly appreciate guidance on whether PDF/A-3A is mandatory, or if 3B is acceptable, and any recommended tools or libraries for proper compliance.

Thank you!