[Saudi Arabia] Short-term expat residency permits launched

Expats in Saudi Arabia can now get three-month residency permits with a renewal option for the same period and are permitted to save a digital copy of the iqama (permit) on their smartphones, Gulf News reports.

According to local media reporting, the service was launched by Minister of Interior Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Saud Bin Naif as part of a new package of services and is now available on Absher Afrad (Individual) platform.

The new service offers expats a choice of short-term permits as an alternative to a one-year permit or renewing annually. Local reporting says this service is intended to help both expats and their employers save money that would otherwise be paid for a full year. It will also allow more flexibility of the contractual relationship.

If an employer is hiring an expat whose iqama is about to expire and the latter want to resign three months later, for example, under the new system they can now renew their iqama for three months instead of a full year.

Additionally, if an expat’s iqama has expired and they only need to remain in the Kingdom a few more months, they can renew their iqama for three, six, or nine months, instead of having to renew it for a full year.

The rule change also means that payments of the short-term iqama fee can be made on a quarterly or half-yearly basis. Recent amendments to the government payment system mean banks will accept the payment of the work permit fee for a minimum of three months or its multiples of six, nine months or a full year.

The quarterly renewal of iqama allows expats to pay the dependent fee on a quarterly basis, too. The quarterly renewal of iqama is optional; people who are not comfortable with it may continue with the current system.

Thanks to the recently updated government payments system, the iqama fee can be paid on a quarterly- or half-yearly basis. This will reportedly facilitate completing the procedures of issuance and renewal of iqamas for the required period through the online platforms of Absher Business, Muqeem and Qiwa under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

Banks will now accept the payment of the work permit fee by an employer for a minimum three-month period or in multiples up to an entire year. The issuance and renewal of iqama are linked to the work permit.

Employers must pay the expatriate fee for the renewal of the work permit, which is SR800 per month or SR9,600 a year. Expatriates who have dependants will have to pay SR400 per month for each dependent.

Expats in Saudi Arabia can now get three-month residency permits with a renewal option for the same period and are permitted to save a digital copy of the iqama (permit) on their smartphones, Gulf News reports.

According to local media reporting, the service was launched by Minister of Interior Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Saud Bin Naif as part of a new package of services and is now available on Absher Afrad (Individual) platform.

The new service offers expats a choice of short-term permits as an alternative to a one-year permit or renewing annually. Local reporting says this service is intended to help both expats and their employers save money that would otherwise be paid for a full year. It will also allow more flexibility of the contractual relationship.

If an employer is hiring an expat whose iqama is about to expire and the latter want to resign three months later, for example, under the new system they can now renew their iqama for three months instead of a full year.

Additionally, if an expat’s iqama has expired and they only need to remain in the Kingdom a few more months, they can renew their iqama for three, six, or nine months, instead of having to renew it for a full year.

The rule change also means that payments of the short-term iqama fee can be made on a quarterly or half-yearly basis. Recent amendments to the government payment system mean banks will accept the payment of the work permit fee for a minimum of three months or its multiples of six, nine months or a full year.

The quarterly renewal of iqama allows expats to pay the dependent fee on a quarterly basis, too. The quarterly renewal of iqama is optional; people who are not comfortable with it may continue with the current system.

Thanks to the recently updated government payments system, the iqama fee can be paid on a quarterly- or half-yearly basis. This will reportedly facilitate completing the procedures of issuance and renewal of iqamas for the required period through the online platforms of Absher Business, Muqeem and Qiwa under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

Banks will now accept the payment of the work permit fee by an employer for a minimum three-month period or in multiples up to an entire year. The issuance and renewal of iqama are linked to the work permit.

Employers must pay the expatriate fee for the renewal of the work permit, which is SR800 per month or SR9,600 a year. Expatriates who have dependants will have to pay SR400 per month for each dependent.