Privileged Residency Law

Purpose and scope

• Governs premium residency for foreigners and the rights and benefits it gives; it may be permanent or for a fixed term (Article 3 as amended).

Key rules, rights and obligations

• Benefits include living with family, visit visas for relatives, sponsoring domestic workers, and owning real estate except in Makkah, Madinah and border areas (Article 2).
• They also include working in and moving between private-sector employers except in jobs reserved for Saudis, free exit and re-entry, and doing business under the investment law (Article 2 as amended).
• Within thirty days of approval, the applicant must pay the fee and provide medical insurance, or the application lapses (Article 6 as amended).
• The holder must obey the laws in force, and the rules for residents apply to the holder and family except as the law provides (Articles 7 and 10 as amended).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• Residency is cancelled in cases including conviction for a crime punishable by sixty days' imprisonment or a fine of one hundred thousand riyals or more, a deportation order, false information in the application, or breach of obligations (Article 9).
• Common problem: assuming the residency allows ownership in Makkah and Madinah, which is excluded (Article 2).

Procedures and key deadlines

• For someone already in the Kingdom, residency starts when granted, and the previous residency must be closed (Article 6).
• The committee may end the residency where the public interest requires (Article 9).

An advisory summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm. It is not an official text and does not replace the law, its implementing regulations, or advice from a specialised lawyer. The official published text and its amendments prevail.