What is Iqama holder? (2024)

What is Iqama holder?

An Iqama is a residence visa that allows foreign residents to live and work in Saudi Arabia. Foreign workers must have an Iqama residence visa in Saudi Arabia and a work permit to comply with Saudi Arabia's labor laws and immigration policies.

An iqama is a residence permit that the Saudi Arabian government issues to eligible foreign hires who arrive in the country on an employment visa.

An Iqama is a residence permit that is issued to foreign nationals who have entered Saudi Arabia on a work visa, and is needed to establish legal residency status in Saudi Arabia. It's also required if you want to gain further employment, access services, and travel inside and outside of the country.

Iqama plays a pivotal role in the process of establishing a business in Saudi Arabia. It is a mandatory requirement for individuals intending to set up a foreign entity within the Kingdom. This "Business Iqama" acts as a pathway for foreign entrepreneurs to navigate the intricacies of doing business in Saudi Arabia.

The applicants family member or worker must pass a medical examination in any of the approved medical centers in the Kingdom. The individual looking to receive a residency permit must be present within Saudi Arabia. The individual looking to receive a residency permit must hold a valid passport.

Iqama tax in Saudi Arabia

The monthly fee for securing a work permit is SAR 800, and the employer is responsible for paying the fee. Foreign employees with dependent family members on their Iqama must pay a dependent fee of SAR 400 per month per dependent.

Iqama is usually valid for one or two years only and are renewable, whereas the Premium Residency permit can be annual or permanent. Premium residency holders in Saudi Arabia have the right to own real estate in the country and obtain a usufruct right to real estate in Mecca and Madina.

If an employee is found without a residence permit on their person by the police, they may be fined SAR 10,000. If an employer does not obtain the Iqama for their employee, they may be fined SAR 100,000.

How much does Saudi Iqama cost?

The fee for issuing or renewing the Iqama is SAR 650. According to the new rules for iqama renewal, employers can now pay it in different instalments depending on the duration they want, leaving it as follows: One-year validity fee: SAR 650. 3-month validity fee: SAR 163.

Every Iqama in Saudi Arabia has a minimum validity of one year and a maximum validity of five years.

On average, an IQAMA costs 650 SAR. The employer is responsible for paying the work permit fees on the employee's behalf. The IQAMA permit lasts for one year after the date of approval. Each year, this residency permit will need to be renewed.

If you meet the renewal requirements, approval is typically granted. For the unlimited Premium Residency option, it offers permanent residency status in Saudi Arabia, which means it has an indefinite validity, and there is no need for annual renewals.

The Directorate General for Passports, within the Ministry of Interior, will issue the Iqama. The employer will need to obtain the work permit from the Ministry of Labor gor the employee to show at the passport office when applying for the Iqama. The Iqama normally takes 1-3 weeks to be issued.

Pay the dependent fee

The issuance of the Iqama itself is free of charge, but the residence fee for dependants per month is SAR 400 (about $105). The first 90 days in the country are free. You must pay for the entire period of the sponsor's Iqama, except for the aforementioned 90 days.

Through the programme, citizens in Saudi Arabia get monthly payments from the state. Saudi Arabia is doing many reforms to reduce the country's dependency on oil revenues, but many of these reforms have overburdened some citizens.

Any expatriate worker entering the Kingdom requires sponsorship of a sponsor (known as Kafeel), who may be a Saudi citizen or a company, and shall remain under the sponsor's responsibility during the term of the employment contract.

Annual premium costs will depend on vehicle value and driver profile. As a rough guide, third party liability starts at around SR 800 (approx. $215) and fully comprehensive at around SR 2,500.

How can I get Iqama English version?

A child born in Saudi Arabia to a non-Saudi father and a Saudi mother has the right to Saudi citizenship upon reaching the age of majority if they fulfill the following criteria: have permanent residency. be fluent in Arabic. the grandfather of the mother is Saudi.

If the visa was expired he shall be deported after implementing the statutory procedures. The employer shall be fined according to the statutory measures, if the employer is an expatriate resident; he will be reported to the authorities after implementing the statuary penalties towards him, to consider his deportation.

Saudi Arabia Golden Visa Price

Limited Duration Premium Residency: The cost for this option is 100,000 SAR (Saudi Arabian Riyals) per year. Unlimited Duration Premium Residency (Permanent): The price for permanent residency in Saudi Arabia is 800,000 SAR.