In 2019, Saudi Arabia launched a premium resident program. Under this program, some expats can now reside in Saudi Arabia without a sponsor. Expats can usually live and work in Saudi Arabia only with the support of a Saudi employer.

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With a premium residence permit (informally known as the Saudi Green Card or Golden Visa), foreigners will have equal rights with the Saudis in many areas of life, including recruiting workers and owning a vehicle.

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In addition, expatriates with premium residency can leave and return to Saudi Arabia without the permission of a sponsor.

Since there is no need to depend on the sponsor - known locally as kafeel - setting up and running a business at KSA is easier.

What are the benefits of premium residency?

In accordance with this system, eligible expats will have many new rights, such as:

• The right to permanent residence in Saudi Arabia;
• The right to sponsor residence and visit visas for your family;
• Ownership of property and a personal vehicle in the KSA;
• The right to invest in Saudi Arabian business, work in private companies, and change jobs (except those limited to Saudi citizens);
• The right to hire employees from abroad;
• The right to leave and re-enter Saudi Arabia when necessary, without the permission of the sponsor.

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Who is eligible for premium residency in Saudi Arabia?

The applicant must be at least 21 years old.

Given that the purpose of this program is to encourage investment in Saudi Arabia, it is only available to certain groups of people.

Highly skilled workers and businessmen are among those eligible for Saudi Arabia's Green Card.

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How much does premium residency cost?

Two types of residency are offered: permanent residency for a fee of 800,000 SAR and temporary residency with the possibility of renewal for an annual fee of 100,000 SAR.

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What documents are required to obtain premium residency in Saudi Arabia?

1. Valid passport;
2. Valid Iqama residence permit;
3. Health insurance;
4. Original birth certificate;
5. Original marriage certificate;
6. Two passport-sized color photos;
7. Confirmation of your financial solvency through bank documents;
8. Visa application form;
9. Clean and confirmed criminal record.

How to apply for a Saudi Green Card?

You can apply in 3 simple steps:

1. Register and set up your account. Before starting the application process, you will need to fill out the registration on the official SAPRC website. The information required includes your name, passport expiration and issuance date, and other personal data. Here you will also need to provide information about your email address and phone number to create an account;
2. Fill out the online form. After successfully creating an account, you can proceed to filling out the online application form. Make sure you fill out all the data accurately to avoid processing delays or complete denial of your application. Here you will need to enter passport data, information about children and spouses, information about education, information about parents, information about insurance, travel dates, information about the property and real estate, and other general data. You will also need to provide information such as the amount of money in your savings account, investment account, etc. To do this, you will need to add bank statements for the two years preceding the date of the trip to Saudi Arabia.
3. Issuance of a permanent residence permit. The approval decision will be announced within a month from the date of submission of the application. Keep in mind that permanent residence does not entitle the applicant to Saudi citizenship.

When does premium resident status terminate?

Under Saudi law, the following cases could lead to the termination of Saudi Arabia's Green Card status:

• If you do not comply with the rules and regulations or other directives established by the Kingdom;
• If you entered incorrect information in the questionnaire;
• If a sentence or decision is made against you, where you were asked to be deported from the country;
• If you have committed a crime for which you must be imprisoned for two months or pay a fine of 100,000 SAR;
• If you give up the Green Card yourself;
• In the event of your death, the Green Card status is terminated.

It is important to remember that the rights and benefits of a Green Card cannot be transferred to your family if you are no longer entitled to it.

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There is no minimum period of time you are required to spend in Saudi Arabia after obtaining residency status. In addition, there are no special taxes for holders of Saudi Green Cards.

It is very difficult for any expat to become a Saudi citizen.

For residents of Saudi Arabia who apply for citizenship, there is a system of points.

The maximum score is 33, and typically applicants need 23 points to succeed. Points are awarded as follows:

• Resident in Saudi Arabia for at least 10 years: 10 points.
• Qualification: from 5 points for any degree to 13 points for a Candidate of Medical or Engineering Sciences.
• Saudi relatives: only 10 points, e.g. 3 points if your father is Saudi, 2 - if your mother.

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A child born in or out of the KSA from foreign parents or a foreign father and a mother with Saudi citizenship, as well as a child born abroad to a well-known foreign father and mother with Saudi citizenship, may choose Saudi citizenship upon reaching the age of adulthood, if the following conditions are met:

1. The applicant must have good characterization and decent behavior;
2. The applicant has never been convicted of a criminal offense or a moral offense for a period of more than six months;
3. The applicant must know Arabic.

To obtain Saudi citizenship, the applicant must submit a request after reaching the age of adulthood.

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As for disabled people or persons with mental disorders, each of them must be taken care of by the father or mother if they are alive. In the event of the death of one of the parents, the legal resident must choose the citizenship of Saudi Arabia for them after fulfilling the previous conditions.

If a parent obtains Saudi citizenship, children under the age of adulthood, if they live in the KSA, are considered Saudis and have the right to choose their father's original citizenship within a year from the date of reaching adulthood. However, if they reside outside the Kingdom, they are considered foreigners and have the right to choose their father's Saudi citizenship within a year of reaching the age of majority.

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How to apply for citizenship?

The applicant or their legal representative may apply to the Department of Civil Affairs or a representative of the Kingdom abroad. Responsibility for receiving and registering applications to be considered is carried out by the Internal Affairs Agency in civil cases. A commission consisting of three members whose ranks are not lower than the eighth, one of which has the legal qualification to verify the following:

• The applicant must enter the Kingdom by legal means and have a valid passport that allows them to return to their country without restrictions or conditions;
• The applicant must reside for at least ten consecutive years under a regular residence permit in the KSA with the provisions of their own system;
• The candidate must work in one of the professions that the country needs.

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In connection with the submission of applications for citizenship, the following actions are taken:

1. Registration of the application in the journal of accounting of the ordinal record at the time of submission. The applicant is issued a voucher indicating the number and date of application.
2. The application form for citizenship is filled out with the applicant's signature, photo, and seal of the administration.
3. The information form is filled out in three copies.
4. The originals of all documents are provided by the applicant.
5. Having been informed of the requirements of the system, the applicant provides a signature indicating their knowledge of the requirements.
6. A medical report confirming mental and physical integrity.
7. Statement by authorities regarding the specialties that the country needs.
8. A copy of the qualification documents to be translated into Arabic if they are written in another language.
9. An application is submitted for wealth owned in the Kingdom and beyond and the source of its income.
10. An application is submitted for religious confession, political or party activities, and previous military service.

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What are the conditions for obtaining citizenship?

• At the time of submission of the application, the applicant must reach the age of adulthood;
• The applicant must be mentally resilient;
• After submitting the application, the applicant must:

- Acquire the status of habitual permanent residence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in accordance with the provisions of its system for at least five consecutive years.

• The applicant must have a good characterization;
• The applicant shall not be sentenced to imprisonment for a moral offense for a period of more than six months;
• The applicant must prove that they receive their income legally.

A foreign woman who is married to a Saudi citizen can obtain Saudi citizenship. 

Citizenship is granted to foreigners married to a Saudi man if she requests it and the following conditions are met:

1. Evidence of marital relations is provided;
2. A notice is provided that she renounced her original citizenship before a public notary;
3. Marriage must comply with the instructions governing marriage with a foreigner;
4. An application for criminal convictions or moral offenses is submitted;
5. The applicant must reside in the Kingdom;
6. The marriage must last at least five years and may be sufficient according to the following:

If four years have passed since the marriage and the woman has not given birth, one or more of the following cases must be performed:

- If one of her siblings holds Saudi citizenship;

- If she was born in the Kingdom to foreign parents;

- If the husband is her relative;

- If a man has a professional education, for example, a doctor or an engineer;

- If the age difference between her and her husband does not exceed five years;

• 7. The period that has passed since the moment of marriage is sufficient if one of the following cases is performed:

If the applicant's father was a Saudi by naturalization and she did not obtain citizenship from him;

If the applicant has given birth to more than one child;

If the applicant has given birth to a child recently and the mother was a KSA citizen;

If the applicant gives birth to one son and has more than one brother or sister who holds Saudi citizenship;

If the applicant was born in the Kingdom to a Saudi mother and complies with the conditions of Article 8 of the system;

The previous marriage period of the Saudi man shall be calculated at the end of the prescribed period if the applicant has children from the previous spouse.

Citizenship of Saudi Arabia is granted to a foreign widow if she requests it and the following conditions are met:

• Evidence is being provided that her husband died was from Saudi Arabia;
• The applicant must inform that she has renounced her original nationality before a judge or public notary;
• The applicant shall not remarry after the death of her husband;
• The applicant must reside in the Kingdom;
• The applicant must submit a confirmation that she has not previously been tried for a criminal or moral offense;
• There are no notes or restrictions registered with the competent authorities;
• The applicant shall have one or more children who have reached adulthood or are close to it, from a deceased Saudi husband or a previous spouse.