If you are an expatriate living and working in Saudi Arabia, renewing your iqama is one of the most important annual obligations you will face. Missing the deadline by a single day can trigger fines, service suspensions, and in extreme cases deportation. Many expats in Saudi Arabia face unnecessary stress and financial penalties simply because they do not understand the process, the requirements, or the deadlines involved.
Based on real expat experience in KSA, this guide covers the complete renewal process for 2026: how to check what you owe, how to pay through Absher and SADAD, what will block your renewal before you even start, and what happens if you miss the deadline. For the full cost picture including work permit levies and exemptions, see our complete 2026 iqama fee guide.
Quick Answer: Iqama Renewal Fees for 1 Year (2026)
- Company and institution workers: SAR 650 per year
- Domestic workers, drivers, guards, housekeepers: SAR 600 per year
- Dependents over 18: SAR 500 per year
- Dependent levy: SAR 400 per month, SAR 4,800 per year, per person
- Renewal deadline: at least 3 days before iqama expiry
These are the base government fees only. The work permit levy your employer pays is considerably larger, and several exemptions apply to it. Our full iqama fee guide breaks down the total annual cost including who is exempt.
Base Renewal Fee by Worker Category
| Worker Category | 3 Months | 6 Months | 9 Months | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company / institution workers | SAR 163 | SAR 325 | SAR 488 | SAR 650 |
| Agricultural / livestock workers | SAR 150 | SAR 300 | SAR 450 | SAR 600 |
| Domestic workers, drivers, guards | SAR 150 | SAR 300 | SAR 450 | SAR 600 |
| Dependents over 18 | SAR 125 | SAR 250 | SAR 375 | SAR 500 |
Domestic workers renew annually and are excluded from the 3, 6 and 9 month options.
What Is Iqama Renewal and Why Does It Matter?
The iqama is the residence permit issued by the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) to every foreign national living in the Kingdom. In Saudi Arabia this works differently than in many other countries. Your iqama is not just an ID card, it is the key to everything else. Without a valid one you cannot access banking, sign a rental contract, receive non-emergency hospital treatment, enrol children in school, or buy a SIM card.
The standard iqama runs for one year, though renewal is available for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months depending on your contract. Renewal is initiated by your employer through the official platforms, and late renewal triggers escalating penalties.
Expat tip: keep a screenshot of your iqama expiry date on your phone. Many expats in Saudi Arabia are caught out when an employer delays the process. If yours is approaching expiry, remind HR in writing rather than verbally, because under Article 40 of the Saudi Labour Law this is their legal responsibility and a written reminder is what you will point to if it goes wrong. You can check your iqama expiry date yourself without waiting for HR to tell you.
Who Pays These Fees?
Under Article 40 of the Saudi Labour Law, the employer is legally responsible for iqama renewal fees, work permit fees, and associated costs. If your employer asks you to pay these out of pocket, or deducts them from your salary, that is a violation.
You can file a complaint through the HRSD portal or call 19911.
The dependent levy is the grey area. Many employers do not cover it and are not clearly required to. Get dependent coverage stated in writing when you negotiate, not agreed verbally after you start.
How to Check Your Iqama Renewal Fees Online
Check before you pay. Outstanding fines and blocked statuses are extremely common, and finding them a week early is a different situation from finding them the day before expiry.
Method 1: Ministry of Interior Portal (moi.gov.sa)
- Visit moi.gov.sa
- Log in using Nafath, or your ID number and password
- Enter the visual verification code and click Login
- Navigate to “Paid Government Services”
- Select “Resident Services”
- Click “Iqama Renewal” and enter the required details
- The system displays your total renewal fees including any outstanding fines or penalties
Method 2: Absher Platform
- Go to absher.sa and log in to Absher Individuals
- Navigate to “Passport Services” then “Inquiries”
- Choose “Iqama Fee Inquiry” and enter your iqama number
- The system shows total fees due, including base renewal, dependent fees, and any outstanding penalties
Method 3: Muqeem Portal (For Employers)
Employers managing multiple workers can check and process renewals in bulk through Muqeem. It includes a companion fee calculator that computes the total including dependent levies and outstanding balances.
Expat tip: if you cannot access these portals yourself, ask HR for a screenshot of the fee summary rather than a verbal figure. Many expats in Saudi Arabia discover hidden outstanding fees or traffic fines only when the renewal fails. A screenshot also gives you a dated record of what was owed and when.
Before you check fees, it is worth confirming your employer can actually process the renewal. A company in the Red Nitaqat band cannot renew iqamas at all, regardless of payment. Run a quick iqama color status check first if renewals at your company have been slow.
How to Pay Iqama Renewal Fees (Step-by-Step)
Method 1: Absher Business (Recommended)
This is how most employers process renewals.
- The employer logs in to Absher Business at absher.sa using National Access credentials
- Navigate to “Employee Services”
- Select “Iqama Services” then “Renew Iqama”
- A list of employees eligible for renewal appears. Select the worker or workers
- Choose the renewal duration: 3, 6, 9 or 12 months
- The system generates a SADAD bill number with the total due
- Pay the SADAD bill through your bank’s online portal, mobile app, or a bank ATM
- After payment confirmation, usually within minutes, the renewal is processed and the system updates
Method 2: Bank Apps
Once the SADAD bill number exists, pay through any Saudi bank supporting government SADAD payments. Al Rajhi, Saudi National Bank and Riyad Bank apps are the ones most expats use. Navigate to “SADAD Payments” or “Government Payments”, enter the bill number, and confirm.
The work permit component is handled separately through the labour office. If you also need to settle that, our guide to checking and paying the Maktab Amal fee covers the SADAD process for it.
Method 3: Jawazat Office
Where online payment is not possible due to technical issues or a blocked account, the employer can process the renewal in person at the nearest Jawazat office. Bring the worker’s original passport, current iqama, and the employer’s commercial registration documents.
Confirm the payment landed. SADAD payments usually reflect within minutes but bank processing can leave a payment showing as pending for one to two business days. Do not assume a paid bill is a completed renewal. Verify your payment status after 24 hours, and keep the SADAD receipt.
Requirements and Documents Needed
Missing any one of these will delay or block your renewal entirely.
Mandatory Requirements
Valid passport. Must remain valid for the full duration of the renewal period. If yours is expiring soon, renew it at your embassy first.
Active health insurance. A CCHI-compliant policy must cover the full renewal period. Absher verifies this automatically through the CCHI platform, so no manual submission is needed, but a lapsed policy stops the renewal silently.
Updated biometric data. Fingerprint and facial scan records must be current, for the main worker and any family members over 15. Updated at designated Jawazat centres.
No outstanding traffic violations. All fines registered under your iqama number must be settled first.
No huroob report. You must not have an active absconding report against you.
Physical presence in the Kingdom. The worker must generally be in Saudi Arabia during the process, though remote renewal is available for dependents and domestic workers where the main sponsor remains in the country.
GOSI registration. You must be properly registered in the social insurance system.
Nitaqat compliance. Your employer must meet Saudization quotas. A company in the Red band cannot process renewals at all.
Documents to Have Ready
- Original passport with at least 6 months validity
- Current iqama card or a copy of the details
- Medical insurance certificate, CCHI-verified
- GOSI registration confirmation
- Employment contract, for new employees or contract changes
- Biometric update confirmation from Jawazat
The Number One Renewal Blocker
Unpaid traffic fines. A SAR 150 parking ticket will hold up the entire renewal, and most people do not know the fine exists until the process fails. Run a traffic fine check on Absher or the Moroor app at least one week before your deadline, not the day before.
The second most common blocker is a false huroob report, which usually appears when there is an employment dispute in progress. If you have any reason to suspect one, check your huroob status online before your employer starts the renewal.
Late Renewal Penalties
The Jawazat treats iqama compliance seriously and penalties escalate.
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| 1st late renewal | SAR 500 fine |
| 2nd late renewal | SAR 1,000 fine |
| 3rd late renewal | SAR 2,000 or more, plus possible deportation and re-entry ban |
| Employer violation | Substantial fines per violation for failing to secure iqamas for foreign workers |
What an Expired Iqama Actually Does to Your Life
The fine is rarely the worst part.
- Bank accounts may be frozen or restricted, cutting off salary withdrawals and transfers
- Mobile SIM cards may be suspended
- You cannot sign or renew a rental contract
- Absher and other government services are blocked
- You can be detained during a routine identity check
- Your employer faces audits and Nitaqat consequences
Critical point: Saudi law requires you to carry your iqama at all times. If you are stopped without a valid one you can be detained on the spot. The three-day window before penalties begin is not a grace period you should plan around. Renew before expiry, not after it.
Iqama Renewal Timeline
Based on real expat experience in KSA, here is the timeline that avoids problems.
| Timeline | Action |
|---|---|
| 6 months before expiry | Earliest point renewal can be initiated through Absher |
| 1 month before | Check documents, insurance validity, biometric status and outstanding fines. Resolve anything found |
| 1 to 2 weeks before | Employer initiates renewal through Absher Business or Muqeem and pays the SADAD bill |
| 3 days before | Absolute last point. Renewal must be processed by this date to avoid penalties |
| After payment | Processing takes 1 to 3 business days. The system updates automatically |
The one-month checkpoint is the one that matters. Everything that blocks a renewal (fines, lapsed insurance, expired biometrics, a huroob report) takes days to resolve, and none of it can be fixed in the three-day window.
Once the renewal completes, confirm your new expiry date rather than assuming the requested duration was what was processed. Employers sometimes renew for three months when you expected twelve.
Iqama Renewal for Dependents and Family Members
Who Counts as What
Dependents: wife and male children under 18.
Companions: male children over 18, additional wives, parents, and domestic workers sponsored by the resident.
The distinction matters because it determines what you are charged for whom.
Dependent Levy 2026
| Period | Cost per person |
|---|---|
| Monthly | SAR 400 |
| 3 months | SAR 1,200 |
| 6 months | SAR 2,400 |
| 1 year | SAR 4,800 |
Exemptions
- Children under 18
- Foreign wives of Saudi citizens with disabilities
- Industrial sector workers
[VERIFY: the December 2025 Cabinet decision made the industrial work permit levy abolition permanent. Confirm whether the dependent levy exemption for industrial sector workers was also made permanent, as these are separate measures.]
Family budget reality: for a worker with a spouse and two children over 18, the dependent levy alone is SAR 14,400 a year. Add the worker’s own renewal and the employer-paid levy and the household’s total annual residency cost runs well past SAR 25,000. Our 12 practical ways to save money in Saudi Arabia covers where expat families actually find that back.
7 Types of Iqama in Saudi Arabia
| # | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | Employees hired by companies and institutions. The most common type |
| 2 | Domestic worker | Housekeepers, nannies, cooks and other household workers sponsored by individuals |
| 3 | Driver | Private drivers sponsored by individuals or families. Domestic worker fee structure |
| 4 | Agricultural worker | Farming and livestock sectors |
| 5 | Investor | Foreign investors with businesses established under MISA licensing |
| 6 | Dependent | Family members sponsored by an iqama holder. Subject to the monthly levy |
| 7 | Student | Foreign students at Saudi institutions, often sponsored by the university |
Premium Residency: Saudi Arabia also offers Premium Residency, sometimes called the Saudi Green Card, allowing long-term residence without a traditional sponsor. Holders can work, invest and own property, excluding Makkah, Madinah and border zones. Separate category, separate fees, separate eligibility.
After your renewal goes through
- Confirm your new expiry date, because the duration processed is not always the one requested
- Check your work permit fee payment actually cleared
- The full 2026 cost picture, including who is exempt from the work permit levy
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the iqama renewal fee for 1 year in Saudi Arabia 2026?
SAR 650 for workers employed by companies and institutions. SAR 600 for domestic workers including drivers, guards and housekeepers. SAR 500 for dependents over 18. These are base government fees and do not include work permit levies, insurance or the dependent levy.
What is the penalty for late iqama renewal?
The first offence carries a SAR 500 fine, the second SAR 1,000, and a third can reach SAR 2,000 or more with possible deportation and a re-entry ban. Both employer and employee bear responsibility for maintaining validity.
Who is responsible for paying iqama renewal fees?
Under Article 40 of the Saudi Labour Law the employer is responsible for renewal fees, work permit fees and associated costs. Deducting them from your salary is a violation. Complaints go to HRSD or 19911.
Is there a grace period after iqama expiry?
There is a three-day window before penalties begin, but it is not a guaranteed grace period and should not be planned around. Renew at least a week before expiry.
Why did my renewal get blocked?
Unpaid traffic fines are the most common cause. Lapsed CCHI health insurance, expired biometrics, an active huroob report, missing GOSI registration, and an employer in the Red Nitaqat band are the others.
Can I renew for less than a year?
Yes, 3, 6 and 9 month options are available for most categories. Domestic workers are excluded and renew annually. Note that the employer’s work permit levy is charged monthly regardless, so a shorter iqama does not reduce their cost proportionally.
How long does processing take after payment?
Usually 1 to 3 business days. SADAD payments reflect within minutes but can show as pending for up to two business days depending on the bank.
Do I need to be in Saudi Arabia to renew?
The worker generally needs to be present. Remote renewal is available for dependents and domestic workers where the main sponsor remains in the Kingdom.
