Last updated: 12 November 2026
An expired iqama means your residency is no longer valid until your employer, or the head of your family, renews it. Jawazat fines a late renewal SAR 500 the first time and SAR 1,000 the second time, and a third late renewal can lead to deportation. Under the Saudi Labour Law, the employer pays a worker’s renewal fees and those late fines, not the worker.
Until the renewal goes through, you cannot get a final exit or an exit re-entry visa, and your bank will restrict and then freeze your accounts. Below: what stops working, what you can still do, and the steps to fix it. For every iqama cost in one place, see our Saudi Arabia iqama fees guide.
Expired iqama: the quick answer
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What is the fine? | SAR 500 first time, SAR 1,000 second time, deportation on the third (Jawazat) |
| Who pays? | The employer, under Article 40 of the Labour Law. For dependents, the head of the family |
| Can I get a final exit? | No. The iqama must have at least 30 days left, so renew first |
| Can I get an exit re-entry visa? | No. The return date must fall at least 7 days before the iqama expires |
| What happens to my bank account? | Banks must freeze all accounts by day 90 after expiry; the balance moves to a holding account at day 180 |
| Can I move to a new employer? | Yes, the labour regulations allow a transfer without your employer’s consent when your residence has expired, subject to Nitaqat rules |
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Iqama expired penalty: how much is the fine?
Jawazat (the General Directorate of Passports) set these amounts in public statements in 2019 and 2024:
| Late renewal | Penalty |
|---|---|
| First time | SAR 500 |
| Second time | SAR 1,000 |
| Third time | Deportation |
The fine is imposed three days after the expiry date. Those three days are not spare time: bank limits and visa rules apply from the expiry date itself. The fine is paid with the renewal: the Absher Business renewal service lists the iqama fee and “any applicable late fees” as paid before it will go through. The full renewal timeline is in our iqama renewal penalties section.
Who pays it? Article 40(1) of the Labour Law says the employer bears the fees for issuing and renewing the iqama and the work permit, “and the fines resulting from their delay”. So a late fine caused by your employer is the employer’s cost. For your wife and children, you are the sponsor, so their renewal and any late fine are yours to pay.
What happens if your iqama expires
The fine is rarely the biggest problem. This is what stops working:
- Bank accounts. SAMA rules require banks to freeze all accounts and transactions of a non-Saudi customer 90 days after the iqama expires, and to move the balance to a unified holding account after 180 days. The bank must warn you at least 30 days before. Salary can still come in. Our guide to a Saudi bank account frozen for an expired ID explains how to lift it.
- Travel out and back. No exit re-entry or final exit visa can be issued until the iqama is renewed (details below). For trips to other Gulf countries, the iqama must be valid for at least 3 months from the travel date.
- Your employer’s file. The Ministry of Human Resources may reject recruitment requests from an employer that fails to renew its workers’ residence or work permits.
- Traffic fines. They do not block you because the iqama expired, but every recorded violation must be paid before the iqama can be renewed or a final exit issued. Check them on our Saudi traffic fine list.
- SIM card and other services. The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) has no published rule on cutting a line when the iqama expires. If your operator restricts your number, ask it what it needs from you once the iqama is renewed.
Can you get a final exit with an expired iqama?
No. On 9 January 2025 Jawazat confirmed, through the Saudi Press Agency, that the iqama must be valid for at least 30 days when a final exit visa is requested. With less than 30 days left, or an iqama that has already expired, the employer or head of family must renew it first. With more than 30 but less than 60 days left, the visa lasts only for the days remaining. With 60 days or more, it lasts 60 days.
So if you are asking “my iqama expired, can I go on exit?”, the order is: pay any traffic fines, renew the iqama with the late fine, then issue the final exit. The final exit visa itself is free on Absher and Muqeem. Validity and the checklist before you fly are in our final exit visa guide.
Exit re-entry visa with an expired iqama
The National Portal (my.gov.sa) ties this visa to the iqama date: a “Return Before” date can be set no later than 7 days before the iqama expires, and a visa issued in months needs the iqama to be valid for at least 90 days plus the visa duration. So the visa cannot be issued until the renewal is done. Fees and extensions are in our exit re-entry visa guide.
How to transfer sponsorship if your iqama expired
Article 14 of the Implementing Regulations of the Labour Law says an expat’s services may be transferred without the current employer’s consent if the contract, work permit or residence has expired, according to the Nitaqat controls.
It runs through Qiwa: the new employer sends a job offer, you accept it in your Qiwa account, your current employer is notified, and the system checks the requirements before issuing the new work permit. HRSD lists the service as free for the worker, and Article 40(3) of the Labour Law puts the transfer fee on the new employer. A Red Nitaqat band at the new company, or an absence (huroob) report on your file, can still block it. Follow each stage with our iqama transfer status check.
Iqama expired while you are outside Saudi Arabia
- Family members abroad. Absher allows the head of the family to renew a dependent’s iqama while the dependent is outside the Kingdom: Family Members Services > Services > Residence Permit Renewal. Jawazat has said the head of the family must be inside the Kingdom to do this.
- Workers abroad. The Absher Business renewal service lists “the worker must be physically present” in Saudi Arabia as a condition. Ask your employer to check your file in Muqeem and confirm in writing what it can do before you book a flight.
- Your re-entry visa. Because the return date must fall before the iqama expiry, an iqama that runs out abroad usually means the re-entry visa has run out too. What that does to your residency is explained in the exit re-entry guide above.
In October 2026, Bangladeshi workers stranded by flight cancellations were told they could return with an expired iqama. Relief like this covers only the group named.
What to do if your iqama has expired: step by step
- Confirm the date. Open Absher and check your iqama under My Services, or use the HRSD inquiry without logging in. Our iqama expiry check shows both methods.
- Clear what blocks renewal. The service requires: you inside the Kingdom, fees and late fees paid, traffic violations settled, fingerprints and photos registered for you and your dependents, a passed medical check, valid medical insurance, a valid passport, no “absent from work” report, and a valid work permit where the job needs one.
- Ask HR in writing. Email your iqama number and expiry date and ask when it will be renewed. Keep a copy.
- The employer pays and renews. After the fee and fine are paid, the employer renews in Absher Business (My Business Services > Renew Iqama) or in Muqeem. For dependents, the head of family pays and then uses Absher: Family Members Services > Services > Residence Permit Renewal. Paying the bill alone does not renew the iqama; the renewal service must still be completed in Absher.
- Check the new date, then update your bank. Confirm the new expiry on Absher, then update your ID with your bank in its app or at a branch so any freeze is lifted.
- Escalate if nothing happens. Contact HRSD (next section) or start a transfer through Qiwa.
Fees and who pays
| Item | Who pays | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Iqama renewal fee and work permit fee | Employer (Labour Law, Article 40) | See our iqama fees guide |
| Late renewal fine | Employer for workers; head of family for dependents | SAR 500, then SAR 1,000 |
| Dependents’ renewal and dependent levy | Head of family | See the iqama fees guide above |
| Traffic violations | The person they are recorded against | As listed on Absher |
| Final exit visa | Not applicable | Free |
| Transfer to a new employer | New employer (Article 40(3)) | Free for the worker |
When to contact HRSD or the labour office
Contact the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) when your employer will not renew, asks you to pay the renewal or the late fine, or stops paying your salary. The unified number is 19911. A formal claim starts with the Friendly Settlement service, which is free, must be filed within 12 months, and goes to the settlement office in the city where you last worked. If no settlement is reached, the case moves to the labour court. Friendly Settlement does not cover domestic workers. For in-person help, see our list of Maktab Amal labour offices.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Fee paid, but Absher still shows the old date | The renewal service has not been completed. The employer or head of family must log in and finish it |
| Renewal refused | Look for an unpaid traffic fine, lapsed medical insurance, an expired passport or an absence report |
| Passport expired as well | Renew it at your embassy, then update the passport details on Absher before the iqama renewal |
| Bank still frozen after renewal | Update your ID with the bank. If it stays frozen, ask whether a second reason, such as a court order, is on file |
Tips from real expat experience in KSA
- Many expats in Saudi Arabia only notice the expiry when the bank card stops working. Set a phone reminder one month before your date, and check traffic fines and passport validity then, because those take days to clear.
- A dated email to HR works better than a reminder at the coffee machine, and it is your evidence if the renewal is missed.
- Do not pay anyone who offers to “fix” your iqama for a fee. Renewal is done only by your employer or head of family through Absher, Absher Business or Muqeem.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a grace period after the iqama expires?
Jawazat imposes the late fine three days after the expiry date, but visa and bank rules apply from the expiry date itself, so renew before it.
Can my employer deduct the late fine from my salary?
Article 40 of the Labour Law puts the iqama fees and the fines resulting from late renewal on the employer. If the cost is taken from your salary, raise it with HRSD on 19911 or through Friendly Settlement.
Can I get a final exit visa with an expired iqama?
No. Jawazat requires at least 30 days of iqama validity, so renew first, with any late fine, then issue the final exit.
Can I extend my family’s visit visa if my iqama has expired?
Yes. Jawazat confirmed in 2022 that the host’s iqama expiry does not prevent extending a visitor’s visit visa.
Sources: Jawazat via Saudi Gazette (2019, 2022) and Gulf News (2024); SPA, 30-day iqama validity for final exit (9 January 2025); my.gov.sa: Renewal of resident identity (Iqama) and Issuance of exit/re-entry or final exit visa; Absher FAQs; SAMA Rulebook: Non-Saudi natural persons and Freezing exceptions; HRSD: Labour Law, Implementing Regulations and Friendly Settlement.