Iqama: A Guide For Saudi Arabia Expats

• Your passport (your original and copies)
• 2 passport-sized pictures
• 2 passport-sized pictures of your employer
• Completed iqama application form
• Health exam report
• Health insurance
• Biometrics

Your employer is responsible for handling the procedure in obtaining the permit, and they're the only ones who can get it issued for you.

Iqama permit procedure

Before you apply for your Iqama, you must get obtain a few other mandatory documentation first:

• Once the employment contract in the KSA is signed, your sponsor (employing or host company) needs to apply for a Block Visa approval from the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MLSD). Block Visas are what permits businesses to sponsor (employ) expats, and the visa is given based on the foreign national's nationality, birthplace, job title, and academic background.
• Once the Block Visa is approved, your employer must get a Visa Authorisation number plus Power of Attorney via Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MLSD)
• Then, apply for a work visa in the current country of residence of the expat employee, at the Saudi Arabia embassy of that country.
• A health examination followed by a medical certificate must be issued by a medical center.
• When the work visa is approved, you can now enter the country and work.
• It's important to note that within 90 days of arriving in the kingdom, the foreign employee must apply for a work permit and Iqama which is submitted to MLSD.
• In order to complete your Iqama application, the company will ask for your passport and 2 passport-sized photos, typically handled by the HR department.
• While you may have already completed a health exam to obtain your medical certificate, another health exam is mandatory when applying for your work permit. The new health examination results from a local KSA health center must be submitted with your Iqama application.

Your Iqama or work permit should typically arrive in two weeks time.

If you want to travel out of Saudi Arabia and re-enter while your Iqama is still valid, you'll need to obtain an exit and re-entry permit from the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Interior.

Iqamas for dependents

When you receive your Iqama, only then can you apply for your dependents. However, the Iqamas your spouse and/or children receive will not be linked to your employing company. Theirs will be tied to you as you will legally become the sponsor for them. Your spouse and children's Iqamas will also have all the essential details such as their full names, nationalities, etc., but they will be listed as your dependents.

• If your Iqama card is lost or stolen, you must report it within 24 hours to avoid facing a penalty
• Expat dependents - your spouse or children - who work without a permit will receive SAR 1,000 on the first violation, and SAR 2,000 and SAR 3,000 for the second to the third time.
• If you overstay your work permit or visit visa in Saudi Arabia, you will be fined, jailed, then deported.
• You need to renew your Iqama every year. All your bank accounts will be frozen and you won't be able to pay for utilities until you present proof of renewal.
• If one of your dependents is male and above the age of 18, he will not be issued an Iqama.
• It is within your employer's right to cancel your Iqama any time. Automatically, this will cancel your dependent's Iqama, too.