The Saudi Ministry of Interior took an unprecedented step in the history of the residency system in the Kingdom, by issuing an official decision granting a complete exemption from annual renewal fees for six specific categories of residents, in a fundamental shift aimed at supporting family and job stability.
The decision, which comes for the first time in such a comprehensive form, includes the following categories:
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- Employees of Saudi embassies working outside the Kingdom.
- Foreign wives married to Saudi citizens.
- Diplomatic passport holders working in government agencies.
- Military trainees in official government institutions.
- Married expatriates residing with their children inside the Kingdom.
The decision aims to reduce financial burdens that ranged between 500 and 600 Saudi riyals annually for each resident, depending on the type of residence. While the usual financial system continues to apply to the rest of the expatriates who are not included.
To benefit from this exemption, the conditions of the included groups must be regular and meet specific conditions, including the absence of reports of absence or evasion, settlement of traffic violations, possession of a valid passport, presence within the Kingdom at the time of renewal, and availability of effective health insurance.
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Residents can check their status by entering the “Absher” platform, choosing resident services, then the residency validity inquiry service and entering the required data.
As for the groups not included, the annual fees will continue according to the existing system, amounting to 600 riyals for renewing the residency of domestic workers and private sector employees, and 500 riyals for renewing the residency of dependents under the age of twenty and wives of expatriates.
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The decision comes within a broader framework to ease the financial burdens on groups linked to the family or official and diplomatic missions, and aims to enhance family stability, support groups linked to government services, improve the quality of life, and reduce annual financial pressures.
