Saudi Arabia: The Residence Regulations, Law No. 17/2/25/1337

Date of adoption

7 May 1952

Entry into force

4 June 1952

Text versions

Arabic

English

Sources:

– Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, accessed: 11 September 2013,

– Refworld – The UN Refugee Agency, accessed: 16 May 2013,

Abstract

According to Art. 24, each foreigner residing in the Kingdom is required to submit upon request his/ her passport or identity documents together with all required data as well as report to any of the Foreigners Control Offices or its substitute of security authorities in the specified time and without delay.

Each foreigner who loses his/her passport, residence permit, entry form or any paper given to him/her by the Foreigners Control Office, must report this to the office or its substitute of security authorities within 24 hours (Art. 25).

Part II of the law covers residence:

In accordance with Art. 32, a residence permit shall not be granted to a foreigner before the lapse of six months since his date of entry into the country. During this time, s/he will be observed by the Foreigners’ Control Authority to ensure that s/he has legitimate reasons for residence.

Art. 33 grants the Ministry of Interior the authority to withdraw the right of residence and its permit from any foreigner and instruct him/ her to leave the country at any time and without giving reasons for its decision.

If a foreigner’s visa issued by Saudi consular or diplomatic authorities abroad expires and there is legitimate reason for his stay under this Regulation, he shall be given a visa that does not exceed three months for a fee of 100 Riyals. The visa may be renewed under the same conditions and for the same fee (Art. 35 – Amended).

Art. 36 holds that a foreigner may obtain a residence permit by submitting a written application attached with the special form of residence permit request to the Foreigners Control Office or its substitute security authority in the region where s/he lives. If the applicant meets the conditions stipulated in this Regulation, a residence permit may be issued to him provided that his passport at the time of application is still valid.

A residence permit fee is set at 500 Riyals and it must be collected from all foreigners who are granted residence without exception (Art. 38 – Amended).

– In addition, Royal Decree No. M/18 dated 5/5/1421 H ratifying Ministerial Decision No. 107 dated 29/4/1421 H imposes an annual fee of 100 Riyals for issuing or renewing the residence of a foreign worker and another annual fee of 50 Riyals for issuing or renewing a work permit for a foreign worker.

The visa stamped on a foreigner’s passport, which specifies the duration of residence, shall cover all the dependents included in the passport (Art. 40).

The residence permit shall include the wife/wives of its holder and those of his children who are less than eighteen years old (Art. 41).

Any of the foreigner’s children, male or female, aged 18 or above is required to obtain an independent residence permit in accordance with stipulated conditions and an independent passport issued by the government of his/her home country (Art. 42).

Part III covers residence conditions:

Art. 43 -47 set the conditions for granting the right of residence to foreigners who enters the country based on prior agreement to conduct temporary business.

Art. 44 sets the conditions for granting the right of residence to a foreigner who enters the country without prior agreement or contract.

Art. 45 sets the conditions for granting the right of residence to a foreigner who enters the country to start a business and invest capital in it.

Art. 46 sets the conditions for granting the right of residence to a foreigner who enters the country for the purpose of neighboring the Two Holly Mosques.

Art. 47 sets the conditions for granting the right of residence to a foreigner who enters the country to study.

Art. 49 requires a foreigner to report to the nearest Foreigners Control Office to renew his residence permit at least three days prior to its expiry.

Art. 49 Repeated grants the right of permanent residence – in exception to all previous provisions of this law – to every Muslim foreigner, male or female, who can prove that s/he has lived in the Kingdom before reaching the age of seven and has no adult family member (father, mother, heir, or relative) and who has never left the country for any period of time before reaching the age of maturity. The application can be submitted to the Foreigner’s Control Office or its substitute security authority in his town of residence.

Part IV covers penalties:

A foreigner who violates provisions of Art. 12 shall be deprived of his residence right and deported from the country (Art. 54).

Art. 55 lists the penalties for not reporting to the concerned authority for the renewal of the residence permit three days prior to its expiry.

Art. 59 sets the penalty for abrasion or forgery of cards, permits or similar identification documents granted to a foreigner. Violation shall result in withdrawal of the right of residence and imprisonment pending deportation.

Whoever helps a foreigner to obtain a residence license, a visa or work permit, through cheating, fraud, forgery, data fabrication or bribery will be punished with imprisonment for three to six months, or by payment of a fine amounting to 300 – 600 Riyals or both penalties and in the case of non-Saudis will be deported from the country (Art. 60 – Amended).