Saudi Arabia Expat Guides

Seven practical guides covering the things expats in Saudi Arabia deal with most — residency, visas, work, money, government portals, driving and mobile. Each guide explains the rules in plain English and links to the free calculator or lookup you need to act on them.

All 7 expat guides

• Absher and Government Services Guide — How to handle Saudi government portals as an expat — Absher status checks, Nitaqat, border numbers, postal codes and Hijri dates, plus the lookups you can run yourself without your employer
• Saudi Banking Guide for Expats — Expat guide to banking in Saudi Arabia — opening an account, the 24-character IBAN, SARIE domestic transfers, sending money home, savings, gold and how Zakat is calculated
• Saudi Driving and Traffic Guide — Expat guide to driving in Saudi Arabia — converting or obtaining a licence, fuel prices and the tariff behind them, Riyadh Metro and public transport, and what to do after an incident
• Saudi Iqama Guide for Expats — A practical expat guide to the Saudi Iqama — how to check status and expiry, what renewal and the dependent levy cost, what Huroob and Nitaqat mean, and how dependents are sponsored
• Saudi Labor Law Guide for Expats — Plain-English guide to Saudi labour law for expats — contract types, overtime at 150% and 200%, end-of-service benefit under Articles 84 and 85, Qiwa, and what you can claim when you leave
• Saudi Telecom and Mobile Guide — Expat guide to mobile in Saudi Arabia — SIM registration on Iqama, STC, Mobily and Zain packages, prepaid versus postpaid, eSIM, and what connectivity costs against a real household budget
• Saudi Visa Guide for Expats and Families — Expat guide to Saudi visas — inviting family on a visit visa, how exit and re-entry permits work, what a final exit involves, and the dates and costs you need to plan around

How to use these guides

Start with the topic that matches your situation. Each guide opens with what the rule actually is, what it costs, and where people commonly get it wrong, before it points you at a tool that does the arithmetic for you.

Nothing here replaces the official portal. Saudi rules and fees change, so treat a number from this site as a well-informed estimate and confirm anything that carries money or a deadline on the relevant authority.

Residency and visas first

If you have just arrived, start with the Iqama guide — almost everything else in Saudi Arabia hangs off your residence ID, from opening a bank account to registering a SIM card.

Once your residency is settled, the visa guide covers inviting family, exit and re-entry permits, and what a final exit actually involves for you and your sponsor.

Work, money and the daily stuff

The labour guide covers contracts, Qiwa, overtime rates and end-of-service benefit, which is usually the largest single number in any expat's finances. The banking guide covers accounts, IBANs, remittances and Zakat.

Absher, driving and telecom round out the set: status lookups you can run yourself, what owning a car really costs, and getting a working mobile number without a local reference.

Frequently asked questions

Are these guides official Saudi government advice?

No. They are plain-English explanations written for expats, intended to help you understand what to expect before you deal with an official portal. Always confirm fees, deadlines and eligibility on the relevant authority before acting.

Which guide should I read first if I am new to Saudi Arabia?

Start with the Iqama and residency guide. Your residence ID underpins your bank account, SIM card, employment and family sponsorship, so it is the piece everything else depends on.

Do the guides cover current 2026 fees?

The guides describe how each charge is calculated and what it is based on. For the number that applies to you today, use the linked calculator and then verify the payable amount through Absher, Qiwa or your employer.

How is this different from the tools section?

The guides explain the rules and the process; the tools do the arithmetic. Every guide links out to the calculators and lookups that apply to its topic, so you can read once and then run the numbers.

Can I rely on this for a legal or visa decision?

Treat it as background reading, not legal advice. Visa status, sponsorship and employment disputes are decided by the relevant Saudi authority, and the outcome depends on your own record.

How often are the guides updated?

They are reviewed whenever a relevant rule, fee or portal changes. If you spot something that no longer matches what you see on an official site, trust the official site.