fines for expired Iqama and they carry a digital copy of Iqama, no printout is required.

The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) clarified that if an expatriate’s residency permit (Iqama) is renewed, no printed copy is required.

The Jawazat stated that if expatriates or their dependents renew their Iqama, they will be able to use their digital Iqama on their smartphone instead of carrying its hard copy, and there will be no need to visit the Jawazat office to obtain a print-out of it.

The Muqeem ID (Resident Identity) is valid for 5 years from the date of issuance, and it must be renewed electronically every year through the employer’s Absher platform.

Fines will be imposed if an expatriate’s Iqama is not renewed within three days of its expiration date. The penalty is an SR500 fine the first time, and SR1,000 if the delay occurs again.

Previously, the Jawazat permitted the employer to issue Iqamas linked to the work permit and renew it every three months at the very least.

This applies to dependents of expatriates who have paid the necessary fees to complete the renewal procedure. Domestic workers and others are not included in this procedure.

The Jawazat has permitted split payment of the fee for the work permit, residency permit, employee levy, dependent fee, and other fees in order to obtain an Iqama.

It is worth noting that domestic workers’ Muqeem IDs can be renewed if their validity period is less than 14 months, and commercial workers’ IDs can be renewed if they have a valid work permit and a valid health insurance policy.