Saudi Arabia Premium Residency (Iqama Mumayazah)

Status: active.

Premium Residency, also called Iqama Mumayazah, is Saudi Arabia's self-sponsored residence. The Premium Residency Center (PRC) runs it, and holders live in the Kingdom without an employer acting as sponsor.

It is not a digital nomad visa. No product is built around remote work for a foreign employer, and most routes are priced for wealthy residents, investors, founders and senior professionals.

The PRC offers seven products:

• Limited Duration: a renewable fixed term of one to five years for SAR 100,000 a year.
• Unlimited Duration: permanent residence for a one-time fee of SAR 800,000.
• Special Talent: for researchers, health and science professionals and senior executives hired by approved employers.
• Gifted: a five-year product for people with recognized talent, with its criteria published on the PRC portal.
• Investor: for owners of a licensed investment of at least SAR 7,000,000.
• Entrepreneur: for founders backed by a PRC-accredited investor.
• Real Estate Owner: for owners of residential property worth at least SAR 4,000,000.

Every product carries the same core rights (PRC):

• Residence with parents, spouses and children under 25.
• Work in the private sector and free movement between employers.
• Exit and re-entry without a visa, for the holder and family.
• Ownership or usufruct of real estate and business under the Investment Law.
• Exemption from the fees charged on expats and their dependents.

Each product has its own test, and the PRC notes that all conditions are subject to change.

• Limited and Unlimited Duration: proof of financial capability (PRC). The PRC publishes no income or savings threshold for either product.
• Special Talent: a contract in a priority specialty with an approved employer, a bachelor's degree or higher, more than three years of relevant experience, a pass on the PRC points system and an employer recommendation letter. Health and science professionals need a monthly wage of at least SAR 35,000. Researchers and first- or second-level executives have their own wage floors on the Special Talent page.
• Investor: valid Ministry of Investment licenses for an ownership share of at least SAR 7,000,000, an active commercial registration, proof the capital was paid in and 10 employees within the applicant's share (PRC).
• Entrepreneur: an entrepreneur license from the Ministry of Investment, at least SAR 400,000 raised from a PRC-accredited investor, that investor's recommendation letter and a founder stake of at least 20%. A second category for much larger rounds needs a stake of at least 10% and 10 new jobs in each of the first two years (PRC).
• Real Estate Owner: completed residential property worth at least SAR 4,000,000, owned or held in usufruct, unmortgaged and valued by a Taqeem-accredited valuer. An off-plan route covers one unit of the same value from a developer licensed by the Real Estate General Authority, bought without a mortgage and with at least SAR 1 million or 10% of the price paid, whichever is higher (PRC).

The PRC product pages list no nationality restrictions.

The online application lists the documents for each product. The PRC product pages name the core evidence:

• Limited and Unlimited Duration: proof of financial capability.
• Special Talent: the employment contract, degree certificates, proof of experience and the employer's recommendation letter. Researchers also submit three research papers in their field.
• Investor: Ministry of Investment licenses, commercial registrations, company articles of association, audited financial statements or a capital injection certificate and a social insurance certificate showing the 10 employees.
• Entrepreneur: the entrepreneur license, evidence of the funding round and the investor's recommendation letter.
• Real Estate Owner: title or usufruct documents and a valuation from a Taqeem-accredited valuer.

Family members who can be added are parents, spouses and children under 25. The product pages do not state translation or attestation rules, so those come from the application itself.

• Limited Duration: SAR 100,000 for each year of the term (PRC).
• Unlimited Duration: a one-time fee of SAR 800,000.
• Special Talent, Gifted, Investor, Entrepreneur and Real Estate Owner: a one-time fee of SAR 4,000 (PRC).

These are fees, not savings or income thresholds. The investment products also need the capital itself: SAR 7,000,000 for Investor, a funding round of at least SAR 400,000 for Entrepreneur and property worth SAR 4,000,000 for Real Estate Owner.

Holders and their dependents are exempt from the fees charged on expats and their companions, which is the main running saving. Health insurance, medical checks and translations come on top, and the PRC does not price them.

1. Choose the product. Each PRC product page sets out its criteria, term and fee.
2. Apply online. Online through the Premium Residency Center portal (pr.gov.sa). Each product page links to its own application.
3. Pay the fee. The fee depends on the product (see Cost and fees).
4. Wait for the decision. The PRC publishes no processing time.

Applicants already living in Saudi Arabia on another residence apply through the same portal.

• Limited Duration: a term of 1 year or longer, up to five years, renewable on payment of the yearly fee.
• Unlimited Duration: permanent from the start.
• Special Talent and Gifted: five years, renewable once, with permanent residence possible after 30 months of residence within five years.
• Investor: permanent, provided the investment and the 10 jobs are kept for the first two years.
• Entrepreneur: the first category runs five years, renewable once, with the same 30-month route to permanence. The second category is permanent if the job targets are met.
• Real Estate Owner: lasts as long as the property is owned or held in usufruct. Off-plan buyers must keep the purchase contract and take title within five years of buying.

Products tied to a job, an investment or a property depend on keeping that condition (PRC).

Premium Residency has no special tax regime; holders and their dependents are exempt from the fees charged on expats.

Tax residence follows the general rule: a stay of at least 183 days in the tax year, or at least 30 days with a permanent place of residence in the Kingdom (ZATCA residency rules filed with the OECD).

Income tax applies to business activity carried on in Saudi Arabia (ZATCA). A holder who freelances or runs a company from the Kingdom should check registration duties with ZATCA. Remote workers paid from abroad should also check their home country's rules and any tax treaty.