Saudi Arabia: Expats to face fines on failure to renew resident IDs

Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has reminded expatriates in the country that a fine of Saudi Riyal 500 will be levied for failure to renew their identification cards.

The Saudi Directorate General of Passports said that the failure to renew the resident IDs for the first time will result in a fine of Saudi Riyal 500 and will be increased to Saudi Riyal 1,000 upon failure for the second time and deportation from the country for failure to do so the third time.

Resident IDs must be renewed at least three days before their expiration through the Ministry of Interior’s Absher electronic service or Muqeem portal.
Earlier on Thursday, July 21, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) announced that foreign workers’ data will be permanently deleted if the employee leaves the country with an exit and re-entry visa but does not return before the visa expires.

Earlier in 2021, the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) clarified that expatriates who have left on an exit and re-entry visa from Saudi Arabia will be banned from returning to the Kingdom for three years if they fail to return before the visa expiry.

Expatriates make up around 10.5 million of Saudi Arabia’s total population of 34.8 million people.