Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports has updated its residency permit (Iqama) renewal policy, allowing expatriates to renew their family’s permits even if some members are outside the country.
This revision aims to ease the process for families facing challenges due to the absence of dependents, such as children studying abroad or relatives traveling for medical or urgent reasons.
According to the new policy, the presence of the head of the household within the Kingdom is now sufficient to renew the Iqama for all family members.
Previously, the requirement for all dependents to be physically present in Saudi Arabia often led to complications and legal issues if the Iqama expired while someone was away.
The new regulation ensures that families can retain their legal residency and access essential services, provided the main resident stays in the country to handle the renewal process.
