Saudi Premium Residency Through Real Estate Investment

A residential property worth SAR 4 million can provide a route to Saudi Premium Residency. But the property, its financing and the buyer must all meet specific conditions — and the residency lasts only while the qualifying investment is maintained.

You have found a home in Saudi Arabia worth just over SAR 4 million.

The development looks impressive, the location suits your plans and the agent mentions an additional benefit: purchasing the property may qualify you for Saudi Premium Residency.

That can be true. But before the residency becomes part of the property’s value in your mind, several questions need answering. Is the property residential? Is it completed or off-plan? Has it been financed? Is the developer approved? And, perhaps most importantly, does this route provide permanent residency?

Saudi Arabia’s Real Estate Owner Residency offers meaningful advantages to qualifying international buyers, but it is not an automatic reward attached to every expensive property.

What is the Real Estate Owner Residency?

Real Estate Owner Residency is one of the products offered under Saudi Arabia’s Premium Residency programme. It is intended for non-Saudis who own, hold qualifying usufruct rights in, or purchase an eligible residential property in the Kingdom.

The central threshold is SAR 4 million, approximately £800,000 or US$1.07 million, depending on exchange rates.

However, reaching that price alone is not enough. The Premium Residency Center’s official criteria divide qualifying property into two categories:

• Existing residential property.
• A residential unit purchased off-plan.

Each category has its own conditions.

The route through a completed property

For an existing property, the applicant must own or hold qualifying rights in one or more Saudi properties with a combined value of at least SAR 4 million.

The property must be residential. Commercial premises, industrial units, agricultural property and land do not qualify for this particular residency route.

It must also be an existing property rather than developed or undeveloped land. In addition, the qualifying asset cannot be mortgaged and must not subsequently be pledged as security.

This makes the distinction between buying property and qualifying for residency important. A foreign buyer may be legally able to purchase a less expensive home or use financing under the applicable ownership rules, but that does not mean the purchase will satisfy the Real Estate Owner Residency criteria.

Can an off-plan property qualify?

Yes. Saudi Arabia’s current rules also provide a route for buyers of qualifying off-plan residential units.

The unit must have a purchase value of at least SAR 4 million. The buyer must pay at least SAR 1 million or 10 per cent of the property’s value, whichever amount is higher.

For a SAR 4 million property, the minimum payment is therefore SAR 1 million, because 10 per cent would amount to only SAR 400,000. For a SAR 12 million property, 10 per cent would be SAR 1.2 million, making that the applicable minimum.

The developer must be approved by the Real Estate General Authority, and the purchase cannot be made using real-estate finance. Once ownership is transferred, the unit must not be mortgaged.

The off-plan route also carries a timetable. The buyer must maintain the purchase contract and receive ownership of the unit within no more than five years from the contract date. Cancelling the contract or failing to complete the transfer within that period can affect the residency.

This makes verification essential. Before paying a reservation fee, buyers should confirm the developer’s status, the project’s registration, its payment arrangements and whether the specific unit satisfies the residency criteria.

Is this permanent residency?

No — and this is one of the most important distinctions in the programme.

The Real Estate Owner Residency is linked to continued ownership or usufruct of the qualifying property. If you sell the property, mortgage it contrary to the conditions or allow the qualifying right to expire without an eligible replacement, your residency may end.

The official rules state that the duration of the residency for a completed property remains tied to the period of ownership or usufruct. For an off-plan unit, it depends on maintaining the contract, completing the ownership transfer within five years and continuing to hold the property.

The official detailed conditions also state that obtaining permanent residency through this product does not apply. Saudi Arabia offers a separate unlimited-duration Premium Residency product, currently carrying a one-time fee of SAR 800,000, but it should not be confused with the property-linked route.

In simple terms, the Real Estate Owner Residency can be long-term, but it is conditional. The property is not merely what qualifies you at the beginning; it is what keeps the residency valid.

What happens if you want to sell?

A buyer’s plans can change. You may find a better property, need to release capital or decide that the original home no longer suits your family.

The rules provide a limited opportunity to replace certain qualifying property rights or off-plan contracts. The Premium Residency Center refers to a 90-day period in relevant replacement cases, provided the new asset or contract continues to meet the programme’s requirements.

Nevertheless, a sale should not be completed on the assumption that the residency will continue automatically. The replacement property, its value and its legal status should be confirmed with the Premium Residency Center before the original asset is transferred.

This is especially important when the residency covers family members.

Who can be included?

The Real Estate Owner Residency allows the principal holder to live in Saudi Arabia with eligible family members. The official definition includes spouses, parents who are not working in the Kingdom and dependent children who have not exceeded the age of 25.

Among the wider benefits listed by the Premium Residency Center are:

• Living in Saudi Arabia with eligible family members.
• Entering and leaving the Kingdom without requiring a re-entry visa.
• Issuing visit visas for relatives.
• Using designated citizen and GCC lanes at ports of entry.
• Working in private-sector establishments, subject to the applicable rules.
• Moving between private-sector employers.
• Conducting business under Saudi investment regulations.
• Owning and using property in accordance with Saudi law.
• Exemption from certain expatriate and dependent fees.

Premium Residency is not Saudi citizenship. It does not provide political rights, a Saudi passport or automatic immunity from immigration, labour, investment and property regulations.

The applicant must qualify too

Even if the property satisfies every condition, the buyer must still meet the programme’s general eligibility requirements.

According to the official Premium Residency guidance, an applicant must be at least 21 years old and provide:

• A passport valid for at least 180 days.
• Evidence of financial solvency, such as a recent bank statement.
• A clear criminal record for the applicant and eligible family members.
• A medical report confirming the absence of infectious diseases, issued no more than six months before applying.
• Evidence of lawful residency where the application is submitted from inside Saudi Arabia.

For applicants already in the Kingdom, their existing residence should generally remain valid for at least 90 days from the application date.

Documents can be submitted in Arabic or English through the Premium Residency Center’s electronic portal. An authorised representative may also submit the application on the buyer’s behalf.

What does the application cost?

The official detailed conditions list an application-processing charge of US$170.

Once the application is approved, the applicant has 30 days to pay a Premium Residency fee of SAR 4,000 and provide medical-insurance documentation for themselves and eligible family members. The residence cards are then issued after the requirements have been completed.

These charges are separate from the property’s purchase price, legal costs, valuation expenses, registration charges, insurance, maintenance and any fees associated with the development.

The official product page notes that its conditions are subject to change. Buyers should therefore verify the amounts and requirements again at the time of application.

Property ownership and residency are separate approvals

Since 22 January 2026, Saudi Arabia’s updated system has allowed non-Saudi residents, non-residents and foreign entities to apply for property ownership through the official Saudi Properties portal.

But Premium Residency does not override the rules governing where a foreign buyer may own. A property must still comply with the relevant geographical zones, ownership categories and local restrictions.

Likewise, approval to purchase a property does not automatically mean the buyer will receive Premium Residency. The ownership transaction and residency application are connected, but each must satisfy its own legal process.

The distinction becomes particularly important in Makkah and Madinah, where foreign ownership is subject to additional conditions and is restricted to Muslim individuals and qualifying Saudi companies under the current framework.

Do not pay SAR 4 million merely to reach the threshold

Residency can make a property more useful, but it cannot turn a weak investment into a strong one.

Saudi Arabia’s property market does not move at one speed. The official Real Estate Price Index rose by 1.3 per cent annually in the second quarter of 2026. Residential prices increased by 2.6 per cent, but the details varied: apartment prices rose by 1.1 per cent, while villa prices fell by 9.7 per cent.

The figures offer an important warning. A SAR 4 million apartment, villa or off-plan unit should still be assessed on location, quality, demand and fair market value.

Before buying, ask:

• Is the property genuinely worth SAR 4 million?
• Has its valuation been independently verified?
• Is the unit residential and eligible for the programme?
• Is it free from prohibited financing or mortgage arrangements?
• If it is off-plan, is the developer approved?
• Can the project realistically be completed within the required period?
• What will the property cost to maintain?
• Could it be rented or resold if your circumstances change?
• What happens to your residency if the development is delayed?

A property priced above its real market value may secure eligibility but still leave the buyer with a poor asset.

Exploring the route from London

For British and international buyers based in the UK, understanding the property and residency requirements may begin before travelling to Saudi Arabia.

The UK-Saudi Real Estate Exhibition, organised by International Investment Gate, is scheduled for 2 to 4 August 2026 at The Chancery Rosewood in Grosvenor Square, London.

For prospective applicants, the useful conversation is not simply whether a displayed development costs SAR 4 million. Buyers can ask whether the unit is residential, completed or off-plan, whether the developer is approved, how payments are structured and what evidence supports its eligibility for Real Estate Owner Residency.

Any answer received at an exhibition should subsequently be checked with the Premium Residency Center, the Real Estate General Authority and an independent Saudi legal adviser.

A home, a residency route and two separate decisions

Saudi Premium Residency through real-estate investment can be an attractive option for people who genuinely want both a home and a long-term connection to the Kingdom.

The route offers family residence and practical freedom without requiring a separate SAR 800,000 payment for unlimited-duration residency. In exchange, however, at least SAR 4 million remains tied to qualifying residential property, and the residence depends on continuing to meet the programme’s conditions.

The best decision therefore begins by treating the purchase and the residency as two separate questions.

Is this a property you would still want to own without the residency benefit? And does the residency product genuinely match the way you intend to live, work and invest?

If the answer to both is yes, the two can fit together naturally.

This article is for general information and does not constitute legal, immigration, tax or investment advice.

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