Saudi Arabia has ushered in a transformative change for its massive expatriate population by officially launching a new, long-term Resident ID system. This landmark policy effectively abolishes the cumbersome, decades-old practice of annual residency permit (Iqama) renewals, replacing it with a single, five-year card managed through a streamlined digital process.
A Digital Leap for Resident Convenience
The core of this reform is sheer practicality. Instead of the yearly ritual of visiting passport and residency offices, standing in long queues, and completing paperwork, foreign residents will now receive a residency card valid for five years. The renewal process will be conducted primarily online through the government's integrated Absher digital platform. Saudi officials and local media report that this shift is poised to dramatically reduce physical visits to government offices for over 13 million residents, slashing waiting times and bureaucratic delays.
The financial aspect is also streamlined. Based on local reports, the one-time fee for the five-year card is approximately 500 Saudi Riyals (SAR) for adults and around SAR 600 for domestic workers. This replaces the repeated annual payments, offering both predictability and potential savings for households and businesses.
Absher: The Engine of Saudi's Digital Transformation
Central to this new system is Absher, Saudi Arabia's flagship digital government portal operated by the Ministry of Interior. Absher acts as a one-stop-shop, consolidating access to more than 350 services from various government bodies. Residents and citizens use it to renew permits, update personal details, pay fees, book appointments, and track applications, all without setting foot in a government building.
The platform, available via web and mobile apps, has become indispensable to Saudi's digital governance, handling millions of daily transactions. The new Resident ID system is designed to rely on Absher as its primary channel for issuance, renewal, and management, ensuring the process is fully online and significantly faster.
How the New Five-Year ID System Works
The rollout is deeply integrated with Saudi's digital infrastructure. Applicants will request and manage their Resident ID through Absher and related e-service platforms. The new ID is intended to function as a trusted digital identity for various transactions and verifications.
Authorities are advising residents to register a reliable postal address through the "Wasil" or "Wasil Digital" mail service. This step ensures the secure delivery of the physical card and other official documents directly to the resident's doorstep. The Interior Ministry's e-services page has long facilitated electronic document renewal; this new plan simply makes it the universal standard.
Bigger Picture: A Pillar of Vision 2030
This is far more than an administrative tweak; it is a strategic pillar of Saudi Arabia's ambitious Vision 2030 reform agenda. The move aligns with the vision's goals of modernizing government structures and establishing the Kingdom as a leading digital economy.
The anticipated impact is staggering. The government estimates that eliminating the annual renewal cycle will cut out a colossal 65 million annual visits to public service offices over the next five years. This massive reduction in administrative red tape is expected to yield substantial economic benefits. Experts project that the new electronic system will save the national economy more than 2.6 billion Saudi Riyals by reclaiming wasted time and boosting overall productivity.
Dr. Khalid, a Digital Government Expert, praised the overhaul, likening it to a "qualitative leap, like moving from using copper coins to adopting bank cards." For millions of residents in Saudi Arabia, life just got a lot simpler.
