Family Reunification in Saudi Arabia
One documented route of this kind in Saudi Arabia, with its conditions, documents, official government fees and process.
Family Residence Visa (Dependant Iqama Sponsorship)
Expatriates holding a valid Iqama with an eligible profession, sufficient salary and adequate housing can sponsor immediate family members (spouse and children) for long-term residence, who then receive their own dependant Iqamas.
- Processing time
- Varies; commonly a few weeks
- Validity
- Tied to and renewed with the sponsor's Iqama (typically annual)
- Language requirement
- No language certificate needed
- Permanent residence
- No automatic PR; status depends on sponsor
- Citizenship
- No direct route to citizenship for dependants
Requirements
- Sponsor holds a valid Iqama with an approved/eligible profession
- Sponsor meets the minimum salary threshold
- Proof of adequate housing/accommodation
- Attested proof of relationship (marriage/birth certificates)
Required Documents
- Sponsor's valid Iqama required
- Attested marriage certificate (for spouse) required
- Attested birth certificates (for children) required
- Proof of accommodation / housing required
- Family members' valid passports (min. 6 months) required
- Passport photographs required
Official fees
- Dependant fee per dependant (monthly) 400 SAR
- Dependant Iqama (annual, commonly cited) 600 SAR
Process Steps
-
1
Confirm sponsor eligibility
Verify the sponsor's profession, salary and housing meet sponsorship thresholds.
-
2
Apply for family visa
Apply for the family residence visa via Enjaz/MOFA and Absher with attested relationship documents.
-
3
Family entry
Family members enter the Kingdom on the issued family visa.
-
4
Dependant Iqama
After medical exam, dependant Iqamas are issued and renewed annually with the sponsor's.
Official Sources
- Absher government services portal (family services) Official
- Saudi MOFA visa portal Official