Premium Residency through property in Saudi Arabia
A property purchase can secure Saudi Premium Residency: the right to live, work and own without a local sponsor. The cleanest route is owning a developed, mortgage-free home valued at SAR 4m or more. Here is how it works, and what it does and does not grant.
- Reviewed by
- The Omnia Desk
- Last reviewed
- 13 June 2026
- Reading time
- 4 minutes
At a glance
The essentials, before you read.
Residency, not citizenship. It grants the right to live, work and own, and to sponsor family, while the qualifying property is held.
- Programme
- Premium Residency
- Property route
- From SAR 4m
- The property
- Mortgage-free, completed
- Valuer
- TAQEEM-accredited
- Permanent option
- SAR 800,000 once
- Renewable option
- SAR 100,000 / year
- Sponsor
- Not required
- Family
- Spouse and children
On this page
Two ways to qualify.
Premium Residency can be bought directly, or earned through the property you own. For an investor, the property route is usually the one.
Saudi Premium Residency, introduced in 2019 and widened with new categories in 2024, is a sponsor-free, long-term residence. There are two ways an investor reaches it: pay a fee for a permit directly, or qualify through the property you own. The routes can be combined, but for most buyers the real-estate route is the natural one, because the asset does the qualifying.
Real Estate Owner
Own a developed, mortgage-free residential property valued at SAR 4m or more, certified by a TAQEEM valuer. Residency lasts while the property is held.
Best forBuyers acquiring a home anyway
The property routeUnlimited permit
A permanent permit for a one-time fee of SAR 800,000, independent of any property holding. The cleanest status, with no renewal.
Best forThose who want permanence outright
What it grantsLimited permit
A renewable permit at SAR 100,000 per year, typically up to five years. Lower commitment, suited to a defined stay.
Best forA fixed, shorter horizon
What it grants- The property route needs a developed, residential home valued at SAR 4m or more, mortgage-free and TAQEEM-certified.
- The fee tiers are an alternative: SAR 800,000 once for an Unlimited permit, or SAR 100,000 a year for a Limited one.
- It is residency, not citizenship: the right to live, work, own and sponsor family without a local sponsor.
- An off-plan unit qualifies only once it completes, registers in your name and is free of any mortgage.
The SAR 4m residential route.
Three conditions decide it: value, condition and finance.
The Real Estate Owner category turns on three things. The property must be residential and developed, not raw land or an off-plan unit. It must be valued at SAR 4m or more, certified by a TAQEEM-accredited valuer, and more than one property may be combined to reach it. And it must be free of any mortgage, before and after the application. Get those three right and the holding supports residency for as long as you keep it.
| Route | Threshold | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Owner | SAR 4m property | While the property is held |
| Unlimited permit | SAR 800,000 once | Permanent |
| Limited permit | SAR 100,000 / year | Renewable, up to 5 years |
Have Omnia model the purchase and the residency together, so the property qualifies and the tenure holds.
The rights it carries.
The point of the status is what it lets you do without a sponsor.
- Live and work in the Kingdom without a local sponsor, and own residential property in your own name.
- Run a business under the foreign-investment rules, and recruit domestic staff.
- Sponsor and host family, and enter and leave the country without an exit and re-entry visa.
- Exemption from expatriate fees and from the Saudization quota that applies to sponsored workers.
Family and the 2026 ownership law.
Who is covered, and how residency sits beside the new ownership rules.
A spouse and dependent children are commonly included, parents may be added, and the spouse and children can work in the private sector. The precise dependent definitions sit with the Premium Residency Center, so we confirm them for your circumstances rather than assume them.
Residency also sits alongside the Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis, in force from January 2026. The two are separate: you do not need residency to own in a designated zone, and residency does not by itself grant ownership outside one. Sequenced together, though, a single purchase can both secure the asset and qualify you to live with it.
The Omnia view
Residency and ownership are two decisions that are easiest to get right together. Sequenced well, one purchase can secure both the asset and the right to enjoy it.
Reference
Key terms, defined.
- Premium Residency
- Saudi Arabia's long-term residence programme, introduced in 2019 and widened in 2024. It grants the right to live, work and own without a local sponsor.
- Real Estate Owner category
- The route that ties residency to owning a developed, mortgage-free residential property valued at SAR 4m or more.
- TAQEEM
- The Saudi Authority for Accredited Valuers. An accredited valuer must certify that the qualifying property meets the threshold.
- Unlimited and Limited
- The two fee-based tiers: an Unlimited permit for a one-time SAR 800,000, and a Limited permit at SAR 100,000 per year, renewable.
Common questions
Answered, in plain terms.
How much property do I need to own to qualify for Premium Residency?
The real-estate route requires a developed, residential property valued at SAR 4m or more, about USD 1.07m, certified by a TAQEEM-accredited valuer. More than one property can be combined to reach the threshold, provided each is completed and unencumbered.
Can the qualifying property have a mortgage?
No. The property used for the real-estate route must be free of any existing or future mortgage. It has to be bought with unencumbered funds, which is the single most common reason an otherwise eligible purchase does not qualify.
Does Premium Residency lead to citizenship?
No. Premium Residency is a long-term residence status, not a path to a passport. It grants the right to live, work, own and sponsor family for as long as the qualifying conditions are met. Citizenship is a separate, discretionary matter outside this programme.
Can I include my family?
Yes. A spouse and dependent children are commonly included, and parents may be added, with the spouse and children able to work in the private sector. The exact dependent definitions sit with the Premium Residency Center, so we confirm them for your circumstances.
Does buying off-plan qualify me?
Not until it completes. The real-estate route needs a developed, titled and mortgage-free home, so an off-plan unit qualifies only once it has handed over, been registered in your name and is free of finance.
This guide is general information, not investment, legal or tax advice. Regulations evolve; figures are indicative and current at the last review date. Speak with an Omnia advisor for guidance on your circumstances.
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