Premium Residency Permit categories

Special Talent Residency

This category – which seeks to attract individuals who can develop local capabilities and exchange knowledge – applies to the following individuals:

• researchers in certain fields and disciplines with a minimum monthly salary of SAR 14,000;
• healthcare and scientific professionals with a minimum monthly salary of SAR 35,000; or
• executives with a minimum monthly salary of SAR 80,000.

Special Talent Residency permits are valid for five years, can be renewed once, and are exempt from Nitaqat requirements. Furthermore, under specific conditions, Special Talent Residency permit holders may be eligible for permanent residency, provided they have resided in Saudi Arabia for an adequate period of time (which varies depending on circumstances).

Gifted Residency

This category applies to gifted individuals in culture, the arts, or sport who have an outstanding record of local, regional, or international achievements. Applicants must have received, or been nominated for, at least one approved award in their field and have received an official recommendation from the relevant authority.

Gifted Residency permits are valid for five years, can be renewed once, and are exempt from Nitaqat requirements. Furthermore, under specific conditions, Special Talent Residency permit holders may be eligible for permanent residency, provided they have resided in Saudi Arabia for an adequate period of time (which varies depending on circumstances).

Investor Residency

This category applies to individuals seeking to invest at least SAR 7 million into Saudi Arabia’s economy and create at least 10 new jobs.

Under the Investor Residency permit, permanent residency is granted immediately – though is conditional for the first two years on adhering to the investment threshold and other eligibility criteria.

Entrepreneur Residency

This category applies to individuals seeking to establish a start-up company and to develop specific industries in Saudi Arabia. Depending on the degree of investment, this permit offers either:

• five years residence – for investments of at least SAR 400,000; or
• permanent residence – for investments of at least SAR 15 million.

Applicants may also be required to create a specific number of jobs in Saudi Arabia, along with other conditions.

The five-year residency option is renewable once; while the permanent residency option is conditional for the first two years – on adhering to the investment threshold and other eligibility criteria. Furthermore, the permit holder’s start-up company will be exempt from Nitaqat requirements for up to three years. Additional, Entrepreneur Residency permit holders may nominate two people for the Special Talent Residency category.

Real Estate Owner Residency

This permit applies to individuals who own, or have a right to profit from (a ‘usufruct’ right), a residential real estate property in Saudi Arabia worth at least SAR 4 million. This permit type remains valid only for so long as the permit holder retains ownership or usufructuary rights over the property (with usufructuary rights being limited to a maximum of 99 years).

Limited Duration and Unlimited Duration Premium Residency

This category ¬– which was previously the only type of permit available under the PRP scheme – applies to individuals who make a non-refundable financial contribution. This permit offers one year residency (renewable without limitation) for investments of at least SAR 100,000 or permanent residency for investments of at least SAR 800,000 (though permanent residency is conditional for the first two years).

Applications: a new electronic platform