In late 2025, Jawazat (the Saudi General Directorate of Passports) announced that new physical Iqama cards would carry 5-year validity instead of the old 1-year format. This was widely reported as "5-year residency for expats" — but that's not accurate.
What actually changed: the plastic card now lasts 5 years. What didn't change: your residency status, the SAR 650 annual renewal, the SAR 800/month employer levy, the SAR 400/month dependent fee, and your sponsor relationship. All of those still operate exactly as before — yearly.
The change is administrative. Until 2025, Jawazat printed millions of new plastic cards every year — one for each expat at each renewal. With ~13 million expats in Saudi Arabia, that's a lot of plastic, ink and processing time. The 5-year card reduces:
Behind the scenes, the residency status itself is fully digital and managed through Absher and Muqeem. The physical card is now just an identity document — like a driver's license — rather than the legal residency itself.
Imagine you're an expat whose Iqama expires on 15 March 2026:
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| "5 years residency means I don't pay renewal until 2031" | False. You pay every year. The card is plastic; the residency is digital. |
| "My old yearly card is invalid" | False. Old cards remain valid until their printed expiry date. |
| "My salary affects whether I get the new card" | False. Salary doesn't determine card type. Everyone moves to the new card at next renewal. |
| "I need to visit Jawazat to apply" | False. No application needed. The card auto-issues on next Absher renewal. |
| "5-year card replaces Premium Residency" | False. Premium Residency is a completely separate programme (sponsor-free, with fees). The 5-year card is just regular expat ID. |
SPL targets delivery within 14 working days of renewal. If it hasn't arrived by day 20:
Replacement is SAR 100 + Absher service fee. The new card retains the original 5-year validity. Report loss in Absher within 24 hours to prevent identity theft.
When you transfer to a new employer (Iqama Transfer), your physical card stays the same. The database simply updates. You don't need a new card, you don't pay reprint fees, and the printed expiry date doesn't change. Old kafala mindset assumed the card had to match the sponsor — that's no longer true.
Nothing extra is needed on your part. The new card format is issued automatically the next time your residency comes up for its regular annual renewal through Absher — there's no separate application, form, or in-person visit required specifically for the card upgrade.
Generally no — the card reissues at your normal renewal point, not on demand ahead of schedule. If your current card still shows a valid, unexpired date, it remains usable as your official ID until that date regardless of the new format being available.
No. The card is a physical document; your underlying residency status, sponsorship, and annual renewal obligations are unchanged. The 5-year validity refers only to how long the plastic card itself is usable before needing a reprint — your residency permit still requires its normal annual processes underneath.
Sources: Saudi Public Security / Jawazat announcements via Absher, General Directorate of Passports public guidance. Procedures can be updated by the issuing authority — confirm your specific case in your Absher account. Last reviewed: June 2026.
⚠️ Disclaimer: All results are estimates based on publicly available Saudi government regulations and rates. Always verify important financial or legal decisions with your employer, bank, or the relevant Saudi authority (Ministry of Human Resources, GOSI, ZATCA, Jawazat, or SAMA).