How much does iqama renewal cost in 2026, and who pays it?

Jawazat's official fee table lists SAR 650 to issue or renew an iqama for company and establishment workers, and under the Labor Law a worker's iqama and work permit fees are the employer's cost.

What Jawazat's fee table lists

• Iqama issue or renewal for company and establishment workers: SAR 650.
• Iqama issue or renewal for a resident's dependant who has turned 18: SAR 500.
• Residence licence for domestic workers such as farm workers and shepherds, sponsored by individuals: SAR 600.
• Adding a dependant born in Saudi Arabia: free. Adding a dependant or baby born outside the Kingdom: SAR 2,000.

Who pays what

• Article 40 of the Labor Law puts the worker's iqama and work permit fees, and their renewal, on the employer.
• The same article makes the employer bear fines for late renewal that the employer causes.
• Fees for family members aren't in Article 40's list, so check your contract to see whether your employer covers them.
• Families also pay a separate monthly fee for each dependant, collected when the iqama is renewed. It isn't in Jawazat's fee table, so check the total Absher shows before you pay.

Avoiding a late renewal

1. Note your iqama expiry date and remind HR well before it.
2. Ask HR to confirm in writing once the renewal is done.
3. If a renewal is delayed, ask HR for the reason in writing and keep a copy.

Official sources

• General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat): Fees (Arabic)
• Saudi Labor Law, Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers (Arabic, current text)

On Saudi Expats: the iqama renewal guide and the iqama renewal calculator.

Checked September 2026. Jawazat's fee table is dated 12 Safar 1445 (August 2023) and is still the version it publishes.

When did you last renew, and did your employer cover everything? Share your experience below.