Residents register a SIM against their Iqama with a fingerprint at an operator outlet, or self-activate through the operator app with Nafath. You can check which numbers are under your ID on CST's Mutasil portal.
Reviewed by Saudi Expats Team, October 22, 2026
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Residents get a SIM at an operator outlet with their Iqama and a fingerprint scan, or buy a self-activation SIM and register it in the operator's app using Nafath. Visitors have separate visitor packages from stc and Zain. You can see every number registered under your ID through the CST's Mutasil portal.
The main mobile operators are stc, Mobily and Zain. KSA Expats also lists Virgin Mobile and Lebara Mobile among the operators that register lines against an Iqama (KSA Expats). To compare plan prices, use the mobile plan comparison tool.
At an outlet, per KSA Expats (October 2026):
The number is then linked to your Iqama. The fingerprint step applies only at an outlet.
Online (stc self-activation), per stc's own page and KSA Expats:
stc's page mentions Nafath in the steps but Absher in its FAQ, so the verification channel may vary. A self-activation SIM cannot be activated as a MultiSIM, per stc.
stc sells visitor packages that you subscribe to through the mystc app, or by sending "8000" to 900 (stc). Validity is two to four weeks depending on the package. The page does not say which documents you need, and Zain's visitor page does not either (Zain). Zain says visitor packages are available in all its sales channels. Ask at the counter what identification the operator needs, and bring your passport and visa.
If you later receive an Iqama, register a line against it in the normal way rather than keeping a visitor number long term.
For residents, KSA Expats describes fingerprint verification as part of registering a line at an outlet, and says it cannot be done online. We could not confirm from an official page whether visitors are fingerprinted, so ask the operator.
A Gulf News report from 2018 said foreign residents were limited to two prepaid SIMs across all operators, with Saudis allowed up to 10. The regulator called it a temporary procedure to deal with illegal SIM cards (Gulf News). That report is eight years old, and neither KSA Expats nor stc's pages state a current limit. If an operator refuses to register another line, the limit is the likely reason, so ask and check your count first.
CST's Mutasil Individuals portal has a lookup (Arqami) that shows the lines registered to an Iqama. Per KSA Expats (October 2026):
You then see every mobile and data line linked to your Iqama and the provider of each. Without a registered number, you only see the total number of connections per network.
If you find a line you do not recognize, ask the operator to cancel it. KSA Expats lists the customer service numbers as stc 900, Mobily 1100 and Zain 959 (Zain's own page also gives 959). If that fails, CST lists 19966 as its contact number (CST).
The three main operators began offering eSIM in 2020. Mobily's launch was reported on 13 April 2020, open to prepaid and postpaid customers with an eSIM-compatible phone (Arab News). Zain's site has an eSIM section as well. We could not confirm what identity steps an eSIM needs for a resident today. Expect the same Iqama and Nafath checks as a normal SIM, and ask the operator before you plan to buy remotely.
Facts in this guide were checked on 22 October 2026 against these pages. Fees and rules change, so confirm on the official page before you pay or apply.
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