Iqama
إقامةThe residence permit held by foreign nationals who live and work in Saudi Arabia. Holders count as residents under the ownership law, which gives them some rights elsewhere in the Kingdom that non-residents lack, such as one home outside the zones. Inside Makkah and Madinah the same zone rules apply to everyone.
Also called residence permit · Updated 22 January 2026
Looking this up because you mean to buy? Your next question is How do I buy from abroad?
Where you meet it
- Three special casesHow a non-Saudi can own near the Haram
- Get the digital IDHow to buy a property in Makkah or Madinah, step by step
Related words
- Zone (geographic scope)
- A mapped area inside which non-Saudis may buy real estate or real rights, and in Makkah and Madinah the only places they can.
- Digital ID (for non-residents)
- An identity number issued to someone without a Saudi ID or iqama, so that they can deal with government systems.
Sources
REGA — law text, Art. 2(3) · 25 Jul 2025
In Makkah and Madinah, non-Saudi purchases are only possible inside the designated geographic zones; the 'one residence outside zones' right for residents does not apply to the two holy cities.
Where each fact above comes from, with the source’s own date where it gives one.