How To Get Saudi Citizenship: Requirements and Alternatives

With its zero-percent personal income, inheritance, and property taxes, as well as a relatively low 20% corporate income tax, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an attractive jurisdiction to foreign companies and high-net-worth individuals alike. The country has recently made significant advances in the digital economy, especially in fintech and AI, positioning itself as the regional hub for innovation and creating numerous opportunities for worldwide talent, investors, and innovators. 

While there are plenty of reasons to secure long-term status in Saudi Arabia, doing so to obtain the country’s citizenship might be challenging. In this article, we’ll examine how to get Saudi citizenship, explore the requirements, and discuss why it’s hard to get Saudi citizenship. You’ll also learn about the best alternative if you still want long-term access to the country and rights that include property ownership.

Saudi Arabia Citizenship Requirements 

Saudi Arabia’s citizenship is regularly obtained through birth and marriage. As a foreigner seeking Saudi citizenship through naturalization (i.e., not acquiring it through descent by a Saudi father or marriage to a Saudi man), you will have to meet the following requirements to be considered for Saudi citizenship: 

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have legally lived in Saudi Arabia for at least 10 consecutive years
• Demonstrate knowledge of the Arabic language
• Show good conduct and have no criminal record
• Work in a profession that is in demand in the country

Saudi Arabia uses a points-based system to determine how well you meet the requirements for Saudi citizenship and how good a fit you are for the country’s citizenship strategy. You can earn a total of 33 points, and you need at least 23 for your application to be reviewed.

The allocation of points is as follows:

Requirement	Number of Points
Residency	10 points
Profession	13 points for a doctorate in medicine or engineering 10 points for a doctorate in other sciences 8 points for a Master’s degree 5 points for a Bachelor’s degree
Family ties	3 points for a Saudi father 3 points for a Saudi mother and grandfather 3 points for a Saudi wife and father-in-law 2 points for a Saudi mother 2 points for more than 2 Saudi children or siblings 1 point for a Saudi wife 1 point for 2 or fewer Saudi children or siblings

How To Apply for Saudi Citizenship

You can submit your application for Saudi citizenship in person or through a legal representative to the country’s Civil Affairs department or a diplomatic mission abroad. The application should contain documents, including: 

• Official application form
• Medical examination report stating physical and mental fitness
• Statement from the country’s authorities in the specialty field, showing that your profession is needed
• Copy of your qualifications, translated into Arabic
• Statement of your worldwide wealth and source of income
• Statement of your religious denomination, political activities, and military service

A three-person committee will review your application and grade it based on the points system. If your application passes the threshold, the review will continue and be passed to the Naturalization Committee, which will issue a recommendation for the Minister of Interior. 

The Minister of Interior will make the final decision on your application.

Is It Hard To Get Saudi Citizenship?

Saudi citizenship is notorious for its tightly controlled, restrictive naturalization process, which doesn’t result in many admissions. The traits that make it particularly difficult to access include:

• High physical residency requirements
• Very narrow residency qualification options that exclude investment
• Reliance on discretionary decisions, even when all the criteria are met
• Strict and discretionary rules regarding Saudi dual citizenship 

The Saudi citizenship requirements weren’t designed to facilitate easy acquisition of Saudi citizenship. They were meant to be exclusive and serve as a tool that allows the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to admit only individuals who match its desired profile into the country’s citizenry and protect its generous public health and welfare programs.

Bonus read: If you want to learn about countries that offer citizenship routes with more lenient requirements, read our guides on Turkey, Sierra Leone, and St. Lucia CBI programs.

Saudi Premium Residency: The Best Alternative to Saudi Citizenship 

While Saudi Arabia still maintains a strict level of control over its citizenship, it has become more open to foreigners. This is mainly the result of moving away from oil-based industries as part of its Saudi Vision 2030 program. The country has opened its stock exchange, Tadawul, to all foreign investors and has also made steps to allow foreign ownership of real estate.

These developments followed the expansion of its Premium Residency program, which is the best alternative to Saudi citizenship for long-term access to the country. 

The benefits of obtaining Saudi Premium Residency include:

• The right to live, work, and start a business in Saudi Arabia
• The right to own real estate and enjoy its benefits (i.e., earn an income from it)
• No limitations on the number of times you can exit and enter the country
• Extension of permanent residency rights to your dependents, including spouse, children under 25, and parents
• The ability to procure visitation visas for your non-dependent relatives
• Exemption from fees that are normally charged to expats
• The ability to use citizens’ tracks at airports

Note that not all Premium Residency pathways offer permanent residency. Some might allow you to qualify for permanent residency after meeting physical residency requirements. 

Bonus read: To learn about similar programs in the Gulf countries, read our guides on the UAE, Oman, and Bahrain.

Saudi Premium Residency Pathways

You can apply for Saudi Premium Residency under one of six pathways:

1. Limited and Unlimited Duration Premium Residency
2. Special Talent Residency
3. Gifted Residency
4. Investor Residency
5. Entrepreneur Residency
6. Real Estate Owner Residency

Limited and Unlimited Duration Premium Residency

The Limited Duration Premium Residency pathway allows you to become a resident of Saudi Arabia for a fixed term of one to five years, with the option to renew it. 

Under the Unlimited Duration Premium Residency pathway, you are granted permanent residency, making this pathway the best alternative to Saudi citizenship.

The Limited Duration and Unlimited Duration Premium Residency pathways are also the easiest to qualify for in Saudi Arabia. To become a resident under them, you need to provide proof of your financial capability and make a contribution to the country:

Type of Residency	Contribution
Limited Duration	SAR 100,000 (USD 26,500) per year
Unlimited Duration	SAR 800,000 (USD 213,000)

Special Talent Residency

The Special Talent Residency grants you a five-year, renewable residency if you’re in an executive leadership position, a healthcare worker, a scientist, or a researcher. The fixed-term residency can be converted into permanent residency after spending 30 months in the country during a five-year period.

The requirements for healthcare professionals, scientists, and researchers include:

• Holding an employment contract with an approved entity with priority specialization
• Having a recommendation from the employer 
• Possessing at least a bachelor’s degree
• Having more than three years of work experience, plus three years of research in a related field
• Achieving the required minimum score under the point-based evaluation system
• Earning a minimum wage of SAR 14,000 (USD 3,700) for researchers and SAD 35,000 (USD 9,300) for scientists and healthcare professionals

As an executive, you’d have to meet the following criteria:

• Holding an employment contract at the first or second level
• Earning a minimum wage of SAR 80,000 (USD 21,300)
• Possessing a recommendation from the employer

Gifted Residency

You can apply for the Gifted Residency pathway if you’re an athlete or a cultural or artistic talent. You can be granted a fixed-term five-year residency, which you can extend for another five years if you reside in the country for at least 30 months during the original five years. 

You can become a permanent resident after meeting the same residence criteria and securing an endorsement from the Ministry of Culture or the Ministry of Sports. 

The eligibility criteria for this pathway include:

• Being nominated or receiving an exceptional award, or meeting the criteria prescribed by the relevant Ministry
• Meeting the minimum financial capability to support yourself in the country
• Obtaining a recommendation from the relevant Ministry

Investor Residency

You may be granted permanent Saudi Premium Residency by investing in a business in the country, provided you meet the following criteria: 

1. The investment has to be at least SAD 7 million (USD 1,865,000)
2. The investment must create at least 10 new jobs

To keep your permanent residence, you will have to maintain the conditions of your residency for at least two years. 

Entrepreneur Residency

The Entrepreneur Residency is a two-category pathway that awards you fixed-term or permanent residency in Saudi Arabia. 

Both categories require you to obtain a license from the Ministry of Investment, secure investment and a recommendation from an accredited entity, and maintain a specified ownership stake in the startup. Check the following table for more details: 

Category	Investment Secured	Applicant Share	Jobs Created
First	SAR 400,000 (USD 106,000)	20%	/
Second	SAR 15 million (USD 4 million)	10%	10 in the first year, 10 in the second year

The first category gives you a five-year residency that you can renew once, provided you meet the 30-month residence requirement within those five years. The second category grants you permanent residency, but you must meet the job-creation requirement to maintain it.

Real Estate Owner Residency

If you are seeking to purchase property in Saudi Arabia, you may be granted residency under the Real Estate Owner Residency pathway. To become eligible, the property must meet the following criteria:

• Have a minimum value of at least SAR 4 million (USD 1,060,000)
• Be fully developed residential real estate
• Be assessed by accredited appraisers

Note that the length of residency you are awarded as a real estate investor is tied to your ownership of the real estate. 

How To Apply for Saudi Premium Residency

The application process for Saudi Premium Residency is fully managed online, through the Premium Residency portal. There, you can create an application, save it as a draft and return to it at your convenience, and upload all the necessary documents.

The application review process takes around three months. If successful, your resident status will be reflected on the Absher and Tawakkalna apps, and your Premium Residency card will be printed out and sent to you.

While the process itself is straightforward, applications are still assessed against strict eligibility and documentation standards. Even minor errors or omissions can lead to delays and rejection. Preparing a complete, well-structured application from the start can significantly improve both speed and outcome. To ensure a smooth process and avoid unnecessary setbacks, contact Nomad Capitalist.

Become a Saudi Premium Resident With Nomad Capitalist

Nomad Capitalist is a consulting firm specializing in global mobility and wealth preservation. We’ve helped 1,500+ clients achieve their financial and lifestyle goals through legal tax optimization, second residency and citizenship acquisition, and identification of foreign investment opportunities. 

Our core service is the creation of an Action Plan, a blueprint detailing the steps we will take in partnership with our clients to ensure their goals are met. Since every client has different circumstances and desires, we make every Plan from scratch and tailor it to the client’s exact needs. 

Here’s what working with us looks like:

1. We ask you to fill out a form to determine whether we’re a good match
2. We schedule a 45-minute onboarding call to learn more about your situation and objectives
3. Our agents develop an Action Plan and present it to you for approval
4. We implement the Plan over 12 months, handling all the administrative tasks
5. You continue receiving support from us even after the Plan was implemented

When it comes to securing your Saudi Premium Residency, we will first examine whether it’s the best solution for your short- and long-term objectives. If it is, we will assist with the application process and advise you on the best ways to leverage your Saudi residency to support your financial and lifestyle goals. And if it isn’t, we will help you determine the most appropriate alternative. Get your Action Plan today!