Iqama renewal is now an online process in Saudi Arabia. Although you can visit Jawazat, however, the moi Absher portal is providing the said service without visiting any office. In addition to that, there is no need to fill out the application form and submit it physically. All you need is to pay the renewal fees ( If applicable).
Furthermore, the renewal process is the sole responsibility of your kafeel or company. Now, they can submit the application form online, and within a few minutes, the renewal procedure completes. Moreover, the sponsor is bound to pay iqama renewal fees, except the dependents levy.
In addition to that, expats from a few countries have to pass a medical test also. These countries are Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia, Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. The citizens of other countries don’t need a medical test.
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Iqama Renewal Procedure
The procedure is the same for computer technicians, programmers, technicians, electrical technicians, nurses, general accountants, and almost all other professions. The renewal process involves the following steps.
Requirements
The foremost iqama renewal requirements are paying the fees, conducting the medical tests, registering in the Saudi council of engineering, and paying dependents fees if applicable.
Pay Iqama Renewal Fees
Sometimes Sponsors are in financial crisis; they ask the employer to pay the fees to renew iqama. In that case, the employee will pay the required fees.
650 riyals is the iqama renewal fee, 8400 riyals to 9600 riyals is the Maktab e Amal ( Work Permit ) fee. And an average amount of 500 riyals is required for medical insurance. If you have a family, then pay the dependent charges as well. The dependent levy is paid at the time of renewal of iqama per annum.
You can read a detailed article on Iqama Fees by Clicking Here.
Medical Test ( If Applicable)
As we have stated above, nationals of a few countries require to pass the medical tests. So most expats need not worry about it.
In KSA ( Saudi Arabia), there are authorized medical centers that conduct the tests. You can find the list of the hospitals here.
The person who needs to pass a medical examination doesn’t need to collect it manually. Because MOI sends it online to the concerned authorities.
Valid Membership Of the Saudi Council Of Engineering.
To renew iqama, it is a must to have a valid membership of the Saudi council of engineering. Iqama renewal process doesn’t start unless you have an active membership. Those who are members must check their validity. If it is about to expire or expired, then renew it first.
The online process will reject the renewal of iqama if it is not active.
Pay Dependents Fee ( If Applicable)
If you have family in Saudi Arabia, then you must pay the dependents levy. These charges are collected at the time of renewal. You will have to pay for it. After making the payments, ask your HR/ Kafeel for the next procedure.
Pay The Iqama Late Renewal Charges, Penalty, Or Fee
Due to any reason, if iqama couldn’t renew in time, then pay the late fee, which is 1000 riyals. The most common cause is not renewing Saudi Engineering Council membership. We have observed the said problem with many people, especially technicians, foremen, and those who work on construction sites.
Sometimes the sponsor is unable to renew iqama in time. In that case, it is his responsibility. You need not worry about that.
Ask HR To Start The Procedure To Renew Iqama
Once you have met all the above requirements, visit the HR office or Kafeel and tell them that you have done the above procedures. HR will check all the paid fees and renew Iqama in a couple of minutes. Once your iqama renews, the dependents iqama will also renew automatically. Because they are attached to your account.
You will receive a confirmation SMS on your mobile if you are registered in Absher. You can also check it by using the iqama expiry service.
As of the new system, you won’t need to submit the old iqama to jawazat as the iqama id card is valid for 5 years. The authorities verify iqama validity through the online system nowadays.
Renewal Procedure Of Iqama For Dependents Above 18 Years Of Age
The rule in Saudi Arabia is that, if any of your dependent (male) reaches the age of 18, the sponsorship will transfer to a Saudi Citizen or a Company.
However, if the dependent is studying, then he can stay under the parent’s account. But after reaching the age of 25, either the sponsorship will change, or the dependent will leave the country.
So The iqama of the dependent will renew with the parents’ renewal till the age of 25. However, the daughters can stay under their parents’ sponsorship until they get married.
Iqama Renewal Fees For House Drivers (Saiq Khas), Maids,
There are only two charges or fees to renew iqama for The house drivers and maids.
1-Iqama renewal fee ( 600 Riyals), 2- Medical health insurance (400-500 Riyals). Thus it is the cheapest renewal (just 1000-1100 riyals). Besides, there are no charges for Maktab Amal ( Work Permit fee) for these professions.
Furthermore, these professions don’t fall under the Nitaqat system. So the renewal process doesn’t get late for the red or yellow category problem.
Iqama Not Renewing: Possible Reasons
There can be many reasons if the iqama is not renewed. you can ask HR about the possible reasons. However most of the time it can be due to because of non-payment of iqama renewal fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Age Limit For Iqama Renewal In Saudi Arabia
Due to Saudization, the sponsors are not renewing iqama of the employees reaching the age of 60 years. However, the age limit for renewal is 65 years. Most companies offer end of service benefits to employees who are 60 years or above.
How to Renew Iqama After 60 Days Of Expiry
the renewal process is the same as discussed above. However, you have to pay a penalty of 1000 riyals as a late fee or delay fine. You can pay the said fee by visiting your HR department, as they have access to the service.
Can We Renew Iqama When Dependents Are Outside KSA
As you know that dependents are connected to your account, and you cannot leave the kingdom at the time of renewal. It is because the system does not allow the renewal process if you or any dependent is outside Saudi Arabia. they must be inside KSA.
What Is The Iqama Renewal Expiry Date
The iqama must be renewed before 3 days of its expiry. If it is late, then the sponsor will have to pay 500 riyals as a fine for the first instance. And 1000 and 1500 riyals for the second and third instances, respectively. There are many other fines on iqama that you must know while living in Saudi Arabia.
What is the Renewal Procedure If the Company Is In Low Green Or Yellow?
If your company falls in yellow or red, the iqama will not renew unless its category changes to green or platinum. The process to renew iqama is the same, whether it is a low green, medium, or high green nitaqat category.
However, those who fall into the yellow category will have to wait a little longer. As the sponsor gets back to green, the iqama will renew instantly.
You may like to know more about these categories in this article.
Nitaqat Categories (Red, Green, Yellow, Platinum) Benefits
How Many Days The Renewal Process Takes.
If you have paid all the fees that are required for the renewal of iqama, then the renewal will be complete in about 3 minutes only. Through the ‘Absher Business Portal,’ your sponsor can renew it with the minutes. Also, you don’t need to collect it because now it is an online renewal.
Before How Many Days Or Months Can We Renew Iqama.
Iqama can be renewed 180 days or 6 months before its expiry. However, most of the companies renew iqama 1 -3 months ( 30-90 days) before it is going to expire. The reason is that many employees don’t want to extend their contract. The legal time frame to inform the sponsor not to work further is 90 days before the contract expires.
So it is a loss for the sponsor to renew it before 90 days of expiry.
Is There A Grace Period For Renewal Of Iqama?
The Jawazat clearly instructs to renew the resident ID before 3 days of its expiry, which means that there is no grace period for renewal. You are considered illegal the day your iqama expires.
Can We Renew Iqama If the Passport Is Expired?
In the Absher portal, you get a notification when the passport is about to expire. It means that you need to renew your passport as soon as possible.
Unluckily, the jawazat system doesn’t start the iqama renewal procedure if the passport is expired. So visit your consulate and renew the passport to avoid the late iqama renewal penalty.
Do We Need Iqama Renewal Form From Jawazat?
As of 2021, there is no need to fill out a renewal form and submit it to jawazat. Absher portal renews iqama online in Saudi Arabia within a few minutes. The only condition is that your kafeel or sponsor should have registered on the Absher Business portal ( a dedicated portal for sponsors)