How to Get an Investor Visa Saudi Arabia

Before you can begin your company in Saudi Arabia, you need to be legally allowed to live and work in the nation. Securing an investor visa Saudi Arabia enables foreign business owners to open a company, sign contracts and present people in the country without any local Saudi partner.

This economic environment allows for foreign investors to own 100% in their business across most sectors under Saudi Vision 2030. But in order to get your physical abode card, (unlike a US green card) you have to send 1000s of documents to government portals, stamp your papers legally on the portal and adhere strictly to defined ministry regulations.

Investor Visa Saudi Arabia

Here you can learn about different types of visa, important documents, government charges and step wise application rules.

A Guide to the Saudi Investor Visa Routes

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia grants more than one type of investor permit. Depending on the resource and business plan, each foreign entrepreneur has three options.

  • Regular Investor Visa (Associated with MISA): A Direct Work Permit and Residence Card Related to Your 100% Foreign Owned Company
  • Premium Residency (Investor Category): A Golden visa that grants you permanent residency if a big capital investment is made.
  • General Premium Residency (1 Year or Permanent): Self sponsored residence with a direct government fee (not through running a business).

Standard Investor Visa (MISA-Linked)

The majority of business owners establish a company via the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA). The MISA will issue you a business license which then allows your new Saudi company to sponsor your work visa and the Iqama (residence permit) for yourself. Plus, your visa stays valid as long as it is the same company that employs you.

Premium Residency (Investor Category)

This golden visa is operated by the Premium Residency Centre where an immediate permanent residence will be granted to you. You needed to invest SAR 7,000,000 in a Saudi company and create a minimum of 10 positions for local citizens within the first two years.

General Premium Residency (Annual or Unlimited, For Business Visits)

And if you don’t run a business but want to live in Saudi Arabia, you can pay a direct government fee. Yearly Option : SAR 100000 / per year Permanent option will be available for a one-time payment of SAR 800000.

The primary visa requirements and documentation checklist

You will not get a rejection on the government portals as long as you submit complete and correctly stamped papers. You have to confirm all documents concerning foreign business before you file.

List of Documents Required for an Investor Visa Saudi Arabia

  • Your Parent Company Registration: A formal registration that serves as proof your business, back home is operational.
  • Audited Financial Statements: Latest accounting balance sheets from your home company
  • Article of Association: Legal rules for the company saying who owns the business and who can make decisions
  • Passport Copies: Valid passport copies of all owners and directors of the company.
  • HAPO GYNECOLOGUE REPORT: A Hapo Gynaecologist report that must be clean showing you are free from contagious diseases.

Document Stamping Steps

Before you upload your international business documents, they need to be stamped by four relevant authorities:

  1. A Notary Public locally in your mother country.
  2. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your home country.
  3. Your hometown Saudi Embassy / Consulate
  4. MOFA inside of Saudi Arabia

Any document that has been written in the English language or other tongues needs Arabic translations through an authorized translator suitable in Saudi Arabia.

Step-by-Step Investor Visa Process

The procedure to obtain your investor visa status in Saudi Arabia happens in 5 short steps, online

  • Step 1 (MISA Approval): Register at the MISA portal, select your business activities & submit documents translated into Arabic
  • Step 2 — Commercial Registration: Get the commercial registration documents (CR) from the Ministry of Commerce site.
  • Step 3 (Visa Request): Officially applied on the online platform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for your visa quota.
  • Step 4: Apply to Saudi EMBASSY & get into Saudi using the Entry Visa: Apply your passport along with a clear police record and health check to the (Saudi EMBASSY in your country) then travel to Saudi with your entry visa.
  • Step 5 (Iqama Card): In the Kingdom, do multiple fingerprints and obtain local health insurance to print your actual Iqama residence card.

Itemized Investor visa Cost and Government fees

Also, when you set up your business there are both company licensing fees and personal visa fees to take into account.

Fee Description

Collecting Government Body

Estimated Cost (SAR)

MISA Investment License

Ministry of Investment

SAR 2,000 — SAR 12,000 (First year)

Commercial Registration (CR)

Ministry of Commerce

SAR 1,200 per year

Chamber of Commerce Fee

Regional Chamber of Commerce

SAR 2,000 – SAR 10,000

Medical Check & Health Insurance

Approved Saudi Health Clinic

SAR 1,500 – SAR 4,000 per person

Residence Card (Iqama) Fee

Ministry of Interior / Qiwa

2K – 5K SAR Annually

Premium Residency (Investor Category)

Premium Residency Centre

SAR 4000 Fee + SAR 7,000,000 capital

The real cost of your investor visa depends on the business size, the kind of business you operate, and how many family members are accompanying you.

Foreign Investor Rules versus Local Sponsor Frameworks

Business rules vary by where you are located and who owns the company.

Foreign Founders vs. GCC Citizens

The MISA investment license is necessary for foreigners wishing to own a share of the company outside the Gulf area. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) majority nationals can establish their company directly with the Ministry of Commerce and without necessitating a MISA foreign investment license.

Visa Requirements and Regulations for Entry of Saudi Nationals and Foreign Personnel

Foreign investors fund their residence card in return for the same reflecting them as its owners having set up new companies. But you also need to know visa requirements for Saudi citizens and hiring rules to carry out your day-to-day business. You will be controlling your staff hiring ratios from the official Qiwa labor portal.

Saudi citizens are not required to have any work permits or visas to launch businesses or work throughout the nation. Under national Saudization laws, you must employ a minimum degree of Saudi workers to remain operational and provide working permits to foreign workers.

Key rules after you secured your visa

Here are the minimum rules you need to respect each Year in order to maintain your investor visa saudi arabia:

  • Annual Audited Balance Sheet Upload: Enter Your Annual Audited Balance Sheets to MISA Portal Every Year
  • Maintain High Blue or Platinum status on Qiwa Hiring Ratios: Maintain your company admission status as high green that is the portal-based Jawja system.
  • Farm Tax Returns: Register with ZATCA 60 days following the receipt of your commercial license and submit VAT tax returns on time, using digital e-invoicing software.
  • Pay Salaries Via Local Banks: Officially through a Saudi bank via the Wage Protection System (WPS).

In this way, your business continues to grow legally and in a controlled manner in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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