Dependent fee in Saudi Arabia: SAR 400 a month per person

Expatriates who live in Saudi Arabia with their family pay a dependent fee for each dependent or companion registered under them. The fee is collected by the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) of the Ministry of Interior and is a major part of the cost of bringing a family to the Kingdom. This guide gives the amount, a budget table, how and when it is paid, the other procedures for your family’s Iqamas, and the related costs (visits, travel, final exit).

In short: the fee is SAR 400 a month for each dependent or companion, so SAR 4,800 a year per person. It is paid annually in advance through SADAD.

How much?

The fee was introduced in July 2017 and increased each year until 2020:

The current rate is SAR 400 per month.

What it costs per year

Example. An employee lives in Riyadh with a spouse and two children. Three dependents × SAR 4,800 = SAR 14,400 a year, paid in advance, on top of the Iqama fees for each family member.

Calculate the total for your family with our dependent fee calculator. Budget for it before bringing your family: it comes on top of the Iqama fees and, for travel, the visa fees.

When and how to pay

• The fee is levied annually in advance, so a full year is usually due when the dependents’ Iqamas are renewed.
• It is paid through SADAD, the government payment system, from any bank channel: your bank’s app, website or ATM.
• The amount due for your dependents appears on Absher when you go through the family services.

When you issue an exit re-entry visa for a dependent, the dependent fees must also be paid, in addition to the visa fee.

Tip: check on Absher, a few weeks before the Iqama renewal date, the total due for your family. Paying everything in one go avoids an expired Iqama for one family member.

Who is a dependent or companion?

• Dependents are family members registered on the expatriate’s file, such as a spouse and children.
• Companions are other people registered with the expatriate, such as relatives they sponsor.

The fee applies per person. If you are unsure who is registered on your file, check the family members list on Absher.

Your family’s Iqamas on Absher

The head of family manages the dependents’ residence permits through Absher Individuals (Family Members services). The Absher user guide sets these conditions:

Issuing a first Iqama for a family member

• payment of the issuance fee, plus any late penalty;
• payment of any traffic violations of the family member;
• an entry (border) number from the family member’s arrival;
• a medical check passed at an approved medical centre;
• the family member is inside Saudi Arabia and has a valid passport;
• fingerprints and photo registered.

The 2022 guide lists a fee of SAR 500 for a resident family member aged 18 or over (SAR 600 for domestic workers such as farmers and herdsmen). Check the current amount on Absher before paying.

Renewing a family member’s Iqama

• payment for the renewal period you choose;
• no unpaid traffic violations;
• a valid passport;
• fingerprints and photo registered for family members over 6;
• each family member has their own passport (no one added to another person’s passport).

Watch out: an expired Iqama leads to late penalties and blocks travel services. Renew before the expiry date, and keep your family members’ passports valid.

Useful Absher services for families

Tip: use Display Sponsorees once a year to check the list of people registered under you. Every person on it counts for the dependent fee.

Your own Iqama and work permit

The dependent fee concerns your family. Your own residence depends on your work permit, which your employer issues or renews on Qiwa:

• the work permit is required to issue or renew a regular Iqama;
• its service fee is SAR 100, paid through SADAD;
• it can be renewed when 180 days or fewer remain before it expires;
• for a new arrival, it must be issued within 90 days of entry.

Under Article 40 of the Labor Law, the employer bears the residence and work permit fees of the worker, and any penalties for late renewal.

Paying for your family: who bears the cost?

Under Article 40 of the Labor Law, the employer bears the worker’s Iqama and work permit fees, their renewals and any late penalties, exit and re-entry fees and the return ticket. The HRSD list of employer obligations does not include the dependent fee: unless your contract says otherwise, it is paid by the expatriate. Some contracts include a family allowance or cover these fees; check yours.

Other family costs to plan for

Family visits

If relatives come on a family visit visa, the resident who requested the visit can extend it on Absher. According to the Absher guide:

• the total stay with extensions cannot exceed 180 days;
• each extension equals the length of the original visa;
• the extension can be requested from six days before expiry up to three days after;
• the visitor must be inside the Kingdom, with a valid passport and no unpaid traffic violations.

When a dependent leaves for good

If a family member leaves Saudi Arabia permanently, they need a final exit visa. The national platform states that issuing a final exit visa for a dependent is free. Any fees that are already due must still be settled.

Common mistakes

• Budgeting monthly: the fee is collected a year in advance, so plan for the lump sum.
• Forgetting companions: every registered person counts.
• Letting a dependent’s Iqama expire because the fee is unpaid: expired Iqamas lead to penalties and block travel services.
• Adding a child to a parent’s passport: Absher requires a separate passport for each family member.

ℹ️ This information is for guidance only and may change. Always check with the relevant authority or its official website before starting a procedure. Spotted an error? Tell us.