How Iqama renewal works in Saudi Arabia

In brief: An employee does not normally renew their own Iqama. The employer manages the work permit and residence renewal and, under Article 40 of the Saudi Labour Law, bears the employee’s renewal fees and delay penalties. An individual sponsor can use Absher for an eligible family member or registered domestic worker. Check the live official service before paying or submitting anything.

Last checked: 6 September 2026.

Start with the correct renewal route

“Iqama renewal” covers different situations. The route depends on who sponsors the resident:

Private-sector employee: the employer or its authorised representative handles the work-permit and residence processes through the relevant business services. HRSD describes the work permit as a condition for issuing or renewing regular residence.
Dependant: the family sponsor may be able to renew the dependant’s resident identity through Absher Individuals.
Domestic worker: the individual employer may be able to renew a registered worker’s residence through Absher Individuals.

Do not use a colleague’s menu path as proof that you can complete the same transaction. Eligibility, sponsor type and the services available to the account determine what can be done.

What an employed resident should do

Ask HR or the employer’s authorised government-relations contact to confirm the Iqama expiry date and whether the work-permit renewal has started. Article 40 says the employer bears the costs of recruiting a non-Saudi worker, issuing and renewing the residence and work permits, and penalties caused by late renewal. A request that you personally fund those employee costs should be queried in writing.

Check that your passport and personal details are current. The official expatriate-services guide lists passport validity, payment of applicable amounts, required fingerprints and photograph, absence of an “absent from work” record, and other system checks among the conditions for the Absher renewal service. Requirements can differ by case, so use the current service screen rather than treating this list as exhaustive.

Keep copies of your contract, passport, current Iqama and messages with the employer. After renewal, verify the new expiry information in an official government channel rather than relying only on a screenshot sent by another person.

Renewing for a dependant or domestic worker

The HRSD expatriate-services guide identifies an Absher service for an individual to renew the resident identity of a family member or registered domestic worker. Sign in only through the official Absher website or app, locate the residence-renewal service available to your account, read the live conditions, select the correct person and review all details before confirmation.

Check the person’s passport and resident record.
Resolve any conditions shown by the official service, such as required identity biometrics or outstanding traffic matters.
Confirm health-insurance requirements through the official channels relevant to that person.
Pay only through the payment route presented by the government service or your bank.
Save the transaction reference and verify the renewed record afterwards.

Dependant-related costs are separate from the employer’s Article 40 duty towards its own worker. Do not assume an employer must pay every amount connected with the worker’s family.

Avoid common renewal mistakes

Do not wait for an unofficial reminder; monitor the recorded expiry date.
Do not send Absher credentials or one-time codes to an agent, colleague or sponsor.
Do not assume that being outside Saudi Arabia, a particular age or a particular profession always produces the same result. Ask the responsible authority about your exact record.
For regulated professions, separately check whether a current professional registration is required.

When to get help

Contact the employer first if an employee renewal is delayed. For a work-permit issue, use Qiwa or HRSD support; for a residence-record or Absher problem, use Absher or Jawazat support shown in the official channel. Seek qualified Saudi legal advice if an employer asks you to bear costs that Article 40 allocates to it, or if an expired record is affecting work, travel or access to services.