Bringing your family to Saudi Arabia in 2026 runs on two separate tracks: a short-term family visit visa, or a long-term dependent iqama that lets them live with you. This guide breaks down the salary rules, the monthly dependent levy, the application steps and the total costs so you can plan which route fits your situation.
Visit visa or dependent iqama?
A family visit visa suits stays of weeks to a few months, for example a parent visiting for the summer. If your family will live in the Kingdom for most of the year, a dependent iqama through Absher Business is the correct path, giving your spouse and children legal residence tied to your sponsorship. The two are processed differently, carry very different costs, and are not interchangeable, so decide early which one matches your plans.
Who can sponsor: the profession gate
Eligibility is decided first by your job title under the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations. Iqamas classified as “Labour” or “Worker” cannot sponsor dependants in 2026, and Absher blocks the request at the eligibility check. Professional or skilled titles such as Engineer, Manager, Consultant, Physician, Teacher or Accountant proceed to the salary stage.
The salary rules
The base threshold sits around SAR 3,500 to 4,000, with most consulates working to the SAR 4,000 floor for new applications. Larger families lift the bar: roughly SAR 5,000 to 6,000 for three dependants and SAR 7,000 or more for four or more. In practice, SAR 5,000 or above with clear accommodation documents is a safe range. For a family visit visa to sponsor parents, a valid professional-category iqama with at least 90 days remaining and a documented salary of around SAR 5,000 is typically expected.
The dependent levy (the big recurring cost)
The dependent levy, often called the maqeem or muqeem fee, is the largest ongoing cost of keeping family on a dependent iqama. It is paid by the expatriate sponsor, not the employer, and cannot be deducted from salary.
| Period | Fee per dependent |
|---|---|
| 1 month | SAR 400 |
| 3 months (minimum block) | SAR 1,200 |
| 6 months | SAR 2,400 |
| 12 months | SAR 4,800 |
The fee is paid for a minimum of three consecutive months at a time. Newly arrived dependents are exempt for their first 90 days in the Kingdom. “Dependents” covers a wife and male children under 18; older sons, additional wives and parents fall under the “companion” category at the same rate.
Family visit visa fees
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs charges roughly SAR 300 for a single-entry family visit visa and SAR 500 for multiple entry. Medical insurance covering the visitor is mandatory and must be arranged before travel. Note that visit-visa fees are generally non-refundable if cancelled.
How to apply, step by step
- Check eligibility: confirm your SSCO job title is professional or skilled, and that your iqama has at least 90 days remaining.
- Log in to Absher: use your Nafath-verified account and open the family services or Absher Business section.
- Submit dependant details: enter each family member’s passport and relationship data and upload the required documents.
- Buy insurance and pay: arrange medical cover and settle the government fee or levy through SADAD.
- Collect the visa or issue the iqama: for a visit visa the e-visa is issued for printing; for a dependent iqama the residence permit is issued after arrival and medical steps.
Keep certified copies of your marriage and birth certificates ready, as attested proof of relationship is commonly required.
Total cost picture
- Dependent iqama: issuance and renewal government fees, plus SAR 4,800 per dependent per year in levy, plus mandatory medical insurance from day one.
- Family visit visa: SAR 300 to 500 per visa plus visitor medical insurance, with no annual levy.
Budget the levy and insurance from the very first month, as both start immediately once the iqama is issued. For a family of three on dependent iqamas, the levy alone reaches SAR 14,400 a year, which is why many mid-income expats keep parents on visit visas and only place a spouse and young children on dependent iqamas.
Renewing a dependent iqama
Dependent iqamas are renewed alongside your own, typically annually, through Absher. Renewal requires the dependent levy to be paid up for the coming period, valid medical insurance, and your own iqama in good standing. Missing the renewal date triggers fines, so set a reminder well ahead. If a dependant leaves the Kingdom for good, process a final exit for them to stop the levy clock.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming a labour-category iqama can sponsor family; the system blocks it at the eligibility check.
- Forgetting the 90-day new-arrival exemption ends and the SAR 400 monthly levy then begins.
- Letting medical insurance lapse, which stalls the next renewal.
Bottom line
Check your SSCO job title first, then your salary against the dependent count. For long stays, the dependent iqama is unavoidable but costs SAR 4,800 a year per person in levy; for short trips, the visit visa is far cheaper. Read alongside our Saudi expat guide, the Absher and Muqeem walkthrough, and the Saudi labour law guide for the wider residency picture.
Primary source: the Saudi visa platform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
