How to Add a Dependent to Your Iqama in Saudi Arabia

If your spouse or children are moving to Saudi Arabia to live with you, you need to add them as dependents under your Iqama. This gives them legal residency status and their own Iqama cards. The process involves applying for a family residence visa through Absher, your family travelling to Saudi Arabia, and then registering their Iqama at a Jawazat service centre. Your employer's involvement is required at the start.

Highlights

★Your employer must approve dependent sponsorship before you can apply — not all contracts include this right, especially in the first year.
★The process starts online through Absher (absher.sa) — you apply for a family residence entry visa before your family travels.
★After your family arrives in Saudi Arabia, you must visit Jawazat within 90 days to issue their Iqama cards.
★The dependent levy (expat levy) is SAR 400 per dependent per month — paid annually through Absher on top of Iqama fees.
★Marriage and birth certificates must be officially attested — originals alone are not accepted by Jawazat.
★Daughters can remain as dependents regardless of age as long as they are unmarried and residing in Saudi Arabia.

Am I Ready to Start?

Has your employer confirmed dependent sponsorship is allowed?You must get this in writing first — many contracts exclude it in the first 12 months or below a salary threshold. Without employer approval, you cannot proceed.

Are your marriage/birth certificates fully attested?Attestation (home country MFA → Saudi Embassy → Saudi MFA) takes 2–6 weeks. Start this immediately — your family cannot travel without it.

Can you cover the first-year cost?Budget SAR 5,500–6,000 per dependent: SAR 650 Iqama fee + SAR 4,800 dependent levy + entry visa fee. This is annual, not one-time.

Is your own Iqama valid for at least 3 more months?Yes — renew your Iqama first if it is near expiry. You cannot sponsor dependents on an expiring Iqama.

Your family is already in Saudi Arabia on a visit visaAsk your employer's PRO about converting the visit visa to a dependent Iqama without exit — possible in some cases but not guaranteed.

Who Is This For?

Expatriate residents in Saudi Arabia who want to bring their spouse or children to live with them on a dependent Iqama.

What You Need Before Starting

✓A valid Iqama with at least 3 months remaining validity
✓An active Absher account
✓Your employer's written approval for dependent sponsorship
✓Valid passports for all dependents (minimum 6 months validity)
✓Attested marriage certificate for spouse
✓Attested birth certificates for children
✓Medical insurance policy that covers dependents

Step-by-Step Process

1Confirm with your employer's HR or PRO that your contract allows dependent sponsorship. Ask for written confirmation — some contracts exclude it for the first 12 months or require a minimum salary threshold (typically SAR 3,000–4,000/month).
2Get your documents attested: marriage certificate and birth certificates must be attested by your home country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then by the Saudi Embassy in your country. See the attestation guide for the full process.
3Log in to Absher (absher.sa) → click 'Services' → 'My Family's Services' → 'Dependent Services' → 'Issue Entry Visa for Dependent'.
4Fill in your dependent's details: passport number, full name, date of birth, relationship. Upload the attested marriage or birth certificate as required.
5Pay the family residence entry visa fee through Absher (approximately SAR 200–500 per dependent). The visa is issued digitally and linked to the passport number.
6Your dependent travels to Saudi Arabia using the issued entry visa. They must travel before the visa expiry date — typically 90 days from the issue date.
7Within 90 days of arrival, visit a Jawazat (Passport Department) service centre with your dependent and all original documents: your Iqama, their passport, attested certificates, and insurance documents.
8Pay the Iqama issuance fee (SAR 650/year per dependent) and the dependent levy (SAR 4,800/year per dependent, covering the SAR 400/month charge). Both are paid at Jawazat or through Absher.
9Your dependent's Iqama card is issued — usually printed on the same visit or within a few working days. They are now legally resident in Saudi Arabia under your sponsorship.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗Not confirming employer approval first — attempting to apply on Absher without employer clearance will result in rejection.
✗Sending family to travel before the entry visa is formally visible in Absher — always confirm the visa status shows 'Issued' before booking flights.
✗Letting the entry visa expire before travel — if your family cannot travel within the 90-day window, you must reapply for a new entry visa.
✗Not getting Iqamas within 90 days of arrival — overstaying without a valid Iqama results in daily fines (SAR 100–200/day per person).
✗Bringing unattested documents — Jawazat will not accept marriage or birth certificates without the full attestation chain.
✗Forgetting the dependent levy — it is a significant ongoing cost (SAR 400/month per dependent) and must be paid annually to keep the Iqama active.

Timing & Fees

Attestation (done in home country before travel): 2–6 weeks depending on country. Entry visa processing on Absher: 1–5 working days. Iqama issuance at Jawazat: same day or up to 5 working days. Entry visa fee: SAR 200–500 per dependent. Iqama issuance fee: SAR 650/year per dependent. Dependent levy: SAR 4,800/year per dependent (SAR 400/month). Total first-year cost per dependent: approximately SAR 5,500–6,000 including all fees.

Practical Tips

💡Start the attestation process in your home country as early as possible — it can take 4–8 weeks depending on your country, and your family cannot travel without the attested documents.
💡Book a Jawazat appointment through Absher in advance — walk-in queues can be very long, especially in Riyadh and Jeddah.
💡If your family is already in Saudi Arabia on a visit visa, ask your employer's PRO about converting the visit visa to a dependent Iqama without exiting — this is possible in some cases but not guaranteed.
💡Children born in Saudi Arabia to expat parents must be registered at the hospital and added as dependents through Absher within 90 days of birth. Your employer's PRO will guide you.
💡The dependent levy is collected annually through Absher. Set a reminder before the renewal date — unpaid levies can block Iqama renewal.
💡Keep all dependent Iqamas and passports valid at all times — expired dependent documents attract the same fines as an expired main Iqama.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the dependent levy and how much is it?

The dependent levy (also called the expat levy) is a monthly fee of SAR 400 per dependent charged to the Iqama holder. It is collected annually through Absher — SAR 4,800 per dependent per year. It applies to all expatriate dependents including spouse and children. It is separate from the Iqama issuance fee of SAR 650/year.

Can I sponsor my parents as dependents?

Parents are not covered under the standard dependent sponsorship system for most nationalities. You can invite them on a family visit visa (up to 90 days, renewable). Some nationalities have bilateral agreements that may allow parent sponsorship — check with Jawazat or your employer's PRO for the rules specific to your passport.

What documents need to be attested and how?

Marriage certificates (for spouse) and birth certificates (for children) must be attested in this order: (1) your home country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (2) the Saudi Embassy in your home country, then (3) the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs after you arrive. See the attestation guide for step-by-step instructions.

What happens to my dependents if I change jobs?

Your dependents' Iqamas remain valid when you transfer your work permit to a new employer. The sponsorship updates automatically when your Qiwa work permit transfer completes. You do not need to reapply for dependent Iqamas when changing employers.

Can my spouse work in Saudi Arabia on a dependent Iqama?

A dependent Iqama does not include work rights. For your spouse to work, they need a separate work permit transferred to a Saudi employer. Since the 2021 Kafala reforms, this is possible — the new employer initiates the transfer on Qiwa and your spouse's residency moves from dependent to work-sponsored.

What is the minimum salary required to sponsor dependents?

Saudi law does not set a universal threshold. In practice, many employers require a minimum monthly salary of SAR 3,000–5,000 and will only approve dependent sponsorship above that level. Check your employment contract or ask your HR department directly.

What happens if I don't renew the dependent levy on time?

Unpaid dependent levies block your ability to renew the dependent's Iqama. Accumulated unpaid levies must be settled in full before renewal is processed. Avoid letting payments lapse — the system tracks from the date of the last payment.