Saudi introduces digital ID, opens property market to foreigners
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Saudi Arabia will allow non-Saudi and non-resident foreigners to purchase property in the Kingdom using a digital identification system. The move follows a Cabinet decision approved last week.
The Cabinet authorised the General Real Estate Authority, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, the National Information Centre and other agencies, to prepare mechanisms for activating the digital ID. This will support the rollout of the Non-Saudi Real Estate Ownership Law.
A governance framework for non-Saudi property ownership and usufruct rights has also been endorsed. The framework was recommended by the Strategic Committee of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs. A specialised committee within the authority’s board will be formed to oversee the sector.
The General Real Estate Authority’s board has been restructured as part of the reforms. Its chief executive will now serve as chairman, alongside members from several ministries and three representatives from the private sector.
The new ownership law was approved in July and will come into effect in January 2026. In August, the authority issued draft executive regulations. These require non-resident foreigners to obtain and activate a digital ID through the Absher platform, open a Saudi bank account and secure a local contact number before acquiring or using property.
The reforms are aimed at making property transactions smoother, strengthening regulatory oversight and attracting more foreign investment into Saudi Arabia’s real estate market.