Saudi Arabia Premium Residency and Business Licensing in 2026

Saudi Arabia is executing the most ambitious economic transformation on the planet. NEOM, The Line, Qiddiya, the Red Sea Project, AlUla — over USD 1.25 trillion of committed giga-project spend through 2030. In 2026 the Kingdom is actively recruiting foreign capital, talent and companies. Premium Residency (Saudi Green Card) Two new categories launched in 2024 and now widely used in 2026: - Special Talent Residency — for healthcare, science and research professionals. Annual fee, sponsor-free. - Investor Residency — for those investing SAR 7M+ in qualifying assets. - Real-Estate Owner Residency — own property worth SAR 4M+ in approved areas. - Entrepreneur Residency — for founders backed by a licensed Saudi incubator. - Unlimited Permanent Residency — one-time fee of SAR 800,000. Benefits include living and working without a Saudi sponsor (kafala-free), owning property, sponsoring family, exiting and re-entering freely, and accessing the same commercial rights as Saudi nationals in most sectors. MISA Foreign Investment Licence The Ministry of Investment (MISA) issues licences for 100% foreign-owned entities across services, manufacturing, trading, consulting, tech, real estate and more. Timeline: 2–4 weeks once documents are attested. Regional Headquarters (RHQ) Programme Since January 2024, foreign companies must establish a regional HQ in Saudi Arabia to bid on Saudi government contracts above SAR 1M. The RHQ licence comes with a 30-year corporate tax and withholding tax exemption, Saudisation exemptions and expedited visa processing. Tax 0% personal income tax for foreigners. 20% corporate tax for foreign-owned entities (0% on RHQ-eligible activities). 15% VAT. Zakat (2.5%) for GCC-owned entities. Where to live and invest Riyadh — finance, government, RHQs. Jeddah — trade, tourism, Red Sea gateway. AlUla — luxury hospitality. NEOM and the Red Sea — early-mover real estate and tourism plays. What we do West Gulf Agency works with licensed Saudi partners to deliver MISA licensing, Commercial Registration, Chamber registration, GOSI and Qiwa onboarding, Iqama and family visas, bank account opening (SNB, Al Rajhi, Riyad Bank), Premium Residency applications and ongoing Saudisation compliance. Begin your Saudi setup: /business-setup Apply for Premium Residency: /visas Vision 2030 is being built now. Be inside it.