Dependent Iqama Guide: Sponsoring Family in Saudi Arabia

Bringing your spouse and children to live with you in Saudi Arabia means taking on the role of their sponsor, and that comes with a clear set of government costs and online steps. This guide from سعودي ليفنج breaks down the dependent iqama fee, the monthly dependent levy, the renewal options available in 2026, and exactly which official platforms you use to pay and stay compliant.

The two main costs you pay as a family sponsor

When you sponsor family members, there are two separate government charges to keep track of. Understanding the difference avoids surprises at renewal time:

• Dependent iqama (residency) fee: SAR 500 This is the standard residence permit cost.
• Dependent levy (family sponsor fee): SAR 400 per month for each dependent — spouse, child, or other dependent — which adds up to SAR 4,800 Importantly, this levy is paid by you, the expatriate sponsor, not by your employer.

The levy applies at the same rate for all ages. There are no age-based exemptions, and no change to the rate has been announced through 2026.

What one dependent actually costs per year

For planning your budget on the government side (before adding health insurance, schooling, or other private costs), a single dependent typically works out to:

• SAR 500 dependent iqama fee
• SAR 4,800 dependent levy (SAR 400 × 12 months)
• Total: SAR 5,300 per year

On top of this, an Absher processing/service fee of SAR 75 is added once Multiply the totals by the number of family members you sponsor to estimate your yearly outlay.

Renewal flexibility in 2026: 3, 6, 9 or 12 months

You no longer have to renew for a full year at once. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development confirmed in mid-2026 that quarterly iqama renewal is available. The fee rates themselves haven't changed — only the payment flexibility. For the worker iqama fee, the periods look like this:

• 3 months: SAR 163
• 6 months: SAR 325
• 9 months: SAR 488
• 12 months: SAR 650

The dependent levy scales to the period you choose:

• 3 months: SAR 1,200
• 6 months: SAR 2,400
• 12 months: SAR 4,800

Shorter periods are useful for managing cash flow, though the annual total remains the same whichever way you split it.

Where you do the paperwork: Absher and Muqeem

Two official platforms handle most family sponsorship tasks:

• أبشر (Absher Individuals): Used to pay the dependent levy and to handle several dependent iqama services. The common menu path is My Services → Passports → Renew Residency (Iqama) for your dependents, where you select the duration (3, 6, or 12 months) and pay via SADAD. Absher also displays each family member's registered iqama details and fee status.
• مقيم (Muqeem): This is the back-office system that sponsors and companies use for iqama issuance and renewal transactions. Iqama renewal is filed through مقيم rather than being fully self-service for dependents. When paying, the dependent levy shows up in bank apps under "Muqeem dependent fee."

How to pay through SADAD

All the core payments — dependent iqama fee, dependent levy, worker iqama fee, and some service charges — are processed through SADAD from a Saudi bank account. Inside your bank's app:

• Look for the "dependent iqama" bill description for the residency fee.
• The levy usually appears under bill code 077 or as "Muqeem dependent fee."
• You can also pay the levy directly through أبشر Individuals.

Note that family sponsorship steps are not handled through قوى, ناجز, نفاذ, or توكلنا — those platforms serve other purposes.

Practical tips to stay compliant

• Pay the levy before it accumulates — falling behind can block iqama renewal and other services.
• Check fee status in أبشر for each dependent so nothing is missed.
• Keep SADAD payment receipts until you confirm the transaction reflects in your account.
• Because exact fees and rules can be updated, always confirm the current figures and steps on the official Absher and Muqeem portals before you pay.

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