Muqeem Portal Explained for Expats & Employers

If you're an expat living in Saudi Arabia or an employer sponsoring foreign workers, the Muqeem portal is one of the tools you'll rely on most. Run by the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat), Muqeem is the online gateway that lets Saudi employers and sponsors manage residency (iqama) and visa services for their expat staff. While individuals usually handle personal transactions through Absher, employers turn to Muqeem for sponsor-side and bulk processing. This guide from سعودي ليفنج breaks down what Muqeem does, the services it offers, and the fees you should expect.

What Muqeem Is and Who Uses It

Muqeem is an employer- and sponsor-facing platform. It centralizes the residency and visa functions that companies need to process on behalf of their expat employees. Think of the division this way:

• Absher — where individual expats access personal services tied to their own iqama.
• Muqeem — where the employer or sponsor manages transactions for staff, often in bulk.

This split means an employee may see a service reflected in their Absher account after the employer completes the underlying transaction through Muqeem.

Core Muqeem Services for Employers

In 2026, Muqeem covers a wide range of residency and visa functions. The most commonly used services include:

• Issuing and renewing iqama
• Issuing single and multiple exit/re-entry visas, and cancelling them
• Issuing and cancelling final exit visas
• Extending exit/re-entry visas
• Transferring resident service between establishments
• Modifying profession
• Updating passport and personal information
• Resident queries and Muqeem reports
• Issuing resident entry permits to Mecca
• Iqama printing and postal package requests
• Visit visa extensions

Together these tools let an employer manage the full lifecycle of an expat employee's stay — from arrival and iqama issuance to final departure.

Typical Muqeem Transaction Fees

Each Muqeem service carries a portal-side fee, which is separate from the statutory government fees collected by the relevant ministry. Below are typical headline components (in ريال سعودي), noting that many are subject to 15% VAT under current commercial service descriptions:

• Issue iqama: 250 + 50
• Renew iqama: 375 + 75
• Single exit/re-entry visa: 250 + 50
• Multiple exit/re-entry visa: 375 + 75
• Cancel exit/re-entry visa: 175 + 35
• Issue final exit visa: 250 + 50
• Cancel final exit visa: 175 + 35
• Transfer resident service: 250 + 50
• Modify profession: 225 + 45
• Resident query: 50 + 10
• Information update: 300 + 60
• Entry permit to Mecca: 250 + 50
• Iqama printing: 75 + 15
• Postal packages: 150 + 30
• Extend visit visa: 250 + 50
• Muqeem report: 125 + 25
• Extend exit/re-entry visa: 450 + 90
• Final exit during probation: 300 + 60

Always confirm the current amounts and VAT treatment directly on the official Muqeem portal before completing a transaction, as fee schedules can change.

Statutory Fees vs. Portal Fees

It's important to separate two cost layers. The portal-side fees above are the service component charged for using Muqeem. On top of these, employers usually bear statutory government fees for iqama issuance and renewal — including the residence/work permit component that most expat workers require. Because these statutory amounts are set by the relevant government authority and can be adjusted, we recommend verifying the exact totals on the official Saudi government portals before budgeting.

Practical Tips for a Smooth Experience

• Keep passport and personal data updated in Muqeem to avoid rejected transactions.
• Process iqama renewals well before expiry to prevent penalties and travel disruptions.
• Match the exit/re-entry visa type (single vs. multiple) to the employee's travel needs to avoid extra costs.
• Retain Muqeem reports as proof of an employee's residency status when needed.
• Cross-check any transaction with the employee's Absher account to confirm it reflects correctly.

Used correctly, Muqeem makes managing residency and visa affairs far more efficient. When in doubt about a specific fee, deadline, or requirement, always confirm on the official portal before you proceed.

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