This law is called the Residency Law.

The entry of a foreigner into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or their exit from it shall not be considered lawful unless they carry a legal passport issued by the government of their country or a document recognized by the Government of His Majesty the King as equivalent to a passport. A foreigner shall not be permitted to enter the country, disembark on its territory, or transit through it unless they carry their legal passport or document with an entry visa granted by the consular or diplomatic authorities of His Majesty the King's government abroad, or a permit of arrival issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the case of a foreigner coming from a country where there is no representative of His Majesty the King's government. Pilgrims coming from places where there are no embassies, legations, or consulates of His Majesty's government, or their equivalents, are exempted from the visa requirement.

The entry of a foreigner into the territory of the Kingdom or their exit from it shall not be considered lawful except if
A- By sea – from the designated ports for that purpose.
B- By land – from the designated border centers for that purpose.
C- By air – from the civil airports authorized for landing.
In the case of entry into the territory of the Kingdom by means other than those mentioned due to compelling circumstances such as emergency aircraft landing or political asylum, the foreigner must immediately present themselves to the nearest police station, a border center, or any governing authority of the government in the country, where the competent authorities shall be notified of their identity and personal details to take the necessary measures to treat them in accordance with the law. In all cases, a foreigner may not enter or exit except with permission from the competent authority responsible for monitoring foreigners, which shall be indicated by a notation on the passport or document or by an official written permit.

All ship captains, whether sailing or otherwise, all aircraft captains, as well as all drivers of cars and means of transport, are obligated not to disembark passengers except at the ports, airports, or border points specified in Article Three. They are also obligated, upon arrival at any of the border points specified in Article Three, or at any port of the Kingdom's air or sea ports, to provide the competent authority, if requested, with comprehensive data on the names of the ship, aircraft, or transport personnel, as well as other data on the names of the passengers they are transporting. They are further obligated, when requested, to provide all information asked about the identities and personal details of themselves, their personnel, or the passengers they are transporting. Additionally, they are required to provide this authority or any government authority with a statement of the names of passengers who do not carry passports or equivalent documents, or whose passports or documents are suspected to be invalid, and they must prevent such passengers from disembarking onto land or boarding the ship or means of transport.

Every foreigner authorized to enter the Kingdom through the legitimate means stipulated in Articles Two and Three must provide the government representations abroad before travel and the competent authority for monitoring foreigners upon arrival in the country, in addition to the data shown in his passport, the following clarifications:
A- The purpose of entry.
B- The money he carries at the time of entry in cash or checks.
C- The entity that will provide him with money in case he is unable to support himself in the Kingdom.
D- His guarantor for his undertakings and obligations and the guarantee of his deportation if travel is necessary, or the contracting party from the business owners or companies; (and in case of lack of a guarantor) he is required to pay a balance of money equivalent to the costs of returning him to the entity that last stamped his passport, with a commitment taken from him to appear at the Foreigners Monitoring Office at least once a week.
E- His address at the port or country of arrival.
F- The entity to which he will continue his travel and his address there, and he must also provide within a maximum period of three days:
1) Three photographs or his thumbprint on the special forms, and the thumbprint alone is sufficient at border points or entry points where photographers are not available (veiled women are exempted from the requirement of photographs).
2) A written undertaking to notify the competent authority for monitoring foreigners personally of the entity to which he will move within the Kingdom, his address there, and the means of transportation, at least forty-eight hours before travel.

In case of sudden travel due to a compelling circumstance and outside official working hours, it is permissible to telegraph the competent authority of his travel and his address at the destination entity, and in all cases, he must present himself to the competent authority in the country to which he moves with his passport and official documents proving his identity within no more than forty-eight hours from the time of arrival.

3) A strong guarantor who guarantees his fulfillment of all that he has undertaken and committed to during his stay.

The foreign visitor who does not wish to reside permanently is not required to register within three days and is granted an exit visa from the airport, port, or center through which they intend to depart without being required to have a sponsor.

All the information stipulated in the previous article shall be recorded in a special form numbered in four copies. The receiving office shall keep one copy along with the photograph and fingerprints, and send two copies with the photographs and fingerprints to the reference authority within no more than forty-eight hours from the time of recording. In the event the form holder travels, the receiving office must telegraph the reference authority and the entity to which the foreigner will travel on the same day it receives the notice, mentioning the form number and the traveler's address there.

The foreigner shall be given a copy of these forms in exchange for one riyal, stating that the holder is not exempt from the residency conditions and restrictions and must leave the country after the expiration of the visa period granted by the consular or diplomatic authority in the foreign country from which he came, unless this period is renewed.

• The transit passerby (via transit route) is exempted if he holds a visa from the consular or diplomatic authority of His Majesty the King's government abroad or a permit from the Ministry of Interior from the procedures stipulated in Articles (5 and 6), provided that a special card is issued if his stay in the country does not exceed ten days and is not less than twenty-four hours, containing the following information:

  • - Name and father's name

  • - Nationality

  • - Male or female

  • - Passport number

  • - Coming from

  • - Heading to (abroad)

  • - Heading to (within the Kingdom)

  • - Acquaintances or sponsor

• It is stated on this card that:
  The holder is passing through ((via transit route)) and has no right to reside or stay in the country for more than ten days from its date except with a special permit from the Minister of Interior and his signature on this card, with the commitment not to move within the Kingdom except to the designated place. If he violates his commitment without permission, he shall be detained wherever he is until he is deported under guard by the competent authorities in the country where he is apprehended. However, if his stay is less than twenty-four hours, no card is issued and no special procedures are required except those stipulated in Articles Two and Three of this Law, provided that he is not allowed to move within the port or town he arrives at except under the responsibility of the ship's captain or the company through which he arrived by transportation.

The Foreigners Control Office or its equivalent from the Public Security authorities may, when necessary, detain the travel of the foreigner, provided that the matter is reported to its superior.