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Nabz1236
Joined: 04 Mar 2014 Posts: 54
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:01 am Post subject: New Saudi 5 Year Resident Identity Card |
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Hi all,
As of the 15th October 2015 the Ministry has been issuing the new 5 year Resident Identity card instead of the old style Iqama.
I'm a UK expat working in Saudi. Whenever I would travel to the UAE i would obtain either a single entry/exit visa or multiple entry/exit which lasts 6 months.
I've been told now there is no need for this and with the new 5 year Saudi Resident Identity Card you are able to travel to the UAE without an exit/entry visa as long as you have the new Residence ID Card.
I can't sem to find any information online about this. When you book a ticket from Saudi to the UAE on the Saudi Airlines website it now gives you an option for Iqama as the ID document rather than passport.
Could anyone share any further information about this?
Thanks.
Nabeel. |
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currentaffairs
Joined: 22 Aug 2012 Posts: 828
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 10:59 am Post subject: |
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I just returned to KSA five weeks ago. I got my new iqama and the five-year residency card. I still have to apply for the re-entry permit as before and it has six months' validity with the choice of 200 riyals for single entry or 500 riyals for multiple entry. |
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Paul in Saudi

Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar
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Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:17 am Post subject: |
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Yep, mine is good for five years. How depressing. |
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desert_traveller
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 335
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 12:19 pm Post subject: |
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okay, guys, got me muqeem card just now, next question is, since it DOES NOT SHOW THE EXPIRY DATE OF YOUR RESIDENCY, how am I supposed to go to my bank and update my details there? they are already bombarding me with texts requesting an update and threatening to freeze my account. it used to be easy: take iqama to bank, copy taken, done. but now? how did you guys do this? |
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In the heat of the moment

Joined: 22 May 2015 Posts: 393 Location: Italy
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 5:40 am Post subject: |
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I'm sure* the banks will have a procedure for this, your residency card now won't have a date of expiry as residency will be renewed every year (unlike the card, unless I'm mistaken).
*Yes, yes, this is Saudi..
As an aside, rather than making approx. 11 million new expat cards every year, the authorities will only have to make a few hundred thousand for the next five years. It seems like a good decision on the face of it.. |
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nomad soul

Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 7:26 am Post subject: |
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desert_traveller wrote: |
Got me muqeem card just now, next question is, since it DOES NOT SHOW THE EXPIRY DATE OF YOUR RESIDENCY, how am I supposed to go to my bank and update my details there? they are already bombarding me with texts requesting an update and threatening to freeze my account. it used to be easy: take iqama to bank, copy taken, done. but now? how did you guys do this? |
We have no issues with Muqeem cards, says bank association
Arab News | 23 November 2015
Source: http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/839676
JEDDAH: Banks have denied they are encountering problems in updating the accounts of new Muqeem card holders, but acknowledged the absence of coordination mechanisms with the Ministry of Interior concerning the identity documents. Customers had alleged that some banks were refusing to accept the new Muqeem card and unfreeze their accounts until they produced an online copy of their renewed iqama.
“Personally, I don’t agree with the argument that clients are facing problems with banks because of the new residency identity, particularly with regard to the freezing and removing the accounts after the expiry date of the residency card,” Talat Hafiz, secretary-general of Media & Banking Awareness Committee of Saudi Banks, was quoted as saying by local media. "Banks, in general, follow the stipulated articles and paragraphs issued by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) in opening and operating bank accounts," he said.
Hafiz said that the bank accounts must be updated at least once in five year, regardless of the date of expiry of official and legal documents used for opening the account. On the importance of direct linkage between Saudi banks and the Ministry of Interior concerning the validity date of the personal identity card for citizens and residents, he said: “Up to this moment, this linkage between banks and the ministry has not been implemented, either for the Saudi national identity or the residency card for expatriates.” He stressed that the client should come in person to the bank to update his personal and bank account data periodically, and not on a daily basis. “The client should come in person to the bank in two situations — when the validity of the official documents used to open the account has expired or that five years have passed since opening the account,” he said.
SAMA has recently set out the regulations, rules and standards to control the operations of every commercial bank in the Kingdom. It has stipulated that opening of bank accounts of all types must be accompanied by agreements clarifying the obligations and rights of both the bank and the client. Besides, it is required to provide a valid and official identity card by the client such as the national identity card issued by the civil status department for Saudis and the residency book for foreigners legally residing in the Kingdom.
The regulations require updating the data of clients such as his or her postal address, signature form and main and additional sources of income. Banks must, according to the regulations, notify the clients a month before freezing their accounts, and put in place the programs, procedures and means that should realize these procedures for every client or his or her mandate individually, and to document these policies and the applicable operations.
(End of article) |
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