Your first month is about converting a stamped visa into a functioning Iqama identity — medical, insurance, Iqama, Absher, address, bank — in that order, because each step gates the next.
Overview
The first 30 days in Saudi Arabia are dominated by one administrative fact: your employer has 90 days from your entry to issue your Iqama, and every service you will need — the Absher government portal, a national address, a bank account receiving your Wage Protection System salary, a fingerprint-registered SIM, a driving licence, family sponsorship — keys off that Iqama. A well-run employer completes the chain inside your first three weeks: post-arrival medical and biometrics first, health insurance meeting Council of Health Insurance standards activated, the electronic work permit issued on Qiwa, then the Iqama through Muqeem. Your job is to supply documents fast, chase status weekly, and complete the personal registrations the moment the Iqama lands. Two compliance points matter from day one: you cannot leave the country again without an exit/re-entry visa, and your Iqama (or a copy in early days) should be carriable as ID. Verified against absher.sa, my.gov.sa, qiwa.sa and hrsd.gov.sa as of June 2026.
Week-by-Week Sequence
| Week | Priorities | Where / who |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Entry logged by Jawazat (starts the 90-day Iqama clock); hand passport copies and photos to the employer; post-arrival medical at an approved clinic; employer activates CHI-compliant health insurance; get a temporary SIM | Employer's government-relations officer; approved clinic; licensed telecom outlet |
| Week 2 | Biometrics/fingerprinting at Jawazat if required; employer issues the electronic work permit on Qiwa and lodges the Iqama request via Muqeem; review your Qiwa contract details | Jawazat; Qiwa; Muqeem |
| Week 3 | Iqama issued — immediately register on Absher and verify your details (profession, expiry in Hijri dates); register your national address with Saudi Post (SPL); upgrade to a fingerprint-registered SIM in your own name | absher.sa; SPL registration; telecom operator |
| Week 4 | Open a bank account (Iqama + national address) so Wage Protection System salary payments flow; book the driving-licence process via Absher; start dependants' visa applications; begin professional registration (SCE / SCFHS) if your role requires it | Bank branch; Absher/traffic department; saudieng.sa or Mumaris Plus |
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See Paid Plans →Frequently Asked Questions
What should I chase in my first week if my employer seems slow?
Three things, in order: the post-arrival medical booking, the health-insurance activation, and the Muqeem/Qiwa status of your work permit and Iqama request. The 90-day clock started the moment Jawazat logged your entry, and the medical plus active CHI-compliant insurance are the gating inputs — the Iqama request cannot complete without them. Ask the government-relations officer weekly for your file's status and the expected Iqama date. A compliant employer lands the Iqama within two to four weeks; sustained vagueness past day 30 is a warning sign worth escalating.
Can I open a bank account or get a phone number before my Iqama arrives?
Phone: yes, in a limited way — visitors can obtain SIMs against a passport, and you should, because OTP codes are needed everywhere; re-register a SIM against your Iqama once issued. Bank: realistically no — banks onboard residents against the Iqama and the SPL national address, and salary payments under the Wage Protection System need a Saudi account in your name. Bridge the gap with home-country cards (widely accepted) and cash. The practical sequence is Iqama, then Absher, then national address, then the bank branch the same week.
How do I set up Absher and why does it matter so much?
Absher is the Ministry of Interior's e-services portal and effectively your administrative identity: it is where exit/re-entry visas, criminal record reports, driving-licence bookings, dependants' services and Iqama data live. Register at absher.sa with your Iqama number and a SIM registered in your name (activation may involve verification at a self-service kiosk or through your bank). Do it the day your Iqama issues, check that your profession, passport details and Hijri expiry dates are correct, and treat your Absher credentials with banking-level care — they authorise real government transactions.
When can my family join me, and what can I start during the first 30 days?
Dependants' resident visas require your Iqama to exist first, so the realistic start is weeks 3–4. What you can do earlier: have marriage and birth certificates apostilled (or legalised) and translated before you fly, and gather passport copies and photos. Once the Iqama issues, apply for the family visas, noting each dependant attracts the monthly dependant levy and receives an Iqama under your sponsorship after arrival, medical (where required) and insurance enrolment. School admissions move on their own calendar — contact schools as soon as your posting is confirmed, not after arrival.
Do I need to carry ID, and what are the compliance basics in month one?
Yes — the Iqama card is your primary in-country ID and you should be able to present it (digital versions in Absher/Tawakkalna are widely accepted in practice). Until it issues, carry your passport with the entry stamp. Other basics: never let your SIM registration, insurance or Iqama lapse, because each blocks the others' renewals; do not work for anyone other than your sponsor, which is a serious violation; and do not leave the country without an exit/re-entry visa. Alcohol remains prohibited, and photography of government or military sites is restricted.
My Iqama shows a different expiry than I expected — is that an error?
Probably not: Iqama validity runs on the Hijri (lunar) calendar, roughly 11 days shorter per year than the Gregorian calendar, so a one-year Iqama expires earlier than a Gregorian-year assumption suggests. Absher displays both calendars — diarise the Gregorian equivalent of the Hijri expiry and work back several weeks for renewal preparation, since insurance must be active and any traffic fines settled before renewal completes. While checking, verify your printed profession too; mismatches against your qualifications or professional registration are much easier to fix in month one than at renewal.