Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet has approved the use of a digital identity system to allow non-Saudi, non-resident foreigners to own property in the Kingdom, the government said, as part of new rules opening up the real estate market.
The decision enables digital IDs to be used ahead of the implementation of the Non-Saudi Real Estate Ownership Law, which was approved in July and will take effect in January 2026, according to a Cabinet resolution published on Friday.
Mechanisms under development
The General Real Estate Authority will coordinate with the Ministry of Interior, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the National Information Center and other relevant bodies to develop mechanisms for activating the digital ID.
The Cabinet resolution said the identity must be operational before the property ownership law comes into force.
The approval also endorsed a decision by the Strategic Committee of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs on governance for non-Saudi ownership and usufruct rights. A dedicated committee will be formed within the General Real Estate Authority’s board of directors to oversee those matters.
The Cabinet amended the structure of the authority’s board, which will now be headed by the Minister and include the CEO, representatives from 10 ministries and government entities, and three private-sector members appointed by the Council of Ministers for renewable three-year terms.
The ministries represented include Interior, Municipalities and Housing, Finance, Justice, Economy and Planning, Investment, Environment, Industry and Mineral Resources, as well as the General Authority for State Properties and the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information.
Steps required for non-residents
In July, the General Real Estate Authority released a draft of the law’s executive regulations. Under the draft, non-resident foreigners seeking to own or use property in the Kingdom would need to obtain and activate a digital ID through the Absher platform, open a Saudi bank account, and secure a local contact number.
The authority has said these measures are designed to ensure transparency and compliance in the property registration process as Saudi Arabia seeks to attract more foreign investment into its real estate sector.
The Cabinet’s approval on Friday follows Resolution No. 16 of the Council of Ministers, which reviewed recommendations from the Council of Economic and Development Affairs and several memoranda from the Board of Experts.
The Non-Saudi Real Estate Ownership Law is part of the Kingdom’s broader economic reform programme under Vision 2030, which aims to diversify income sources, attract foreign investment, and develop sectors such as tourism and real estate.
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