Available iqama renewal periods
An establishment worker's iqama can be renewed for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months, with fees charged for the chosen period instead of a full year upfront. The annual iqama fee for an establishment worker is about 650 SAR (indicative), roughly 162.5 SAR for 3 months and 325 SAR for 6 months, and the expat levy and work permit are paid for the same period.
Quarterly renewal suits an establishment that wants to spread the cost over the year or is unsure whether the worker will stay a full year. Annual renewal means fewer transactions and deadlines to track, so the choice depends on the establishment's situation and plans for the worker. We show you the cost difference between periods before payment so you can choose.
Prerequisites before renewal
The system will not renew an iqama until the requirements for both the worker and the establishment are met, and most blocked renewals come down to one of these items:
- Valid medical insurance for the worker under the establishment.
- All traffic violations recorded against the worker paid.
- The work permit and expat levy for the renewal period paid on Qiwa.
- A valid passport for the worker, registered in the system.
- An active commercial registration and establishment files on Qiwa and Muqeem with no suspension.
- No absence-from-work report against the worker.
If the worker has many traffic violations, find out the total well before the expiry date, because paying them is a condition for renewal and holds it up if discovered at the last minute.
Steps to renew a worker's iqama on Muqeem
Renewal has two core stages: paying the work permit and expat levy on Qiwa, then renewing the iqama itself on Muqeem or Absher Business:
Review the worker's status
Check the iqama expiry date, medical insurance and passport validity, and any recorded traffic violations.
Renew the work permit on Qiwa
Choose the renewal period, generate the work permit and expat levy invoice and pay it through SADAD.
Pay the iqama fee
Pay the iqama renewal fee for the same period from the establishment's bank account through SADAD.
Renew on Muqeem or Absher Business
Run the iqama renewal service from the establishment's account; the new date usually appears the same day.
Confirm the update
Check that the new date shows on Muqeem and on the worker's digital iqama in Absher.
Iqama renewal cost
The cost of an iqama renewal is made up of the iqama fee, expat levy, work permit and medical insurance, and the largest item is usually the monthly expat levy. The figures below are indicative because government fees change, and we confirm every amount before payment:
| Item | Indicative amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Iqama fee | About 650 SAR per year | Indicative: about 162.5 SAR for 3 months, 325 SAR for 6 months |
| Expat levy | 700 or 800 SAR per month | By expat count versus Saudis; some establishments, such as licensed industrial ones, are exempt |
| Work permit | Paid with the expat levy on Qiwa | For the same renewal period |
| Medical insurance | Varies | By the worker's age and coverage class |
| Traffic violations | As recorded against the worker | Must be paid before renewal |
| Grow More service fee | Fixed price agreed before work starts | Quoted on WhatsApp |
Indicative example for a 3-month renewal: an iqama fee of about 162.5 SAR and an expat levy of roughly 2,100 to 2,400 SAR for the three months, plus medical insurance and any recorded violations. We send you the actual amount per worker from the official invoices before payment.
Late iqama renewal fines
Renewing an iqama after it expires incurs a penalty that rises with each repeat offence and is due at renewal. The penalties announced by the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) are:
| Offence | Fine |
|---|---|
| First time | 500 SAR |
| Second time | 1,000 SAR |
| Third time | Deportation of the resident |
An expired iqama also allows the worker to move to another employer without the current employer's consent, so renewing on time protects the establishment from both the fine and losing the worker.
When to start the renewal
Start the renewal at least two weeks before the iqama expires, so there is time to renew medical insurance or pay violations if they come up. The renewal itself completes the same day or within 2 days, but the linked requirements are what usually take time. A common mistake is paying the expat levy and only then finding the medical insurance has expired, which holds up the renewal until the insurance is renewed, and the expiry date can pass in the meantime and trigger the fine.
If the establishment has many iqamas expiring at different dates, it helps to keep a schedule of expiry dates and review it monthly. Grow More can track these dates and remind you before each one is due.
How Grow More handles iqama renewals
We review each worker's status before any payment, checking insurance, violations and passport so you do not pay fees only for the renewal to stall. Grow More is an independent private office, not a government body, and we complete the steps on Qiwa and Muqeem under a delegation or power of attorney that you control.
We never ask for Absher passwords or verification codes. We agree a fixed price on WhatsApp before starting, government fees are paid at cost with receipts, and you pay our fee when the work is done, with an update at every step in Arabic or English, for companies and individuals in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.
Government fees shown are indicative and change from time to time. Grow More is an independent private firm, not a government body; we confirm current fees in your quote before we start.