Can you rent an apartment in Saudi Arabia without an iqama?

This answer was reviewed against official sources on 2026-10-05

Short answer

As a rule, no, based on what Ejar publishes: its residential lease registration service lists individual tenants as citizens and residents, and its FAQ says signing the unified lease requires a national ID or a resident ID (iqama). If your iqama has not been issued yet, the alternative Ejar allows is for your employer to lease the unit in the company’s name, with a legal representative added. Under Council of Ministers Decision 292, a lease that is not registered on Ejar has no administrative or judicial effect.

Who can be a tenant on Ejar?

Ejar’s residential lease registration and documentation service page lists individual citizens and residents as the eligible tenants, and requires the tenant to have a valid ID and a mobile number registered in Absher. Ejar’s user manual gives the national ID and the resident ID (iqama) as examples of the identity documents the network supports, and identity data is verified automatically with the National Information Center.

Asked in its FAQ whether a foreigner needs a letter from his sponsor or whether the iqama is enough, Ejar answered that signing the unified lease requires a national ID or a resident ID. Ejar also lists enabling the registration of Premium Residency holders among the improvements to commercial contract registration in its upgraded network.

Visitors and visa holders

Ejar’s published pages do not list visitors among tenant categories, and they describe no route for registering a visit-visa or work-visa holder as a tenant on a passport before the iqama is issued, although the definition of “identity type” in Ejar’s FAQ mentions the passport as an example without saying when it is accepted for a tenant. This page covers residential leases documented on Ejar, not hotel stays.

In a reply posted on 11 August 2022 to a question about whether a visitor may sign a lease in their own name, Ejar’s official X account said the visitor ID (هوية زائر) is accepted on Ejar only for Yemeni and Syrian nationals. That reply is old and the procedure may have changed since, so check with Ejar on its unified number 199011 before relying on it.

What can a newcomer do before the iqama is issued?

Options backed by official sources:

The employer leases the unit: Ejar’s user manual for residential leases allows an organisation (a company or non-profit) to be added as the tenant, provided a legal representative is added, and the lease is then registered in the organisation’s name.
Document the lease in your own name once the iqama is issued: a licensed broker creates it from the broker’s Ejar account, then both parties approve it.
Do not rely on a paper contract: under Council of Ministers Decision 292, a lease not registered on Ejar is not treated as a valid contract producing administrative or judicial effects.

Follow-up questions

Can a company rent a residential apartment for its employee?

Yes. Ejar allows an organisation to be the tenant in a residential lease if a legal representative is added, and Ejar’s official account has said the lease is then registered in the company’s name as tenant.

What does a resident need to document a lease in their own name?

A valid resident ID and a mobile number registered in Absher. A licensed broker creates the new lease, and the lessor and tenant then approve it so it is documented.

Is a paper contract with the owner enough until the iqama is issued?

No. Under Council of Ministers Decision 292, a lease not registered on Ejar has no standing before administrative or judicial bodies.

Official sources

General information for guidance, not legal advice; the governing regulations and official bodies are the final reference.

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