Islamabad, Apr 8, 2025: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment has revealed that international investors can now purchase and trade real estate within the Kingdom for investment purposes, subject to specific guidelines.
As reported by Okaz, a prominent Arabic newspaper, the ministry has outlined several key conditions for foreign ownership:
Location Restrictions: Properties must be situated outside the sacred cities of Makkah and Madinah.
Purpose of Investment: Acquisitions should not be made with the intention of speculating—i.e., short-term profit driven by market price changes is prohibited.
However, Foreign investment firms must receive formal authorization to acquire real estate for purposes such as residential housing, industrial plants, business headquarters, employee housing, and storage facilities.
Although, this service is provided at no charge through the ministry’s e-services platform, with approvals generally granted within five business days.
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Furthermore. , enquired Documents include:
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A copy of the building permit or an official letter from the municipality (or a land use statement from an authorized body).
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A copy of the property deed.
Real estate development companies seeking to develop or market property projects must submit a comprehensive report from an engineering firm recognized by the Saudi Council of Engineers.
Projects must meet the following criteria:
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Located outside the Makkah and Madinah regions.
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Have a combined cost (land and construction) of no less than SAR 30 million.
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Be operational within five years of approval.
However, this policy aims to boost real estate development and encourage investment in regions outside the holy cities, all while maintaining strict regulatory oversight.
