His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Real Estate Authority (GRA), Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Highness the Crown Prince - may God protect them - on the occasion of the Cabinet's approval of the updated system for non-Saudis to own real estate in its session held today.

Al-Hogail explained that the Cabinet's approval of the updated system for the ownership of real estate by non-Saudis at this time comes as an extension of real estate legislation aimed at developing the real estate sector and encouraging foreign direct investment, which will contribute to raising the real estate supply by attracting investors and real estate development companies to the Saudi market.

He stressed that the Cabinet's approval of the updated system for the ownership of real estate by non-Saudis comes as an extension of real estate legislation aimed at developing the real estate sector and encouraging foreign direct investment. His Excellency emphasized that the updated system takes into account the interests of Saudi citizens through the existence of mechanisms that ensure market control and compliance with the specific procedures seeking to achieve real estate balance, indicating that the system took into account all economic and investment aspects as ownership will be available in specific geographical areas, especially in the cities of Riyadh and Jeddah, and special requirements for ownership in Mecca and Medina.

According to the updated system, ownership will be allowed in specific geographical areas, especially in the cities of Riyadh and Jeddah. According to the updated system, the General Real Estate Authority will assume the tasks of proposing the geographical scope in which a non-Saudi may own a property or acquire other rights in kind on it, and the Authority will put the executive regulations of the system on the “Consultation” platform within 180 days from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette, which will be effective in January 2026, as specified by the system, and the regulations will determine the procedures for the acquisition of real estate rights by non-Saudis, the requirements for the enforcement of the provisions of the system prescribed for non-Saudis, and the details of applying the system in consideration of all economic and social aspects.

It should be noted that the system will be available in specific geographical areas, especially in the cities of Riyadh and Jeddah, and special requirements for ownership of real estate in Mecca and Madinah. It should be noted that the system comes in harmony with the provisions of the system of privileged residence and the regulation of the ownership of real estate by citizens of the GCC countries in member states for the purpose of housing and investment or other applicable laws that grant non-Saudis privileges to own real estate and acquire other rights in kind over it.

The regulation will determine the procedures for non-Saudis to acquire rights in kind to real estate.