Travel bans and exit rules in Saudi Arabia

Why a travel ban is issued

• Lawsuits and investigations. A 2020 Arab News legal column on the Travel Document Law describes a travel ban as a precautionary measure to keep a person who is being sued or investigated in the Kingdom. It says a ban can be imposed by the Minister of Interior, the head of State Security or a judge in a competent court, for a limited period, and the person must be informed within one week.⁶
• Enforcement of debts and judgments. Royal Decree No. M/237, published in the official gazette Umm Al-Qura on 1 May 2026, approved a new Enforcement Law. Al Tamimi and Company says it is expected to take effect on 28 October 2026, 180 days after publication. King and Spalding says the court may order a travel ban on request of the enforcement applicant, for up to three years per order, renewable, with an overall maximum of six years.^10,7,11
• Breaches of the Travel Document Law. The Arab News column lists breaches such as altering passport details, letting others use a passport, using someone else's passport, and entering or leaving outside official ports without a valid reason.⁶
• Absent from work status. Gulf News reported in July 2025 that under Qiwa rules, a worker whose status changes to disconnected from work has 60 days to transfer, leave or sign a new contract. If no action is taken, the platform marks the worker as absent from work and notifies the Human Resources and Interior ministries.³

How to check for a ban

1. Absher (Ministry of Interior) and Qiwa (HRSD)HRSD says exit and re-entry visa and final exit visa requests by private sector expatriate workers are made through Absher and Qiwa. The sources reviewed do not describe a dedicated public travel ban check service.¹
   Official www.absher.sa

How a ban is lifted

• Deposit or end of the underlying case. The Arab News column says a ban linked to a financial lawsuit can be lifted if the defendant deposits the disputed amount with the court, if the court discontinues the case, if the plaintiff fails to register the original lawsuit within seven days of the ban, or if the judgment is overturned.⁶
• Transfer, exit or new contract within 60 days. To avoid absent from work status, Gulf News reports a worker disconnected from work can transfer to another employer, leave the country or sign a new contract with the current employer within 60 days.³

Exit rules

Since 14 March 2021, HRSD says private sector expatriate workers can request an exit and re-entry visa without employer approval, and can obtain a final exit visa after the contract ends without employer consent, with the employer notified electronically. Gulf News reported in November 2020, citing HRSD via Sabq, that the reforms do not cover domestic workers, including chauffeurs, gardeners and home guards.

• 14 March 2021Private sector expatriate workers able to request exit and re-entry and final exit visas through Absher and Qiwa without employer approval.¹

Sponsorship and changing jobs

Private sector employment is governed by the Saudi Labor Law and administered by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) through the Qiwa platform. Domestic workers are recruited and managed through the Musaned platform. HRSD's Labor Reform Initiative, announced on 4 November 2020, took effect on 14 March 2021 for all private sector expatriate workers.

Changing employer

HRSD says private sector expatriate workers can transfer to a new employer when the binding contract expires, without the current employer's consent. A move during an active contract requires a notice period and specific measures. Under Article 40 of the Labor Law, when a worker moves to a new employer, the employer covers the transfer fees.

Absconding reports

Gulf News reported in July 2025, citing the Saudi Press Agency, that under new Qiwa rules an employer can file an absconding report only if the worker's Iqama is valid for at least 60 days and the worker no longer has an active contract. Contracts end automatically when the notice period expires. A worker marked disconnected from work has 60 days to transfer, leave or sign a new contract before being marked absent from work. DLA Piper said in August 2025 that the change to absent status now happens automatically on Qiwa after the 60 days.

Reforms

• 14 March 2021Labor Reform Initiative took effect, covering job mobility, exit and re-entry and final exit for private sector expatriate workers.¹
• 3 October 2024Gulf News reported that labour courts can rule on domestic worker disputes after ministry settlement fails.⁵
• 31 July 2025Gulf News reported new Qiwa rules limiting absconding reports and creating a 60 day period after a worker is disconnected from work.³
• 28 October 2026New Enforcement Law expected to take effect, with travel bans that require a request and are time-limited, according to Al Tamimi and Company and King and Spalding.^7,11,10

Domestic workers

Gulf News reported in November 2020, citing HRSD via Sabq, that the Labor Reform Initiative does not cover domestic workers, including chauffeurs, gardeners and home guards. Domestic workers are recruited through the Musaned platform. According to the Embassy of India in Riyadh, domestic workers take disputes to the Commission for Settlement of Domestic Workers Labour Disputes at the labour office. Gulf News reported in October 2024 that labour courts can now hear domestic worker disputes after a ministry settlement stage, with claims first filed on the ministry website. Khaleej Times reported that payment of all domestic workers' salaries through approved official channels became mandatory from 1 January 2026, after phases starting on 1 July 2024.^4,8,5,9

Wage protection

Khaleej Times reported in December 2025, citing HRSD and Musaned guidelines, that mandatory electronic salary payment for domestic workers through Musaned was phased in: from 1 July 2024 for newly arriving domestic workers, January 2025 for employers with four or more, July 2025 for three or more, 1 October for two or more, and for all domestic workers from 1 January 2026.⁹

Fees workers should not pay

Article 40 of the Saudi Labor Law, as published by HRSD: "An employer shall bear the fees pertaining to the recruitment of non-Saudi workers", along with the fees for issuing and renewing the Iqama and work permit and fines for their delay, fees for change of profession, exit and re-entry visas, and return tickets at the end of the relationship. The employer also bears transfer fees when a worker moves to a new employer. The worker pays the cost of going home if unfit for work or leaving without a valid reason.²

Where to complain or get help

Sources

1. Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development launches the Labor Reform Initiative (4 November 2020) · official
2. Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, Article (40): Fees and costs borne by the employer (11 May 2025) · official
3. Gulf News, Saudi Arabia grants expat workers 60 days to avoid being classified as absconders (31 July 2025)
4. Gulf News, Saudi Arabia: Domestic workers excluded from labour reforms (5 November 2020)
5. Gulf News, Saudi tribunals to rule on domestic workers rows (3 October 2024)
6. Arab News (column by Dimah Talal Alsharif), What Saudi law says about a travel ban (22 January 2020)
7. Al Tamimi and Company, Saudi Arabia adopts new Enforcement Law reforms (11 May 2026)
8. Embassy of India, Riyadh, Labour Grievance Redressal Mechanism of Saudi Government (26 October 2026) · official
9. Khaleej Times, Saudi Arabia: mandatory e-salary for domestic workers from January 1, 2026 (21 December 2025)
10. Umm Al-Qura (official gazette), Royal Decree No. M/237 approving the Enforcement Law (1 May 2026) · official
11. King and Spalding, Saudi Arabia's New Enforcement Law: Key Changes and Practical Implications (12 May 2026)
12. DLA Piper, Saudi Arabia grants expat workers 60 days to avoid being classified as absent (26 August 2025)