Saudi Arabia: Full arrest-to-removal procedures for residency violators — here’s what you need to know

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has intensified its crackdown on residency law violators, enforcing arrest, detention and deportation procedures, alongside severe penalties for both offenders and those who assist them.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the deportation process begins with the identification and arrest of individuals who have overstayed their visas or breached residency rules. Detainees are transferred to deportation centres, where cases are processed through legal or administrative channels before a formal deportation order is issued.

Deportation decisions may be handed down by the courts or through administrative rulings by the Ministry of Interior, which oversees the implementation of deportation orders in coordination with relevant authorities. In many cases, violators must obtain travel documents through their home country’s diplomatic missions before departure arrangements can be finalised.

The Ministry of Interior has also introduced a new “Self-Deportation Platform” enabling illegal residents to complete exit procedures online, complementing existing systems and easing the administrative burden. The platform allows illegal residents to process their own travel arrangements digitally, moving away from traditional deportation methods.

Under the enforcement measures, the Deportation Department arranges the individual’s departure, including transportation to airports or border crossings.

Penalties for violators include fines, detention and bans on re-entry, while those found transporting, sheltering or employing violators face penalties of up to 15 years in prison, fines reaching SR1,000,000, and confiscation of property or vehicles.

Saudi authorities maintain that the enforcement campaign is essential to safeguarding national security and ensuring compliance with residency regulations and have urged residents and employers to avoid facilitating any form of violation.