In a game-changing move for regional mobility and investment planning, Saudi Arabia has activated legislation that allows foreigners—including UAE nationals and resident expatriates—to purchase freehold property in designated zones of Riyadh and Jeddah from January 2026. Previously, most expatriates based in the UAE could only lease or hold indirect stakes through funds; outright ownership was restricted. (gulfnews.com)
Saudi officials frame the reform as a cornerstone of Vision 2030, designed to channel foreign capital into housing, tourism and logistics corridors. For UAE-based professionals the announcement creates fresh pathways for cross-border assignments: multinationals can now second staff into Saudi projects without relying solely on employer-provided housing, while skilled expatriates eyeing long-term careers in the Kingdom gain an asset-ownership incentive similar to Dubai’s freehold boom of the early 2000s. (gulfnews.com)
![Saudi real-estate doors open for UAE buyers under new foreign-ownership law]()
Before booking inspection tours or arranging relocation, UAE residents can simplify their Saudi entry paperwork through VisaHQ, whose UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) offers fast online visa processing, document concierge services and up-to-date guidance on travel requirements.
Consultants caution that the framework remains more regulated than Dubai’s model. Purchasers must secure pre-approvals through the Istitaa platform, and Mecca and Medina remain off-limits without special consent. Mortgage products for foreigners are only just emerging, so buyers may need to tap UAE banks or cross-border financing structures. (gulfnews.com)
For mobility managers the immediate tasks are twofold: update assignment cost models to reflect potential housing allowances in Saudi cities, and brief interested employees on compliance, tax and resale restrictions. Real-estate advisers say early entrants could benefit from appreciation as megaprojects like the Riyadh Metro and Jeddah Central progress, but stress the importance of legal due-diligence around zoning maps that are still being finalised.
Saudi officials frame the reform as a cornerstone of Vision 2030, designed to channel foreign capital into housing, tourism and logistics corridors. For UAE-based professionals the announcement creates fresh pathways for cross-border assignments: multinationals can now second staff into Saudi projects without relying solely on employer-provided housing, while skilled expatriates eyeing long-term careers in the Kingdom gain an asset-ownership incentive similar to Dubai’s freehold boom of the early 2000s. (gulfnews.com)
Before booking inspection tours or arranging relocation, UAE residents can simplify their Saudi entry paperwork through VisaHQ, whose UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) offers fast online visa processing, document concierge services and up-to-date guidance on travel requirements.
Consultants caution that the framework remains more regulated than Dubai’s model. Purchasers must secure pre-approvals through the Istitaa platform, and Mecca and Medina remain off-limits without special consent. Mortgage products for foreigners are only just emerging, so buyers may need to tap UAE banks or cross-border financing structures. (gulfnews.com)
For mobility managers the immediate tasks are twofold: update assignment cost models to reflect potential housing allowances in Saudi cities, and brief interested employees on compliance, tax and resale restrictions. Real-estate advisers say early entrants could benefit from appreciation as megaprojects like the Riyadh Metro and Jeddah Central progress, but stress the importance of legal due-diligence around zoning maps that are still being finalised.
