The Iqama is an identity document that all foreign workers residing in Saudi Arabia must have. In this document, you can find employment and personal information of the holder, as well as their work and residence permit. It is essential to keep Iqama current and renew it before the expiration date. Otherwise, you may face sanctions or fines. In order to know if your Iqama is active, you need to learn how to check Iqama status online, using your passport and Iqama number.
In this article, we will teach you how to check Iqama status online, through different platforms and methods. We will show you how to access the official portal of the Ministry of the Interior and how to use the Absher application. In addition, you will see how to check the status of Iqama by SMS and how to check the status of your Iqama by phone. This way, you can stay up to date with your legal situation in KSA and avoid any unnecessary problems.
Iqama status check online KSA
The Iqama is a residence permit that is issued to all expatriates residing in Saudi Arabia. In addition, this document is issued by the Ministry of the Interior and all expatriates arriving in the country on work or dependent visas must have a valid Iqama. In this way, it is important to check Iqama status to avoid any problem.
Your Iqama can serve as your official identification and that is why its validity is important. For this reason, in this section, we will explain how to check Iqama status online. However, it will not be just one way, we will explain in detail two ways so that you can carry out your online Iqama status check.
Iqama status and expiration date check without Absher
If you want to determine Iqama status in Saudi Arabia, you can do so without having an Absher account. Furthermore, this is a simple process where you must go to the Ministry of Labor or MOL portal. This way, you can Iqama Saudi Arabia check status by following these steps:
1) Enter the MoL portal
2) Select the language of your preference.
3) You must enter your Iqama number.
4) Now provide your date of birth. This step can be done in both Gregorian and Hijri formats.
5) All you have to do is enter the captcha number that appears on the screen and click next.
The page that will be displayed will have all your personal information in detail. In this information, you can find the expiration date of your Iqama.
Iqama status and expiration date check through the Absher portal
If you have an Absher account and want to know how to check Iqama status online, you must follow these steps:
1) visit the Absher website.
2) Choose your favorite language
3) log in to your Absher account
4) Enter the OTP that was provided to your mobile device
5) Choose the "Query Iqama Expiry Service" to view your Iqama's expiration date.
Iqama red-green status
It is important that you know the red-green status of Iqama since it is related to a Saudi program. This is called the Nitaqat program and it categorizes the ability of companies or employers to easily process all foreign worker and employee visa requirements.
There are 3 colors included in this process and each color has its meaning which is explained below.
- The color red in these cases means that the employer did not comply with the requirements of the Nitaqat Program.
- The platinum and intense green color in these cases means that the employer has complied with the requirements of the Nitaqat Program
- If it has a low green color, it means that the employer is in a transition phase. It also indicates that the employer is working to comply with the Nitaqat Program.
Here we have an example of this. If an expatriate resident holds a green status on their Iqama, this means that the employer or company has a wide range of options available. In addition, this is about visa processing for foreign employees. In this way, a green Iqama status allows a company to renew the Iqama of all its employees in its name.
Additionally, you may transfer the sponsorship of the foreign expatriate to another company. This means that those who have a green status will be able to be transferred more easily to other companies. Therefore, those with a red status will find it more difficult. For this reason, it is important to be aware of the Saudi Iqama check status.
Iqama check by border number
You can Iqama ID check using your border number. This way, if it was not clear to you how to check Iqama status online, you can use this method. First of all, you must visit the Iqama portal that the Ministry of Labor has. This process is very simple and you must do this:
- Enter your border number, your Iqama number, or your passport number.
- Enter the captcha number shown on the next screen.
- Click the search button to finish.
After the submission is successful, on the next page you will be able to detail your name, work permit number, and employment status. In addition, you can find out the color of your Iqama status and the legal status of your company.
Iqama check SIM
Getting a SIM card in Saudi Arabia is directly connected to your Iqama. For this reason, the owner of an Iqama is limited to having two SIM cards at most at a time. In this section, we will explain the different methods so that you can know how many SIM cards are connected to your Iqama.
Iqama check SIM through the CITC
If you want to check the number of SIM cards that are connected to your Iqama, you must follow the following steps:
- Enter the portal of the Information and Communications Technologies Commission or CITC.
- You must select the consultation service.
- Now select individual.
- You have to enter your Iqama number and your date of birth according to the Hijri calendar.
- You must select yes; I have a mobile phone if you have one.
- Enter your cell phone number.
- Enter the captcha code that appears on the screen.
- You must click search.
- Enter the OTP number that was sent to your mobile.
- You must click send.
After completing this entire process, you will be redirected to a page where your registered SIM card numbers are listed. If you do not have access to a mobile number, click No, I do not have a mobile phone. In this way, the system will review your records and present all the names of the cell phone companies that are registered.
Iqama check SIM through SMS
There is another way to perform an Iqama SIM card verification. This is by sending an SMS to your mobile phone operator. Below we will introduce you to the details.
- Lebara and EithadJawra users, type ID and send an SMS to number 1755.
- Mobile device users should only send a blank SMS to the number 616166.
- STC and Sawa users, you must type 9988 and send an SMS to number 900.
- Virgin Mobile users must send a blank SMS to the number 309985.
- Zain users, you must send a blank SMS to number 700123.
After doing this, your mobile operator will immediately reply confirming the SIM card numbers that are associated with your Iqama.
You have just seen how to check Iqama status online and everything related to Iqama. However, if you are still not clear about this entire process, you can contact us to receive advice from experts in the area. In addition, not only will you be able to obtain information about this, but you will also be able to know the Saudi Iqama renewal status check and the Iqama updates status.
