MULKIYA · GUIDES
The Digital Identity: The First Prerequisite, Step by Step
Article 2 of the Implementing Regulations makes a Ministry of Interior digital identity the first prerequisite for a foreign buyer. Here is the embassy route.
What the identity is and why it comes first
The Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis, in force since 22-01-2026, opened ownership inside the 100+ designated zones. Article 2 of the Implementing Regulations, approved by Council of Ministers Decision 43 on 23-06-2026, sets three prerequisites for a foreign individual: a digital identity approved by the Ministry of Interior, a Saudi bank account in the buyer's name, and a Saudi mobile number in the buyer's name linked to that identity. The identity comes first because the other two attach to it. Without it there is no account, no number, and no registration.
Step one: apply through a Saudi embassy
A non-resident obtains the digital identity through a Saudi embassy or consulate abroad. You apply in your country of residence with your passport, and the embassy processes the request into the Ministry of Interior system. Confirm the required documents with the embassy that serves your country before you visit. The embassy route exists so a buyer can complete the prerequisite without traveling to Saudi Arabia.
Step two: activate with Absher or Nafath
After the identity is issued, you activate it through Absher or Nafath, the Ministry of Interior platforms. Activation ties the identity to you for everyday use: it becomes the reference your bank account and your mobile number link back to. A resident holding an iqama follows a shorter path and activates the digital identity with Absher directly, with no embassy step.
What the identity connects
The Saudi bank account sits in your name and attaches to the identity. The Saudi mobile number is registered in your name and linked to the same identity. Every payment in the purchase then moves through official electronic channels, and registration in the official real-estate registry, a validity condition of the purchase, keys on the same identity. One identity runs through the whole file.
Timing, and the honest next step
Start the identity step before you price property. The remote mechanisms for the bank account and the mobile number are still maturing, so the embassy step is the one to begin early. Mulkiya is not the seller and not the broker, and it takes no commission. The eligibility check asks seven questions about your status and your target property, and a deterministic rules engine answers against the law, so you know which prerequisites apply to your class before you book an embassy visit.
Do I need to travel to Saudi Arabia to get the digital identity?
No. A non-resident applies through a Saudi embassy or consulate abroad, then activates the identity with Absher or Nafath. The embassy route exists precisely so the prerequisite can be completed from your home country.
Is the digital identity the same as an iqama?
No. An iqama is a residence permit. The digital identity is a separate identity approved by the Ministry of Interior. Residents holding an iqama activate it with Absher; non-residents obtain it through a Saudi embassy first.
Can I buy without the digital identity?
No. Article 2 of the Implementing Regulations makes it a prerequisite for a foreign individual, alongside a Saudi bank account and a Saudi mobile number. Registration in the official real-estate registry, a validity condition of the purchase, depends on it.
What do I set up after the identity?
A Saudi bank account in your name and a Saudi mobile number in your name, linked to the identity. All payments then move through official electronic channels. Bank lending is structurally closed to non-residents today, so plan cash-first.