Digital Identity Behind Saudi’s Foreign Property Ownership Changes

Saudi Arabia’s new Foreign Property Ownership Law, set to take effect in January 2026, represents a landmark in the Kingdom’s digital ID transformation – as it depends almost entirely on an electronic identity infrastructure for its implementation.

Enacted under Royal Decree No M/14 (2025), the law allows non-Saudis – including non-resident foreigners and overseas corporate entities – to acquire freehold and leasehold property in designated zones across Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and several economic cities. By replacing the existing framework, the reform aims to attract long-term foreign investment and diversify the national economy in line with its Vision 2030 objectives ¹.