Indians can now buy property in Saudi Arabia:Find here how to apply

Saudi Arabia has opened its real estate sector to foreigners. Through a new digital portal called ‘Saudi Properties’, foreign citizens, companies, and investors can now apply online to purchase property there. This step has been taken under the Foreign Real Estate Ownership Law implemented in January 2026. This change could benefit approximately 2.4 million (24 lakh) Indians who live and work in Saudi Arabia the most. Until now, Indians could only rent houses. But under the new system, they can also become property owners there. The Real Estate General Authority (REGA) has stated that the ‘Saudi Properties’ portal is completely digital. Through this, you can check your eligibility, apply, and also track the status of your application. However, the rules remain strict for the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Ownership rights in both these cities will only be given to Saudi companies and Muslim expatriates/citizens. ₹6.8 lakh crore is Saudi Arabia’s real estate market (2025). It is estimated to reach around ₹13 lakh crore by 2034. Know how you can invest to buy property in Saudi Arabia under the new rules How big an opportunity is it for Indian buyers? Anuj Kejriwal, CEO (Retail) of real estate consultancy firm Anarock Group, said, ‘The Kingdom has a large population of Indian expatriates. Due to the new rules, cultural familiarity and good rental demand, Indian buyers’ interest may increase significantly, especially in prime and business-linked locations.’ How different is it from Dubai? According to Kejriwal, since Saudi’s market is new, many buyers may still prefer tried and tested markets like Dubai. Dubai’s market is old and familiar to Indians. Initially, Indian demand may also remain somewhat limited because regulations are still being formed. However, large urban and tourism projects are underway in Saudi under Vision 2030. Capital growth is expected in the long term. What facilities will be available on the ‘Saudi Properties’ portal? This portal is a ‘one-stop shop’ for foreign buyers, where they can browse available properties and investment opportunities, check their eligibility, get information about legal pathways to ownership. Along with applying, they can also track status live. In which cities can foreigners buy property? Except for Mecca and Medina, foreign investors will be able to buy property in developed areas across Saudi Arabia, and in giga-projects like NEOM, Red Sea Project, Diriyah and Al-Ula. Who can buy? Indians living in Saudi Arabia and NRIs living abroad, both can apply. Those living in Saudi can apply directly with their residency number, NRIs living abroad will first have to obtain a digital ID from the Saudi embassy. Can one invest through a company? Indian companies can apply after registration on the ‘Invest Saudi’ platform and obtaining a National Unified Number. Should one invest now? At this time, real estate is struggling with a slowdown due to the US-Iran war. In March 2025, residential sales in Dubai had fallen by about 20%. In such a situation, Saudi Arabia is emerging as a new alternative.