Saudi Arabia has opened its real estate sector to foreigners. Through a new digital portal named ‘Saudi Properties’, foreign citizens, companies and investors can now apply online to buy property there. This step has been taken under the Foreign Real Estate Ownership Law that came into force in January 2026. About 24 lakh Indians who live and work in Saudi Arabia can benefit the most from this change. Till now Indians could only take houses on rent. But under the new system they can also become property owners there. Real Estate General Authority (Rega) said 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 are still strict for the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina. In these two cities, property ownership rights will be given only to Saudi companies and Muslim expatriates/citizens. Saudi Arabia’s real estate market is worth Rs 6.8 lakh crore (2025). It is estimated to be around Rs 13 lakh crore by 2034. Know how you can invest to buy property in Saudi Arabia under the new rules. How big an opportunity for Indian buyers? Anuj Kejriwal, CEO (Retail), 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, interest from Indian buyers may increase significantly, especially in prime and business-linked locations. How different is it from Dubai? According to Kejriwal, since the Saudi market is new, many buyers may still give preference to tried markets like Dubai. The market of Dubai is old and well known to Indians. Initially the demand from Indians may be a bit limited because the rules are still being made. However, big urban and tourism projects are going on in Saudi under Vision 2030. Capital growth is expected in the long term. What facilities will be available on ‘Saudi Properties’ portal? The portal is a ‘one-stop shop’ for foreign buyers, where they can browse available properties and investment opportunities, check their eligibility, and get information about legal routes to ownership. Along with applying, you can also track the status live. In which cities can foreigners own property? Foreign investors will be able to buy property in developed areas of entire Saudi Arabia except Mecca and Medina, and in giga-projects like Neom, Red Sea Project, Diriya and Al-Ula. Who can buy? Both Indians living in Saudi Arabia and NRIs living abroad can apply. Saudi residents will be able to apply directly from the residency number, NRIs living abroad will have to first obtain a digital ID from the Saudi Embassy. Can I invest through a company? Indian companies can apply after registering on the ‘Invest Saudi’ platform and obtaining a National Unified Number. Should you invest now? Currently, real estate is facing a recession due to the US-Iran war. Residential sales in Dubai fell by nearly 20% in March 2025. In such a situation, Saudi Arabia is emerging as a new option.
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Indians will also be able to buy their own house in Saudi Arabia: Big decision to reduce dependence on oil economy; Direct benefit to 24 lakh migrants
