Last checked: 24 October 2026
Newcomers to Saudi Arabia need a passport and the border number issued on entry to register a prepaid SIM, and an iqama plus fingerprint verification at an operator outlet for a monthly contract. Until the iqama arrives, which can take up to 90 days, most people stay on a visitor prepaid line or a data only travel eSIM.
Saudi Arabia SIM card for international students: what you need
A prepaid SIM in Saudi Arabia needs your passport and the border number issued on entry, and every line must be registered to the person using it, with fingerprint capture at the point of sale. A monthly contract needs an iqama and fingerprint verification at an operator outlet.
The three main networks are stc, Mobily and Zain, and all of them sell prepaid lines.
- Visitors register with a foreign passport and the border number. Fingerprint capture has been required for new SIMs since the 2015 to 2017 rollout.
- Residents register lines against their iqama, with fingerprint verification at an operator outlet.
- A 2017 CST measure limited foreign residents to 2 prepaid SIMs across all operators. Whether this limit still applies is not confirmed, so ask the operator.
- Because fingerprints are taken in person, each person must register their own SIM at a branch or kiosk.
If you are arriving as a student, your first line will almost certainly be a visitor prepaid line, because the iqama comes later. A data only eSIM such as the Saudi Arabia plan covers the gap without any registration at all.
Prepaid SIM or monthly contract: which comes first
Prepaid comes first for almost every newcomer. A monthly contract is registered against an iqama, so it cannot be set up until the residence permit is issued, while a prepaid line can be registered on arrival with a passport and border number.
Operators sell visitor bundles: stc Sawa Visitor, Mobily Visitor and Zain Visitor. Zain says visitor lines can be activated through its app, website or shops. Guides say stc visitor lines need a branch visit for fingerprints. App only activation often needs a Saudi ID according to a third party guide, so do not count on it.
Once the iqama is in hand, you can move to a resident prepaid line or a monthly contract. Mobily's terms say numbers must be registered under a valid National ID or iqama, and lines must be in the user's own name. Exact postpaid document lists from stc, Mobily and Zain are not confirmed, so the operator will confirm what it needs.
A local SIM or contract is the right long term choice once the paperwork is ready. A travel eSIM is for the first days and weeks, not a replacement.
How long the paperwork takes
The employer must issue the iqama within 90 days of arrival through Muqeem, and family and domestic worker iqamas are issued by the sponsor through Absher within the same 90 days. One law firm guide says 1 to 3 weeks after arrival once medicals are done, but that is a secondary source.
Plan for the full 90 days and treat anything faster as a bonus.
- Iqama: issued by the employer or sponsor, up to 90 days. A bank account needs a valid iqama, Absher registration, a national address and a Saudi mobile number registered to that iqama, so it follows the iqama. How long the bank takes after iqama issue is not confirmed.
- Absher activation needs a mobile number registered to your iqama, and many later services need Absher.
- Until the iqama is issued you cannot get iqama linked lines or a normal bank account.
Your nationality does not change these steps, but visa and residence eligibility is a matter for the official Saudi source, not for a guide. Check the official channels for your own case.
Your first 30 days in Saudi Arabia: a timeline
Expect the first month to run on a visitor SIM or a travel eSIM while the iqama is processed. The key move is to re-register your number to the iqama at an operator branch as soon as it is issued.
A practical order of events:
- Before the flight: buy and install a data eSIM at home. Validity starts when it first connects in Saudi Arabia, so it can sit ready on the phone.
- On arrival: buy a visitor prepaid line at an airport kiosk or operator branch if you want a local number straight away. Staff can look up the border number.
- Weeks 1 to 4: complete medicals and any employer paperwork for the iqama.
- When the iqama arrives: go to an operator branch, register or re-register the number against the iqama, and complete fingerprint verification.
- Then: activate Absher, set up the national address, and apply for the bank account.
Keep the travel eSIM in the phone as a backup data source while all of this happens.
Staying connected until your local plan is ready
A data only eSIM keeps you online from the moment you land, with no registration and no queue. Slashtel eSIMs are data only: no local phone number and no calls or SMS, but WhatsApp and other internet calls work over the data.
How it works:
- Buy online with an email address and a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
- Install it before you fly. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects at the destination.
- Data options are 1 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB, with the 5 GB plan at $12.59.
- The network is chosen automatically and cannot be picked by hand.
- More data can be added to the same eSIM later, with no new QR code.
- Your phone must be unlocked and eSIM compatible. Check with the compatibility guide and follow the install steps.
Support is on WhatsApp and email, 7 days a week. Use the data calculator if you are unsure how much to buy.
Getting a local number for your bank and admin
A local number is needed for banking and admin, because banks reject applications when the mobile number is not registered to the iqama, and Absher activation needs a number registered to the iqama too. A prepaid local SIM gives you that number. The Slashtel eSIM does not.
This is the first week catch that catches most newcomers. A SIM bought on arrival is registered to your border number, not your iqama, so it will not satisfy the bank. Once the iqama is issued, go to an operator branch and re-register or link the number to the iqama.
Order of operations:
- Get the iqama.
- Re-register the mobile number to the iqama at a branch, with fingerprint verification.
- Activate Absher using that number.
- Set the national address.
- Apply for the bank account.
Keep the eSIM for data and use the local line for codes and calls. The calls, texts and OTPs guide explains how the two work side by side.
When family visits you in Saudi Arabia
Visiting family can use a data eSIM for the trip, and the person living in Saudi Arabia can buy it on their behalf. At checkout, enter the visitor's email so the QR code goes straight to the person who will use it.
This avoids the registration queue at the airport, which matters for a short visit. A sim card for parents visiting Saudi Arabia can be installed at home before they fly, and validity only starts when the eSIM first connects in the country.
- Choose from 1 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB or 20 GB depending on the length of stay and how much video calling they plan.
- The eSIM is data only, so calls home run over WhatsApp or similar.
- If they also want a local Saudi number, they can register a visitor prepaid line with their passport and border number, with fingerprints taken in person.
For a longer stay, a local visitor bundle from stc, Mobily or Zain is the better fit.
Keeping your home number active
Keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes, and turn off data roaming on it to avoid roaming charges. If the home line is prepaid, a top-up keeps it alive while you are abroad.
Many newcomers need the old number for one time passwords from home banks and for family calls. Two habits make this work:
- Leave the home SIM in the second SIM slot or as the secondary line, with data roaming off.
- Top up before the credit expires if it is prepaid.
Slashtel sells mobile top-ups to more than 100 countries, delivered in minutes, which keep a prepaid home line active. See recharge and top-up for the options. The keep your number active page covers the general approach.
Once the Saudi line is registered to your iqama, you can decide which number carries the important accounts.
First-week catches to avoid
The main catches are registering a SIM to your border number and then finding the bank will not accept it, and needing a number registered to your iqama before Absher will activate. Both are solved by re-registering at a branch once the iqama is issued.
Others to plan around:
- Until the employer issues the iqama, up to 90 days, you cannot get iqama linked lines or a normal bank account. Plan to stay on a visitor SIM or travel eSIM.
- Fingerprint capture means each person must register their own SIM in person at a branch or kiosk. Nobody can do it for you.
- App only activation of visitor bundles often needs a Saudi ID according to a third party guide, so a branch visit is safer.
- Operator eSIMs for visitors usually need passport and border number registration and sometimes a branch visit according to third party guides. Official operator eSIM rules for newcomers are not confirmed, so the operator will confirm.
- A third party source says CST introduced an app route with Absher biometric checks for pilgrims in May 2025. This is not confirmed on CST and operator pages.
Read the wider moving abroad notes before you fly, and keep the Saudi Arabia plan installed as your backup.
Sources
Checked 2026-10-24. Rules and waiting times change, so check the official sites before you rely on them.
- Gulf News: https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/in-bid-to-curb-terrorism-two-sim-card-limit-for-expats-in-saudi-arabia-1.2017689
- Gulf Daily News: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/62034/Fingerprints-must-to-obtain-new-SIM-card-in-Saudi-Arabia
- Gulf News: https://gulfnews.com/gulfnews/living-in-uae/telephone-internet/visiting-saudi-arabia-how-to-get-a-sim-card-for-hajj-umrah-1.1681300895959
- KSA Expats (third party): https://ksaexpats.com/how-to-register-mobile-number-in-iqama/
- KSA Expats (third party): https://ksaexpats.com/open-anb-bank-account-online/
- saudi.it.com (third party citing Ministry of Human Resources): https://saudi.it.com/en/?p=2126
- Etqan Law Firm: https://etqanlawfirm-sa.com/en/how-to-get-iqama-in-saudi-arabia/
- Expat.com forum: https://www.expat.com/en/forum/middle-east/saudi-arabia/990078-sabb-bank-online-account-creation-error.html
Questions, answered
Can I get a phone plan in Saudi Arabia without an iqama?
Yes, but only a visitor prepaid line. You register it with your passport and the border number issued on entry, and fingerprints are captured in person. A monthly contract is registered against an iqama, so it waits until the residence permit is issued.
How long does it take to get an iqama before I can get a proper phone plan in Saudi Arabia?
The employer must issue it within 90 days of arrival through Muqeem, and family and domestic worker iqamas are issued by the sponsor through Absher within 90 days. One law firm guide says 1 to 3 weeks after arrival once medicals are done, but that is a secondary source.
Is a prepaid SIM in Saudi Arabia enough for a student?
For the first weeks, yes. A visitor prepaid line gives you a local number, but it is registered to your border number. Once the iqama arrives, re-register the number to the iqama at an operator branch so it works for banking and Absher.
Can I use an eSIM in Saudi Arabia instead of a local SIM?
Yes, for data. Slashtel eSIMs are data only, with no local phone number and no calls or SMS, so WhatsApp and other internet calls work over the data. They need no registration, which makes them useful before the iqama is ready.
What does a Saudi Arabia eSIM cost?
Data options are 1 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB. The 5 GB plan is $12.59. More data can be added to the same eSIM later with no new QR code.
Can I buy a SIM card for parents visiting Saudi Arabia?
Yes. You can buy a Slashtel eSIM and enter the visitor's email at checkout, so the QR code goes straight to them. They install it before flying, and validity starts when it first connects in Saudi Arabia. For a local number they would register a visitor prepaid line with their passport and border number.
Do I need a local number for a Saudi Arabia bank account?
Yes. A bank account needs a valid iqama, Absher registration, a national address and a Saudi mobile number registered to that iqama. Banks reject applications when the number is not registered to the iqama, so re-register your line at a branch first.
Can someone else register my SIM in Saudi Arabia?
No. Fingerprint capture means each person must register their own SIM in person at a branch or kiosk. Every line must be registered to the user, whether with a passport and border number or with an iqama.
How do I keep my home number active while I am in Saudi Arabia?
Keep the home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes, and turn off data roaming on it to avoid roaming charges. If it is prepaid, a mobile top-up keeps it active, and Slashtel sells top-ups to more than 100 countries delivered in minutes.
Will my phone work with an eSIM in Saudi Arabia?
The phone must be unlocked and eSIM compatible. The network is chosen automatically and cannot be picked by hand. Check the compatibility guide before buying, and install the eSIM at home so it is ready when you land.