Saudi Dependent Fees 2026: Wife & Children Cost Explained

For an ordinary private-sector expat sponsoring family members in Saudi Arabia, the main government family charge is the dependent levy, officially called the financial consideration on dependents and companions.

The Passport Directorate's official schedule set the rate at SAR 400 per dependent or companion per month from July 2020 onward. Saudi government revenue classifications still list this dependent financial consideration as an active government revenue category.

That means the simple annual planning figure is:

SAR 400 x 12 months = SAR 4,800 per dependent per year.

So a wife and two children normally mean a dependent-levy budget of:

3 dependents x SAR 4,800 = SAR 14,400 per year.

But the levy is not the only possible family cost. Residence fees, health insurance rules, documents, schools and other expenses are separate. The exact amount due should always be checked in the official SADAD, Absher or connected government system before payment.

Quick Answer

What Is the Saudi Dependent Levy?

The dependent levy is different from the normal Iqama fee.

The Saudi Ministry of Finance currently classifies it as:

المقابل المالي على المرافقين

In simple English:

financial consideration charged for each dependent or companion of covered expatriate workers in the private sector.

The charge was introduced in July 2017 and increased in stages.

The official Passport Directorate schedule was:

For 2026 planning, that gives a standard figure of SAR 400 per month per covered family member unless your official SADAD calculation or an applicable exemption shows otherwise.

Do not confuse this with:

• Employee work-permit levy
• Normal Iqama fee
• Exit and re-entry visa fee
• Family visit visa fee
• Medical insurance
• School fees
• Visa stamping
• Document attestation

They are separate costs.

Who Is Counted as a Dependent or Companion?

Saudi Passport guidance separates family members into two broad Arabic categories:

• تابع: dependent
• مرافق: companion

For the financial consideration, both categories can be included.

Passport guidance lists dependents such as:

• Wife
• Male children under 18
• Daughters

It also lists companions such as:

• Male children aged 18 and above
• Second, third or fourth wife
• Father
• Mother
• Father-in-law
• Mother-in-law
• Domestic workers
• Other expatriates registered in the system under the covered expatriate worker

For a normal family-residence case, the people most readers need to budget for are:

• Wife
• Children

If you are planning to bring your family to live with you, first read the Saudi family visa salary requirement guide so you understand the residence route before calculating the fees.

Saudi Dependent Fee Calculator for Wife and Children

The basic planning formula is:

Number of dependents x SAR 400 x number of months

For a full 12-month year:

Number of dependents x SAR 4,800

Annual Examples

These are dependent levy calculations only.

They do not include any separate:

• Iqama issuance or renewal fee
• Insurance
• Schooling
• Rent
• Visa costs
• Exit and re-entry visa
• Travel tickets
• Document attestation

Example: Wife and Two Children

Suppose you live in Saudi Arabia and sponsor:

• Wife
• Son
• Daughter

That is 3 covered family members.

Monthly Calculation

3 x SAR 400 = SAR 1,200

12-Month Calculation

SAR 1,200 x 12 = SAR 14,400

So your annual dependent levy planning figure is:

SAR 14,400

This is why the fee matters so much when deciding whether to move your family to Saudi Arabia.

For someone earning SAR 5,000 per month, SAR 14,400 is almost three months of salary before rent, groceries, school and transport.

That does not mean you should automatically keep your family outside Saudi Arabia. It simply means the decision should be based on the full household budget, not only the visa approval.

Example: Wife and One Child

You have:

• Wife
• One child

2 dependents x SAR 400 = SAR 800 per month

SAR 800 x 12 = SAR 9,600 per year

Again, this is only the levy.

Example: Wife and Three Children

You have:

• Wife
• Three children

4 dependents x SAR 400 = SAR 1,600 per month

SAR 1,600 x 12 = SAR 19,200 per year

If you are offered a job with "family status," ask HR exactly what that means.

It might include:

• Family accommodation
• Family flights
• Medical insurance
• School allowance
• Dependent levy reimbursement
• Some of these
• None of these

Do not assume "family status" automatically means the company pays every government family charge.

Is SAR 400 Paid Every Month?

Think of SAR 400 as the monthly calculation rate.

That does not mean you normally open your bank app every month and manually send SAR 400 for each dependent.

The Passport Directorate's official guidance describes the dependent financial consideration as collected:

• In advance
• Through SADAD
• In connection with relevant residency and visa services

Historically, the guidance described annual advance collection when:

• Issuing Iqama
• Renewing Iqama
• Issuing exit and re-entry
• Issuing final exit

The government system calculates what is due for the transaction.

That is why the safest method is:

Do not manually calculate a payment reference from a blog. Let the official SADAD or government service generate the amount.

How to Check the Exact Dependent Fee in SADAD

The exact menu differs between Saudi banks.

A normal path can look like:

1. Open your Saudi bank app
2. Go to Government Payments
3. Choose Ministry of Interior or Alien Control / Expatriate Services
4. Open the relevant dependent or residency payment
5. Enter the required sponsor or dependent information
6. Select the requested service or period where applicable
7. Let the banking system calculate the amount
8. Review before paying

The wording can differ between:

• Al Rajhi
• SNB
• Riyad Bank
• Alinma
• Bank Albilad
• SAB
• Other Saudi banks

Do not worry if your bank uses a slightly different menu name.

The important thing is that the payment is generated through an official government-payment route.

Is the Dependent Levy Refundable?

Official Passport guidance describes the dependent financial consideration as:

paid in advance and non-refundable.

This is important when planning:

• Family final exit
• Change in family plans
• Early departure
• Employer transfer
• Moving family back home

Do not assume that because your wife or child leaves Saudi Arabia early, you will automatically receive unused months back.

Before making a large advance payment for a specific residency or visa transaction, confirm the period being charged in the official system.

Does a Family Visit Visa Have the SAR 400 Dependent Fee?

No.

A temporary family visitor is not the same as a resident dependent with an Iqama.

The SAR 400 dependent levy is tied to covered dependents and companions of expatriate workers in the residency system.

A family visitor instead has:

• Visit visa costs
• Visitor medical insurance
• Possible extension fee
• Travel costs

Do not add SAR 4,800 per year to a temporary visitor just because the visitor is your wife, child or parent.

The type of legal status matters.

Dependent Levy vs Iqama Fee

This is one of the biggest areas of confusion.

They are not the same charge.

Dependent Levy

Planning figure:

SAR 400 per dependent per month

or:

SAR 4,800 per dependent for 12 months

Iqama Service Fee

Absher currently lists SAR 500 for issuing or renewing residence for a resident's family member after reaching the legal age of 18.

That SAR 500 is separate from the dependent levy.

So for an adult family member in a case where the SAR 500 residence fee applies, the government charges can include:

• Dependent levy
• Residence permit fee

Do not simply say:

"My wife's Iqama costs SAR 4,800."

The more accurate wording is:

"The dependent levy alone is SAR 4,800 per year, while separate residence fees may also apply."

What Happens When a Son Turns 18?

Turning 18 does not make the dependent levy disappear.

Passport guidance classifies:

• Male child under 18 as a dependent
• Male child 18 or older as a companion

Both categories are included in the financial consideration rules.

Absher also lists a separate SAR 500 residence fee for a resident's family member after reaching age 18.

So a son turning 18 can create more, not fewer, residency-related costs.

Check the live Absher and SADAD record when the child's status changes.

What About Daughters?

Passport guidance includes daughters in the dependent category.

Do not assume the levy stops automatically at 18 for a daughter.

Her actual residency status, marital status and sponsorship record can affect the wider family-residency situation.

For the levy itself, use the official system calculation rather than an age assumption from social media.

Are Newborn Babies Charged the Dependent Levy?

Yes, newborns are included in the official dependent-fee rules when they fall under the covered residency category.

The Passport Directorate specifically stated that newborns are included and that delayed registration does not remove the financial consideration for the period that should be charged.

This is a useful warning for new parents.

Do not delay:

• Birth registration
• Passport
• Adding the child to the Saudi system
• Insurance
• Dependent residency steps

because you think waiting will avoid the levy.

It can instead create:

• Retroactive charges
• Late procedures
• Residency problems

Adding a New Dependent After Arrival

Absher now has an electronic service to add a resident dependent.

Current Absher guidance says:

• The dependent must be inside Saudi Arabia
• The dependent needs a valid residence-entry visa
• The family head's Iqama must be valid
• Required entry fees must be paid
• Biometric photo/fingerprint should be available where required

Absher also warns that if more than 90 days pass from entry without adding the dependent, a financial penalty can be imposed on the family head.

Do not treat arrival in Saudi Arabia as the end of the process.

After the family enters, finish the dependent registration and Iqama steps on time.

If you are new to the Saudi residency system, the Saudi Iqama explained guide will help you understand why your family's legal status is tied to your own residence record.

Does the Employer Have to Pay the Dependent Levy?

Do not confuse your own employment fees with your family's dependent levy.

Saudi Labour Law places several worker-related government costs on the employer, such as:

• Work permit
• Worker Iqama
• Profession change
• Exit and re-entry fees for the worker under Article 40
• Other specified employment costs

But the dependent levy is a separate family-sponsorship financial consideration.

For an ordinary private-sector expat, the practical starting point is to assume that you need to budget for the dependent levy unless your employer contract or benefits package clearly says the company will pay or reimburse it.

Some employers offer:

• Full family-status package
• Dependent-fee allowance
• Annual family allowance
• Reimbursement after receipt
• No dependent-fee support

Ask HR in writing.

Good Question to Ask HR

Instead of asking:

"Do I get family status?"

ask:

"Does the company pay or reimburse the Saudi dependent levy for my wife and children, and if yes, what annual limit applies?"

That gives you a useful answer.

Important: Family Health Insurance Is Different

Health insurance is another cost that people often mix with the dependent levy.

For private-sector employees, Saudi Council of Health Insurance rules are important.

The Council says the employer must provide mandatory health insurance for covered employees and their covered family members.

For the family of a private-sector worker, covered members generally include:

• Wife or wives
• Male children under 25
• Unmarried, non-working daughters

The Council has also stated that the private-sector worker should not bear the mandatory insurance premiums for family members covered by the system.

So if your employer tells you:

"You must personally pay the full mandatory health insurance premium for your covered wife and children"

check that against the Council of Health Insurance rules.

This is very different from the dependent levy.

Parents and Other Companions

The Council's FAQ says the employer is not obligated to insure companions such as:

• Father
• Mother
• Brother
• Sister

when they are living permanently under the employee's sponsorship.

In those cases, the sponsor may have the insurance responsibility.

So always separate:

wife and covered children from other companions.

Does Health Insurance Replace the Dependent Levy?

No.

Even if your employer fully insures your wife and children, the government dependent levy can still apply.

These are completely different systems:

Insurance being free to you does not make the dependent levy free.

Who Is Exempt From the Dependent Levy?

Be careful with long "exemption lists" on social media.

The original Passport Directorate guidance states that categories already exempt from residence fees under the residency system remain exempt from the dependent financial consideration.

However, eligibility depends on the person's legal status.

One clear current example is Saudi Premium Residency.

The Premium Residency Center's current rules state that the Premium Residency holder and family are not subject to the dependent financial consideration collected from companions of expatriate workers in the private sector.

That does not mean an ordinary work-Iqama holder gets the same exemption.

If someone tells you:

"Your nationality is exempt"

or:

"Families are free from 2026"

do not believe it without an official source.

Check the live government calculation.

Has Saudi Arabia Cancelled Dependent Fees in 2026?

There are regular social media rumors about dependent fees being:

• Cancelled
• Reduced
• Frozen
• Waived for all families

Do not build your family budget on those rumors.

Current official Saudi government materials still recognize the dependent financial consideration as a government revenue category, and the Passport Directorate's published schedule set the rate at SAR 400 per month from July 2020 onward.

Until an official Saudi authority announces a change that applies to your category, use:

SAR 400 per month per covered dependent

for planning and verify the final amount through SADAD.

Does the Fee Apply to All Nationalities?

The Passport Directorate's original implementation guidance stated that the decision applies to all nationalities covered by the rule.

Do not assume:

• Pakistani family is exempt
• Indian family pays less
• Bangladeshi family pays more
• Filipino family has a different dependent levy

The fee is based on the legal status and category, not a normal nationality-based price list.

When Do You Usually Need to Pay?

Official Passport guidance connects the dependent financial consideration to important residency and travel transactions.

These can include:

• Issue residence permit
• Renew residence permit
• Exit and re-entry visa
• Final exit

The exact amount due depends on the system calculation for the transaction.

That is another reason to keep your family fees current.

If your family's Iqamas are approaching expiry, read our Saudi Iqama renewal guide before the last week.

Dependent Fees and Exit/Re-Entry Visa

When issuing exit and re-entry for a covered worker or family member, the Passport Directorate's implementation guidance says the dependent financial consideration due must be settled.

This is separate from the actual exit and re-entry visa fee.

So you may have:

1. Dependent levy amount due
2. Exit and re-entry visa fee

Do not confuse the two when your bank shows several government payments.

Our Saudi exit and re-entry visa guide explains the visa fee separately.

Dependent Fees and Final Exit

A final exit does not mean you can ignore outstanding dependent financial consideration.

Passport guidance says the amount legally due must be settled when final exit is processed.

The system may calculate the amount up to the relevant date and can account for the relationship between Iqama validity and final-exit validity.

If you are sending your family home permanently, do not guess the amount yourself.

Do this:

1. Check family Iqama validity
2. Check SADAD amount
3. Pay only through official government channels
4. Process final exit
5. Save payment and exit records

For the wider process, use the Saudi final exit and Iqama cancellation guide.

Can You Pay Only for 3 or 6 Months?

This question needs care.

Saudi Arabia has introduced more flexible quarterly payment structures for some work-permit and residence services, and in July 2026 it also introduced quarterly residence issuance and renewal for domestic workers.

But that does not mean you should assume every ordinary family-dependent levy can always be manually paid in any period you choose.

The older dependent-fee implementation guidance described annual advance collection.

The safest rule is:

Use the period and amount offered by the live SADAD, Absher or related service for your exact transaction.

Do not transfer only SAR 1,200 because you personally decided to pay "three months" unless the official system gives you that option.

Annual Family Budget Examples

The following examples show only the dependent levy.

Couple With No Children

Sponsor + wife:

• Dependents charged: 1
• Annual levy: SAR 4,800

Couple With One Child

Sponsor + wife + child:

• Dependents charged: 2
• Annual levy: SAR 9,600

Couple With Two Children

Sponsor + wife + 2 children:

• Dependents charged: 3
• Annual levy: SAR 14,400

Couple With Three Children

Sponsor + wife + 3 children:

• Dependents charged: 4
• Annual levy: SAR 19,200

Couple With Four Children

Sponsor + wife + 4 children:

• Dependents charged: 5
• Annual levy: SAR 24,000

What Should You Budget Beyond the Levy?

Do not stop your family budget at SAR 4,800 per person.

Think about:

Residence Fees

Separate Iqama fees may apply.

Absher currently lists SAR 500 for a resident family member after reaching the legal age of 18.

Health Insurance

For covered wife and children of a private-sector worker, the employer has mandatory insurance responsibilities.

For other companions, you may need to arrange insurance yourself.

Housing

A bachelor room and a family apartment can be very different in price.

School

For children, school can be one of the largest annual costs.

Food and Transport

A family budget changes your:

• Grocery bill
• Electricity
• Internet
• Car use
• Fuel
• Taxi cost

Flights

If your contract does not include family tickets, annual travel can become another large cost.

A Better Way to Decide If You Can Afford Family Residence

Do not ask only:

"Can I qualify for the visa?"

Ask:

"Can I comfortably pay the full family cost every year?"

For example:

You earn SAR 6,000 per month.

Your wife and two children would create a levy of:

SAR 14,400 per year

That equals:

SAR 1,200 per month in annualized cost

Now add:

• Family rent
• School
• Food
• Transport
• Flights
• Any costs not covered by employer

If the final monthly family budget leaves you with almost nothing, waiting may be financially safer.

If your company provides:

• Family accommodation
• Insurance
• School allowance
• Flights
• Levy reimbursement

then the same SAR 6,000 salary can look very different.

Common Myths About Saudi Dependent Fees

"The SAR 400 Fee Was Cancelled in 2026"

Do not rely on this unless a Saudi government authority officially changes the rule.

Current government sources still recognize the dependent financial consideration.

"Children Under 18 Are Free"

No.

Passport guidance includes male children under 18 and daughters as dependents for the financial consideration.

"My Son Turns 18, So I Stop Paying"

No.

Male children 18 and older are classified as companions and can remain subject to the financial consideration.

A separate SAR 500 residence fee can also apply after age 18.

"The Employer Must Pay the Dependent Levy"

Do not assume this.

Check your employment package.

The employer clearly has legal responsibilities for the worker's employment-related fees and for mandatory health insurance of covered family members, but the dependent levy is a separate family charge.

"Health Insurance Is Another SAR 2,000 I Must Pay Myself"

Not necessarily.

For covered wife and children of a private-sector worker, CHI rules place mandatory insurance responsibility on the employer.

"I Can Avoid the Levy by Not Registering a Newborn"

No.

Passport guidance specifically includes newborns and says delayed registration does not eliminate the relevant charge.

"A Family Visit Visa Also Costs SAR 400 per Month"

No.

Temporary visit status is not the same as dependent residence.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Official Sources Checked

This guide was reviewed against official Saudi government and primary sources on September 7, 2026.

• Saudi Press Agency / General Directorate of Passports: dependent and companion financial consideration
• Saudi Ministry of Interior / Passports
• Saudi Ministry of Finance Revenue Classification: financial consideration on dependents
• Absher official platform
• Council of Health Insurance: mandatory coverage rules
• Council of Health Insurance: employer family-insurance responsibility
• Saudi Premium Residency Center: rules and exemptions

The Passport Directorate's official schedule set the dependent financial consideration at SAR 400 per month from July 2020 onward. The Ministry of Finance continues to classify this charge as government revenue. Always use the live SADAD or government-system amount for your specific transaction.

Bottom Line

For a normal private-sector expat family in Saudi Arabia, the simplest 2026 planning figure is:

SAR 400 per month per covered dependent

which equals:

SAR 4,800 per dependent for 12 months.

So:

• Wife only: SAR 4,800/year
• Wife + 1 child: SAR 9,600/year
• Wife + 2 children: SAR 14,400/year
• Wife + 3 children: SAR 19,200/year

Remember that this is the dependent levy only.

Separate residency fees may apply, and Absher currently lists SAR 500 for a resident family member after reaching age 18.

For covered wife and children of a private-sector worker, mandatory health insurance is normally the employer's responsibility under Saudi Council of Health Insurance rules.

Before paying anything, let SADAD or the official Saudi system calculate the amount for your exact family record. Do not pay an agent, do not rely on fee-cancellation rumors, and do not confuse a temporary family visit visa with dependent residence.