Saudi Arabia Regularizes Residency for 1.9 Million Yemeni Nationals

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud issued a royal directive to regularize the residency status of Yemeni nationals residing irregularly within Saudi Arabia. The initiative follows a formal request from Rashad Al-Alimi, the President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, and aims to provide stability and formal employment access to an estimated 1.8 million to 1.9 million people.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior is leading the implementation in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Saudi Data and AI Authority. To qualify for legal status, applicants must hold a valid Yemeni passport. While the Saudi government has not yet announced a start date or specific regulations, it stated that details will be released via the General Directorate of Passports and other official channels.

The announcement coincides with a declaration of all-out war by President Al-Alimi against Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Government of Yemen praised the residency initiative as a reflection of Saudi Arabia's humanitarian approach, even as the Kingdom continues broader enforcement campaigns targeting general residency and labor violations.