Saudi Eases Alcohol Rules for Expats
Foreign residents Saudi Arabia say the country has further relaxed restrictions on alcohol sales, days after non-diplomat expatriates were allowed to buy alcohol for the first time.
According to a report published in Dawn, citing AFP, local residents said non-Muslim foreign workers earning at least 50,000 riyals a month can now purchase alcohol.
They said the sales are taking place at the country’s only licensed shop in Riyadh.
Late last month, holders of the premium residency visa were permitted to buy alcohol in Riyadh for the first time.
This marked the moment when non-diplomatic residents could purchase it from the store in the capital’s diplomatic quarter, and the rules were then quietly eased again.
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In recent days, residents said they have been providing their residency documents to store staff, who check salary details through a Saudi platform before approving purchases.
The premium residency programme, launched in 2019, is available to selected foreigners who meet specific criteria, including a one-time payment of 800,000 riyals.
For years, some residents in the city have produced their own illegal alcohol. Others rely on the black market, where a bottle of whisky can sell for several hundred dollars.
Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has made changes to diversify the economy, promote tourism, and attract business.
