Saudi Arabia further relaxes alcohol restrictions for foreign residents

Saudi Arabia further relaxes alcohol restrictions for foreign residents

Saudi Arabia has further eased alcohol restrictions for a select group of non-Muslim foreign residents.

The update comes shortly after premium residency holders were permitted to buy alcohol at the kingdom’s first regulated retail outlet in Riyadh.

Residents reported that eligible non-Muslim foreigners earning at least 50,000 riyals per month are now able to buy products at the store, located in the capital’s diplomatic quarter. Individuals said staff verified residency status and salary information through official government platforms before completing any transaction.

The Riyadh outlet, opened in early 2024 for accredited diplomatic personnel, has seen a sharp rise in activity since the policy adjustments. Sources familiar with the process noted that more than 12,500 premium visa holders have made purchases since the initial relaxation.

Saudi authorities have not issued public statements regarding the updates to the regulations. However, industry sources indicated plans to open additional controlled-access alcohol shops in Jeddah and Dhahran by 2026, though official confirmation has not been provided.

Despite these changes, alcohol remains tightly regulated in the kingdom, which maintains a decades-long prohibition rooted in religious and legal frameworks.

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Rita Ghantous

Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.

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