Article 7 of the Saudi Privileged Residency Law

This article sets the general obligation on the holder of privileged residency, which is to comply with three levels of rules:

• The Privileged Residency Permit Law itself.
• The Implementing Regulations of the Law.
• Other laws and instructions in force in the Kingdom, meaning that privileged residency does not exempt its holder from the general rules in force in the country.

The article ends with the phrase "without prejudice to the provisions set out in the Law", which means that this general obligation does not cancel the special provisions established by the Privileged Residency Permit Law, such as the rights and benefits it gives to its holder.

In practical terms, the holder of privileged residency is treated, in his obligation to comply with the general laws, like anyone else living in the Kingdom, and may not rely on his privileged residency to escape a law or instructions in force, except as the Privileged Residency Permit Law itself provides.

This article is preceded by Article 6, which sets out what the applicant must do after approval, namely pay the fee and submit medical insurance; this article, by contrast, concerns the conduct of the residency holder after obtaining it. The article gives no specific examples of the obligations, so their details are found in the Law, the Regulations and the other laws. Anyone facing a violation that may affect his residency would do well to consult a lawyer specialized in residency affairs.