The Ministry of Interior residence affairs sector is currently reviewing the files of expatriates under Article 24 (self-sponsorship). Al Rai wrote that about 10,000 Article 24 residence permits are under review, after the ministry discovered a large number of expats who unlawfully acquired the residency and did not meet the transfer application requirements.
The ministry noted that self-sponsorship is granted to specific applicants, such as businessmen, partners in commercial licenses, and to a wife whose husband is serving a criminal sentence in prison, and other specific cases.
Furthermore, the Residency Affairs Sector developed a comprehensive review plan to prohibit the renewal of any self-sponsored residency or the granting of a new residency, except through the approval of the Assistant Undersecretary of the Residency and Nationality Affairs Sector, Fawaz Al-Mashaan. Approval is granted to those that meet the requirements, while suspicious files are referred to the audit committee. The renewal of the residency takes between ten days and three weeks.
