Saudi Arabia lifting alcohol ban for wealthy foreign residents

Saudi Arabia has quietly begun allowing wealthy foreign residents to legally purchase alcohol, marking a significant shift from a ban that has been in place for more than seven decades.

The move, introduced without public announcement in late 2025, represents one of the kingdom's most sensitive social policy changes to date.

The controlled sale of alcohol is taking place at a discreet, unmarked store in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter, an affluent enclave home to embassies and upscale residential compounds, reports BBC.

The shop first opened in January 2024, but access was initially limited to non-Muslim diplomats. Under the new rules, eligibility has been expanded to include wealthy, non-Muslim foreign residents living in the kingdom.

To qualify, foreign residents must either hold a Premium Residency permit – priced at 100,000 Saudi riyals ($27,000) per year – or earn a minimum monthly salary of 50,000 riyals.

Premium Residency status is typically granted to senior executives, investors and highly skilled professionals.

Eligible buyers are required to present their residence ID, which specifies religion and residency status, while those without the permit must also show a company-issued salary certificate. Foreign tourists remain excluded from the scheme.

Alcohol sales have been banned in Saudi Arabia – home to Islam's two holiest sites – since 1952, reflecting the kingdom's strict interpretation of Islamic law.

However, under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country has undertaken wide-ranging social and economic reforms aimed at modernising society and attracting foreign investment.

These changes have included reopening cinemas, hosting large-scale music festivals, lifting the ban on women driving and reducing the authority of the religious police.