You need two things: your iqama, and a bank account or wallet in your own name. Then use a bank remittance app (Tahweel Al Rajhi, Enjaz, SNB Quickpay) or a licensed wallet (stc bank, urpay, Barq, tiqmo). Most transfers cost between SAR 0 and SAR 25.

If your iqama has not arrived yet, you can still send up to SAR 10,000 per transfer during your first three months. Two things people get wrong: you can no longer pay cash at a remittance centre without an account, and Wise and Remitly do not send from Saudi Arabia yet — whatever older blogs say.

Your options at a glance

Service Type Typical fee* Payout options
Tahweel Al Rajhi Bank remittance arm ~SAR 13–19 app/center, SAR 0 promos on some corridors Bank deposit, cash pickup
Enjaz (Bank Albilad) Bank remittance arm Frequent SAR 0 app promotions Bank deposit, Western Union / Transfast cash pickup (800,000+ locations)
SNB Quickpay Bank remittance arm SAR 18.40 flat (incl. VAT); some corridors free Bank deposit, cash pickup
stc bank Digital bank Varies; Western Union rails Bank deposit, WU cash pickup, wallets
urpay Digital wallet (Al Rajhi group) Rotating SAR 0 campaigns; fee shown in-app Bank deposit, cash pickup, wallets
Barq Digital wallet Shown in-app (not published) Bank deposit, wallets (Thunes network)
tiqmo Digital wallet Shown in-app MoneyGram network: 480,000+ cash locations
Alinma Express Bank remittance arm Promos from SAR 0–5; standard fee in-app Bank deposit, Western Union
WorldRemit International app (pay by card) Shown in-app Bank deposit, cash pickup, mobile wallets (e.g. M-Pesa)

*Fees change often and differ by destination. The fee you see in the app before confirming is the real one — and remember the exchange rate matters more than the fee (see below).

Not available from Saudi Arabia (checked August 2026): Wise does not list the riyal as a send currency (Wise country list), and Remitly has announced a Saudi launch but has not started sending yet. Some websites still list them for Saudi Arabia — those pages are out of date. Both companies are moving into the market, so check again before you assume.

What you need before your first transfer

  1. A valid iqama (residence permit). If your iqama has not been issued yet, you are not stuck: during your first three months a bank may transfer up to SAR 10,000 per transfer, using your passport number as the reference — and less if the profession on your visa implies a lower salary. Once your iqama is issued, transfers must go through an account in your own name. Both rules are in the SAMA Rulebook, section 200.1.3.

  2. An account or wallet in your own name. Once your iqama is issued, banks may only transfer for you through your own account. Good news: your iqama is enough. SAMA's rule says a bank may open the account "after obtaining a copy of Iqama", plus your Saudi address — no letter from your employer, and no salary certificate. If a branch asks for one, it is not a SAMA requirement. Opening the account is usually done in minutes with Nafath, the government face-scan login.

    Before your iqama arrives it is different: in that first 90-day window the bank does need an official request from your employer, and the account is limited (card only, no chequebook).

  3. Your recipient's details. For bank deposit: full name as on their ID plus account/IBAN. For cash pickup: full name exactly as on their government ID.

The fee is not the real price — the exchange rate is

The Saudi riyal has been pegged at 3.75 SAR per US dollar since 1986, so the SAR side never moves. Providers make money on the other side: the rate they give you for rupees, pesos or shillings versus the mid-market rate. A "zero fee" transfer with a 2% worse exchange rate costs you more than a SAR 15 fee at a sharp rate on any transfer above ~SAR 750.

How to compare in 2 minutes: open two apps, enter the same SAR amount to the same destination, and compare the amount the recipient gets — not the fee line. That single number contains both fee and margin.

Step by step: your first app transfer

You in Saudi Arabia SAR Licensed app or bank remittance SAMA-regulated Bank account deposit Mobile wallet for example GCash, M-Pesa Cash pickup at an agent
How your money travels. You always pay in riyals through a SAMA-licensed app or bank; your family receives it as a bank deposit, a mobile wallet top-up, or cash at an agent. The exact screens differ by app, but this path is always the same.

The screens differ from app to app, so we describe what to look for rather than a specific layout — every licensed app follows this same order:

  1. Download your bank's remittance app (or a licensed wallet like urpay/tiqmo) and register with Nafath.
  2. Add a beneficiary: their name, country, and bank account / IBAN / pickup details.
  3. Enter the amount in SAR and check the recipient gets figure.
  4. Confirm with OTP. Bank deposits typically arrive within minutes to 1 business day; cash pickup is usually ready in minutes.
  5. Keep the receipt (in-app) — you may need the reference number for cash pickup.

If the money does not arrive

This is the moment nobody writes about, so here it is.

First, check the name. A mismatch between the name you typed and the name on your family's ID or bank account is the most common reason a transfer fails. If the money has not been released yet, most providers can correct the name or cancel and refund it — call them the same day.

Then follow this order:

  1. Open your app and save the proof — the transaction record and the reference number (Western Union calls it an MTCN). Screenshot the amount your family was supposed to receive.

  2. Contact the provider first, and keep the complaint number they give you. Published complaint lines:

    Provider Complaints / fraud
    Enjaz (Bank Albilad) 8005000300 (inside Saudi Arabia), 920011541 (from abroad)
    Al Rajhi / Tahweel 800 124 4455 (inside Saudi Arabia), 920 003 344 (from abroad)
    Saudi National Bank / Quickpay 8001160131

  3. If they do not fix it, escalate to the Saudi Central Bank. Every bank must answer a complaint within 5 working days, and SAMA's own Complaint Management System gives you a second level if you are still unhappy. Complaining costs nothing. (The old SAMACares service was replaced by this system in July 2025, so ignore older guides pointing there.)

Keep these for every transfer: the in-app receipt, the reference number, and a screenshot of the quoted recipient-gets amount. Without them you have no case.

Scams that target people sending money home

Nobody from your bank will ever ask for your OTP. Not by phone, not by WhatsApp, not by SMS. The code is the only thing standing between a stranger and your salary.

  • Fake "zero fee" links, especially around Ramadan and Eid. A message arrives in a WhatsApp group with a link that looks like your bank. Type the app name yourself instead of tapping links.
  • Someone offering to send on your behalf — an employer, an agent, an "office" with a better rate. Saudi rules require transfers to go through an account in your own name. If someone else sends it, the money is legally theirs, not yours, and you have no claim if it disappears.
  • A better rate on a messaging app. There is no legal way to beat the licensed rate by a wide margin. A big discount means someone else is taking the risk — or taking your money.
  • Cash-pickup reference numbers work like cash. Anyone with the number and the recipient's name can collect. Send it only to the person collecting.

Know your rights: if you are a domestic worker, your employer may not keep your passport, your identity papers or your personal belongings. That is written into the Domestic Workers Regulation (Article 15.2) on the government's own Musaned platform. You can report it to Musaned on 920002866, any time of day.

Avoid informal transfers (hawala)

Unlicensed money transfer is illegal in Saudi Arabia and can cost you your money with no recourse, plus fines and deportation risk. Every service in the table above is SAMA-licensed. With app fees now at or near zero on many corridors, the informal route has no price advantage left either.

FAQ

Can I send money without a bank account? Not as a resident. Since SAMA's rules tightened, remittance centers process expat transfers through an account in your own name. Digital wallets (urpay, tiqmo, Barq) count and take minutes to open with Nafath.

What's the cheapest way to send money from Saudi Arabia? Usually your own bank's remittance app on a promo corridor (SAR 0) — but always compare the recipient-gets amount against one wallet app. Corridor-specific guides: India, Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya (M-Pesa).

Is there a limit on how much I can send? Once you have an iqama there is no single national cap, but every provider sets its own daily and monthly limits, and they differ a lot — check the limit inside your app before you plan a large transfer. If you send an unusually large amount at once, the app may ask where the money came from. This is a normal anti-money-laundering check, not an accusation: have your salary certificate or bank statement ready. Regular monthly transfers from your salary rarely trigger it.

Is Western Union available in Saudi Arabia? Yes, but through partners: inside stc bank, Enjaz and Alinma rather than standalone WU branches.

How long do transfers take? Bank deposits: minutes to 1–2 business days depending on corridor. Cash pickup and wallet payouts: usually minutes.