Our Story

About NewToSaudi

By NewToSaudi Editorial Team

We're a team of expats, editors, and local experts building the most accurate, comprehensive guide to living and working in Saudi Arabia — completely free, forever.

Our Mission

We built the resource we wish existed

When our founders relocated to Riyadh in 2020 and 2021, they faced the same frustrating experience as thousands of expats before them: conflicting forum posts, outdated government PDFs, and advice from friends-of-friends that turned out to be completely wrong. The official processes were opaque. The unofficial information was unreliable.

So they started documenting everything — every ministry form, every Iqama step, every lease contract quirk — and sharing it with others in the same boat. What started as a shared Google Doc became a proper website in 2022. Today, NewToSaudi.com helps more than 50,000 expats per year navigate the relocation process with confidence.

We are 100% independent. We don't take sponsorships from relocation agencies, visa services, or housing companies. Our only job is to give you accurate, honest information so you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family.

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Editorial Integrity

How we keep information accurate

Saudi Arabia's regulations change frequently. Here's exactly how we make sure you're always reading the most current, verified information.

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Expert contributors who've lived it

Every guide is written or reviewed by someone who has personally completed the process in Saudi Arabia — not a copywriter working from a template. Our contributors include former HR managers, immigration lawyers, and long-term residents across Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.

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Weekly regulatory reviews

Our editorial team reviews Ministry of Human Resources, MISA, and Absher platform updates every week. When regulations change — and they do, often — we update affected pages within 48 hours and clearly mark the date of last review at the top of each guide.

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Community fact-checking

Our readers are our best fact-checkers. Every page has a "Was this helpful?" prompt and a direct feedback link. When community members flag outdated information, it goes into our review queue immediately. Thousands of corrections have come from readers in the field.

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No sponsored content — ever

We do not accept payment to feature any company, service, or product in our guides. We don't run affiliate links for visa agencies, relocation consultants, or property services. When we recommend something, it's because it genuinely helps — not because we were paid.

The Numbers

NewToSaudi by the Numbers

50,000+

Annual readers

and growing

24+

In-depth guides

expert-verified

City guides

Riyadh to AlUla

100%

Free, forever

no paywalls, ever

The Team

The people behind NewToSaudi

We're a small, dedicated team spread across Riyadh, Jeddah, and London — all with personal experience navigating life as expats in Saudi Arabia.

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Sarah Al-Rashidi

Head of Operations

Saudi-British dual national who spent 7 years in London before returning to Riyadh. Manages day-to-day operations and liaises with our contributor network.

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Marcus Chen

Tech & Digital

American software engineer who moved to Riyadh in 2019 for a tech role at a Vision 2030 startup. Manages the platform and keeps our content infrastructure running.

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Layla Mahmoud

Content Lead

Egyptian-British journalist based in Jeddah. Previously at the BBC Arabic service, Layla leads our editorial team and ensures every guide meets our accuracy standards.

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James O'Brien

Business Editor

Irish accountant who set up a business in Riyadh and went through the full MISA registration process. Leads our business and investment guides, with a focus on accuracy and practicality.

Get In Touch

Have a question or want to contribute?

We love hearing from readers — whether it's a correction, a question about your specific situation, or a pitch to write for us.

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Contact us

Have a question we haven't answered? Found something that's changed or out of date? Send us a message and our team will get back to you within 48 hours.

Send a message

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Write for NewToSaudi

Are you an expat with expertise in a specific area — HR, law, healthcare, finance? We're always looking for expert contributors who can bring real, first-hand knowledge to our guides.

Contribute a guide

Start here

Ready to start your Saudi journey?

Start with our most popular guides — the ones that help new arrivals hit the ground running.

Relocate

Before You Arrive

Visas, documents, shipping, and everything to sort before your flight to Saudi Arabia.

Read guide →

Work in Saudi

Get Your Iqama

Your residence permit — the one document you need for everything in Saudi Arabia.

Read guide →

Relocate

Your First 30 Days

Step-by-step plan for your first month — from airport to Iqama to settled expat life.

Read guide →

Weekly Briefing

Saudi expat updates, free weekly

Visa changes, housing, jobs, and local life — every Thursday, directly to your inbox.

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