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Best Credit Cards for Expats in Saudi Arabia — September 2026

Saudi banks usually treat an expat as a non-Saudi resident applicant, not as a separate card tier. We researched official card pages, fee tables and application requirements on 25 August 2026. This shortlist favors products with a published Iqama or resident-document route; approval still depends on the bank's checks.

Quick comparison

Rank	Card	Best for	Annual fee	Core terms
1	SAB Cashback Visa	Best overall for a resident who wants no annual fee	No annual fee; confirm VAT treatment and current terms before applying.	The published digital conditions are for a new-to-bank journey, so an existing SAB relationship may follow a different route.
2	Riyad Cashback Visa Signature	Clearest published resident application path	SAR 500 before VAT; SAR 575 including 15% VAT.	The five named categories are supermarkets, restaurants, fuel or taxis, entertainment and pharmacies.
3	Emirates NBD Mazyid Cashback	Broad everyday categories with an Iqama route	Check the current product disclosure before applying; the cashback terms do not state the annual card fee.	The cashback terms cap restaurants at SAR 200, groceries at SAR 200, medical at SAR 100, education at SAR 100, airlines and hotels at SAR 100 and fast food at SAR 200 per month.
4	Al Rajhi Cashback Plus Signature	High restaurant cashback for existing Al Rajhi customers	SAR 450 before VAT; SAR 517.50 including 15% VAT.	Dining and supermarkets each have a SAR 200 monthly cap; food delivery has a separate SAR 200 cap.
5	Al Rajhi Cashback Plus Platinum	Lower-fee Al Rajhi category option	SAR 250 before VAT; SAR 287.50 including 15% VAT.	Food delivery, dining, supermarkets, other local spend and other international spend each have a SAR 200 category cap; total cashback is capped at SAR 500.

Quick answer

SAB Cashback is the strongest first stop for many expats because it has no annual fee, a 2% eligible international base rate and a digital application that links the mobile number to a National ID or Iqama. Riyad Cashback has the clearest published non-Saudi document list. Emirates NBD Mazyid and Al Rajhi Cashback cards add strong category rates, but each has separate caps, fees or account rules.

What this category means

An expat card is not automatically a special product. It is a normal credit card whose issuer accepts a non-Saudi resident document and then checks income, employment, credit history and other policy rules. An Iqama proves residence; it does not promise approval or a particular credit limit.

Fees and main limits

Card	Published annual fee	Main limit to check
SAB Cashback Visa	No annual fee; confirm VAT treatment and current terms before applying.	The 10% category rate starts only after SAR 15,000 of total eligible monthly spend; confirm the live schedule before applying.
Riyad Cashback Visa Signature	SAR 500 before VAT; SAR 575 including 15% VAT.	The card page does not state a minimum salary. Do not treat the salary certificate request as an approval promise.
Emirates NBD Mazyid Cashback	SAR 200 before VAT on the current card comparison page; verify the product disclosure before applying.	The agent route and cashback terms are separate documents; confirm the current fee, credit limit and eligible MCCs at application.
Al Rajhi Cashback Plus Signature	SAR 450 before VAT; SAR 517.50 including 15% VAT.	You need an Al Rajhi account and the dining rate stops at SAR 200 of cashback per month.
Al Rajhi Cashback Plus Platinum	SAR 250 before VAT; SAR 287.50 including 15% VAT.	The SAR 500 total cap and SAR 200 category caps limit the value once your monthly spend grows.

How we reviewed and ranked

We ranked resident-document clarity, annual fee, international-use cost, useful cashback, category caps and application friction. We did not invent a minimum salary when the issuer did not publish one. We also separated a card's advertised reward from the conditions that can block it.

We used issuer pages, fee schedules and terms in force on the review date.

We kept permanent terms separate from timed offers.

We compared net value and restrictions, not an arbitrary score.

1. SAB Cashback Visa — Best overall for a resident who wants no annual fee

SAB's new-to-bank route lists GOSI registration, a mobile number linked to the applicant's National ID or Iqama, at least three months in the current job and a NAFATH application. The card page lists 1% on eligible local spend and 2% on eligible international spend, with higher restaurant, supermarket and fuel rates after total monthly-spend tiers.

Fees and limits: No annual fee; confirm VAT treatment and current terms before applying. The 10% category rate starts only after SAR 15,000 of total eligible monthly spend; confirm the live schedule before applying.

Key features

The published digital conditions are for a new-to-bank journey, so an existing SAB relationship may follow a different route.

Preferred-category caps are SAR 200 for restaurants, SAR 100 for supermarkets and SAR 100 for fuel; the base local and international rates have no stated monthly cap.

Pros

No annual fee

2% eligible international base rate

Cons

The digital route has GOSI, job-tenure and NAFATH conditions

The highest category rate needs high total spend

Best fit: You have a valid Iqama, meet SAB's new-to-bank digital conditions and want one card for local, international, restaurant, supermarket and fuel spend. Main limit: The 10% category rate starts only after SAR 15,000 of total eligible monthly spend; confirm the live schedule before applying.

2. Riyad Cashback Visa Signature — Clearest published resident application path

Riyad Bank's card page says applicants must be at least 18 and comply with the bank's and SIMAH's issuance policies. It asks non-Saudi applicants for a valid resident ID or passport and salaried applicants for a salary certificate. Cashback rises from 5% to 7% to 10% after total eligible spend of SAR 2,500, SAR 7,500 or SAR 15,000.

Fees and limits: SAR 500 before VAT; SAR 575 including 15% VAT. The card page does not state a minimum salary. Do not treat the salary certificate request as an approval promise.

Key features

The five named categories are supermarkets, restaurants, fuel or taxis, entertainment and pharmacies.

Category caps rise to SAR 100, SAR 150 or SAR 200 at the three spend tiers; the total cap rises to SAR 500, SAR 750 or SAR 1,000.

Pros

Resident documents are stated on the card page

High caps for a high-spend household

Cons

SAR 500 annual fee before VAT

The top rate needs SAR 15,000 of monthly spend

Best fit: You can provide a resident ID or passport and salary certificate, pass the bank and SIMAH checks and spend across the listed everyday categories. Main limit: The card page does not state a minimum salary. Do not treat the salary certificate request as an approval promise.

3. Emirates NBD Mazyid Cashback — Broad everyday categories with an Iqama route

Emirates NBD's agent-banking page says a credit-card applicant can apply without a current account using a valid Iqama or Saudi National ID and a registered mobile number. Mazyid's terms list 10% at restaurants, 5% at groceries, medical, pharmacies and education, 2% at airlines, hotels and fast food, and 0.5% on other eligible spend.

Fees and limits: SAR 200 before VAT on the current card comparison page; verify the product disclosure before applying. The agent route and cashback terms are separate documents; confirm the current fee, credit limit and eligible MCCs at application.

Key features

The cashback terms cap restaurants at SAR 200, groceries at SAR 200, medical at SAR 100, education at SAR 100, airlines and hotels at SAR 100 and fast food at SAR 200 per month.

Merchant category codes decide eligibility, so the shop name alone is not enough.

Pros

Wide mix of expat-relevant household categories

No minimum spend stated in the cashback terms

Cons

Several separate caps

The fee and application channel need a live check

Best fit: You want restaurants, groceries, health, education and travel categories and can track several separate monthly caps. Main limit: The agent route and cashback terms are separate documents; confirm the current fee, credit limit and eligible MCCs at application.

4. Al Rajhi Cashback Plus Signature — High restaurant cashback for existing Al Rajhi customers

Al Rajhi's current Signature table lists 10% on dining, 5% on supermarkets, 0.5% on other local spend and 2% on other international spend. It asks for an existing Al Rajhi account and a valid National ID or Iqama. The annual fee is SAR 450 before VAT and total cashback stops at SAR 500 per month.

Fees and limits: SAR 450 before VAT; SAR 517.50 including 15% VAT. You need an Al Rajhi account and the dining rate stops at SAR 200 of cashback per month.

Key features

Dining and supermarkets each have a SAR 200 monthly cap; food delivery has a separate SAR 200 cap.

The HungerStation headline splits 10% to the card and 5% to the HungerStation wallet, subject to its offer rules.

Pros

10% published dining rate

Iqama and bank-account requirements are visible on the product page

Cons

SAR 450 annual fee before VAT

2% international fee and SAR 500 total cashback cap

Best fit: You have an Al Rajhi account and valid Iqama, spend heavily on dining or food delivery and can recover the higher annual fee. Main limit: You need an Al Rajhi account and the dining rate stops at SAR 200 of cashback per month.

5. Al Rajhi Cashback Plus Platinum — Lower-fee Al Rajhi category option

The Platinum table lists 10% on food delivery, 5% on dining and supermarkets, 0.5% on other local spend and 2% on other international spend. The application asks for an existing Al Rajhi account and a valid National ID or Iqama. Its annual fee is SAR 250 before VAT.

Fees and limits: SAR 250 before VAT; SAR 287.50 including 15% VAT. The SAR 500 total cap and SAR 200 category caps limit the value once your monthly spend grows.

Key features

Food delivery, dining, supermarkets, other local spend and other international spend each have a SAR 200 category cap; total cashback is capped at SAR 500.

The product page lists access to 25 global airport lounges through the Visa Airport Companion program; check the app's live rule.

Pros

Lower annual fee than Al Rajhi Signature

2% eligible international cashback

Cons

Requires an Al Rajhi account

Dining rate is lower than Signature

Best fit: You want the Al Rajhi Iqama route but your dining and food-delivery spend does not justify Signature's higher fee. Main limit: The SAR 500 total cap and SAR 200 category caps limit the value once your monthly spend grows.

Decision checklist

Choose SAB first if no annual fee and international cashback matter most.

Choose Riyad Cashback when you want the clearest published non-Saudi document list and can reach its tiers.

Choose Mazyid when your spending spans health, education and groceries as well as dining.

Choose Al Rajhi Signature for high dining spend; choose Platinum when the lower fee matters more.

Before applying, compare the card's fee, FX charge, cap, bank-account rule and the exact application channel.

Final verdict

SAB Cashback is the cleanest starting point for many expats because its fee is zero and its digital route names the Iqama-linked checks. Riyad Cashback is the most explicit about non-Saudi application documents. Mazyid is useful for wide household categories, while Al Rajhi's two Cashback Plus cards suit existing customers who can use their caps. None of these pages promises approval; keep your Iqama, salary evidence and credit record current.

Frequently asked questions

What documents does an expat usually need?

The issuer may ask for a valid Iqama, passport, salary certificate, employment details and a mobile number registered to the Iqama. Some digital routes add GOSI, NAFATH or a minimum job period.

Is there a special credit card for expats?

Usually no. Banks issue the same card families after checking a non-Saudi resident's identity, income, employer, credit history and policy limits.

Which card has the lowest annual fee?

SAB Cashback currently states no annual fee. Confirm the live fee table and VAT treatment before applying because issuers can change terms.

Do expats have to transfer their salary?

Not every card page says so. The requirement depends on the bank, product and application route. Ask the issuer rather than assuming that an Iqama alone is enough.

What should I compare before applying?

Compare annual fee including VAT, foreign-transaction fee, cashback caps, merchant-code exclusions, bank-account or salary rules, required documents and the repayment cost if you carry a balance.