Diplomats and premium visa-holders in Saudi Arabia have said that the conservative kingdom has quietly relaxed its alcohol restrictions for a limited group of foreign residents, according to AFP.
Although the government has made no recent public announcements on the issue, the sources said non-Muslim holders of premium residency visas can now purchase alcohol at Riyadh’s only licensed liquor store — a facility previously restricted to diplomats.
AFP interviewed four individuals who confirmed the change, including two diplomatic sources and two premium-residency holders. “I heard about it from friends who tried it. I went there two days ago and it actually worked,” AFP quoted one premium visa-holder as saying.
“It saved me a lot of money rather than buying from the black market. Prices are reasonable and we finally can buy alcohol.” Launched in 2019, Saudi Arabia’s premium residency programme is open to a select group of foreigners who meet various criteria, including a one-time payment of 800,000 riyals ($213,000). The visa lets holders live, work, and invest in the kingdom without needing a local “sponsor,” a requirement for most other non-nationals.
One premium residency-holder told AFP that he visited the store, saw another holder purchase alcohol, and was able to buy bottles himself.
“It actually worked for me, it’s so easy,” he said.
‘Walking out with 30 bottles’
An AFP correspondent passed by the gated entrance to the shop on Monday, which was guarded by security, and saw cars going in at frequent intervals.
A Western diplomat told AFP that acquaintances of his with premium residency had managed to buy alcohol in the past few days. “Expats WhatsApp groups are being flooded with the news,” he added.
A diplomat told AFP that “the (alcohol) store was packed” on Saturday, when she saw “people walking out with 30 bottles”.
The apparent loosening of the liquor regulations comes nearly two years after the kingdom opened its first and only liquor store in January 2024 in the capital’s diplomatic quarter, catering exclusively to non-Muslim foreign envoys.
There was no official announcement at the time, with two sources confirming the reports to AFP at the time. Since the rise to power of Saudi Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom has undergone steady changes in accordance with its plan to diversify the economy and attract tourists and international business.
Women are now allowed to drive, foreign tourists are being welcomed and cinemas have reopened.
Booze, however, remains a sticking point in the kingdom – the birthplace of Islam and home to two of its holiest cities.
Alcohol has been banned in Saudi Arabia since 1952, shortly after the son of then-King Abdulaziz got drunk and, in a rage, shot dead a British diplomat.
The ban on alcohol is still in place, a measure not uncommon in Muslim countries, where alcohol use is often restricted.
