Saudi residents say booze ban eased for more foreigners

Foreign residents living in Saudi Arabia tell AFP that restrictions on the sale of alcohol have been further relaxed, just days after non-diplomats were first able to buy booze in the conservative kingdom.

Non-Muslim foreign residents earning at least 50,000 riyals a month ($13,300) are now able to purchase alcoholic beverages at the country’s sole liquor store in Riyadh, according to six people who spoke to AFP.

Late last month, premium visa-holders were able to buy booze in Riyadh, marking the first time residents who were not foreign diplomats were able to legally purchase alcohol at the store in the capital’s diplomatic quarter. And then the rules were quietly eased again.

In recent days, individuals said they provided their residency documents to staff at the shop, who then checked their salary information using a Saudi platform, before selling them alcohol.

“We were surprised and didn’t believe it at the beginning,” one expatriate says after receiving messages from friends via Whatsapp about the eased restrictions.

“We entered after checking and succeeded in buying alcohol,” he adds.