The legal basis
The laws, in plain English.
Every decision and law behind the Golden Residency and foreign ownership, with the official text linked.
Ministerial Decision No. 20 of 2022
Ministerial Decision No. 20 of 2022 (Minister of Interior), 10 Feb 2022: the Golden Residency law. Categories, 10-year renewable, conditions (good conduct, health insurance, lawful income), dependants, fees BHD 300 each, cancellation grounds.
Ministerial Decision No. 150 of 2025
Ministerial Decision No. 150 of 2025, 24 Nov 2025: lowers property threshold from BHD 200,000 to BHD 130,000 and repeals the 90-days-a-year presence cancellation ground. Effective on Gazette publication.
Cabinet Decision No. 47 of 2023
Cabinet Decision No. 47 of 2023 (Gazette 3685, 26 Jun 2023): Platinum Residency.
Legislative Decree No. 2 of 2001
Legislative Decree No. 2 of 2001: non-Bahrainis may own built property and land.
Council of Ministers Decision No. 43 of 2003
Council of Ministers Decision No. 43 of 2003 (11 Aug 2003): areas where non-Bahrainis may own (original list).
Decision No. 8 of 2006
Decision No. 8 of 2006: adds Riffa Views as a non-Bahraini ownership area (referenced in Decision 38/2023).
Decision No. 38 of 2023
Decision No. 38 of 2023 (20 Apr 2023): replaces the list; non-Bahrainis may own only in residential building areas category A, B and C, and investment/tourism areas and projects in the attached schedule and maps.
Decision No. 48 of 2023
Decision No. 48 of 2023 (26 Jun 2023): Platinum residency holders may own property outside the listed areas, except areas excluded by the Minister of Justice.
Cabinet decision published April 2025 amending Decision 43/2003
Cabinet decision published April 2025 amending Decision 43/2003: adds Bilaj Al Jazayer (once classified an investment/tourism area) and new parts of Diyar Al Muharraq. Decision number not found.
Law No. 27 of 2017
Law No. 27 of 2017 (Real Estate Sector Regulation Law, issued 27 Jul 2017), created RERA; repealed Law 28/2014 on Real Estate Development. Off-plan sales need a RERA project licence and registration in the Off-Plan Sale Projects Register; developer escrow account with a CBB-licensed bank trustee, protected from developer creditors; a retention held for 1 year after handover; notation of the project on the land register.
SLRB sale registration fee
SLRB sale registration fee: 2%, reduced to 1.7% if submitted within 60 days of notarisation. Mortgage registration BHD 5.