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Sweaty Ted
Joined: 17 Mar 2012
Posts: 54
Location: USA
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 Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 5:41 pm Post subject: I have my visa documents. How much longer do I wait? |
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To whom it may concern:
I have been offered a post with King Khalid University in Abha. The dean sent me the visa paper by attachment and it was sent to the Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C. Here is what I have so far:
1. The completed physical with the form in triplicates. I now have to get it signed by the health dept. here in Arizona.
2. My B.A. and my M.Ed. I have to go to my bank to have a notary public sign them.
3. I am calling my local police dept. tomorrow. I need to get a no-objection letter and get it notarized.
4. I have my passport with six more years of validity; in addition, it has no Israeli stamps.
5. Passport photos are simple to obtain.
6. Fed Ex return envelopes are also easy to obtain.
If I send out all these documents by Fed Ex on Wednesday (7/25), how long do you think it will take the Saudi embassy to put the visa in my passport and mail it back to me? The reason I ask is that they are very lackadaisical in regards to getting back to people who have questions. I appreciate any information you can offer. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Sweaty Ted,
It's Ramadan - don't expect any fast action (maybe not even any slow action.)
Regards,
John |
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lcanupp1964
Joined: 12 Dec 2009
Posts: 381
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| Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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You will need to get your university degrees sent to the embassy in D.C. to get approved FIRST. They will then send them back to you approved hopefully within three/four days. They insist that you use United Sates Postal Service Overnight and not FedEx for all mailings. You will then need to place those documents and send your visa application package to the Saudi Culture Mission in D.C. (unless the process has changed since I applied four years ago). Keep in mind that these are two different addresses.
I believe people NOT teaching at a university in the kingdom does not have to send the package to the Saudi Culture Mission in D.C. Someone please let me know if that has changed. 
Getting a flash of post traumatic stress just thinking about the process � good luck! |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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| lcanupp1964 wrote: |
You will need to get your university degrees sent to the embassy in D.C. to get approved FIRST. They will then send them back to you approved hopefully within three/four days. They insist that you use United Sates Postal Service Overnight and not FedEx for all mailings. You will then need to place those documents and send your visa application package to the Saudi Culture Mission in D.C. (unless the process has changed since I applied four years ago). Keep in mind that these are two different addresses.
I believe people NOT teaching at a university in the kingdom does not have to send the package to the Saudi Culture Mission in D.C. Someone please let me know if that has changed.
Getting a flash of post traumatic stress just thinking about the process � good luck! |
Because I'd been hired by a Saudi uni, I was required to use the SACM in D.C. for my employment visa processing. For those who aren't aware, the SACM also handles administrative processing (visa & travel) for US citizens directly employed by Saudi unis. However, I don't know if that's the case for all Saudi unis. Anyway, they were very professional and it didn't cost me more than the overnight mailing expenses and visa processing fees. As you mentioned, I did have my uni degree authenticated by them before completing all my med exams, and they were quick---I literally got my passport and authenticated copy of my degree back three days from the day I mailed my academic documents to them. |
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lcanupp1964
Joined: 12 Dec 2009
Posts: 381
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| Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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| It might only be the major universities in the kingdom. I think there's a list on the KSA embassy website. I teach at KAU, so I had to send my package to the SACM in D.C. |
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al-Californian
Joined: 27 Jan 2008
Posts: 96
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 12:43 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
Because I'd been hired by a Saudi uni, I was required to use the SACM in D.C. for my employment visa processing. For those who aren't aware, the SACM also handles administrative processing (visa & travel) for US citizens directly employed by Saudi unis. However, I don't know if that's the case for all Saudi unis. Anyway, they were very professional and it didn't cost me more than the overnight mailing expenses and visa processing fees. As you mentioned, I did have my uni degree authenticated by them before completing all my med exams, and they were quick---I literally got my passport and authenticated copy of my degree back three days from the day I mailed my academic documents to them. |
So you didn't use an agent and had SACM process your visa application? Got a contact person for us?!! |
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uzurisoul
Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 28
Location: Dammam
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| Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:02 am Post subject: |
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Ted,
I�m currently going through the visa process (elementary teaching position).
After my degrees were notarized, I had to send them to my Department of State. From there, I sent them to the U.S. Department of State in Washington. �now I�m waiting for the validation from the Saudi Cultural Mission.
The Cultural Mission required the following items for degree verification:
*A letter stating the reason for authentication
*Written consent to allow them to verify your degree
*A copy of the contract
*A certified copy of the degree
*Transcript
*Name of the university registrar
*Printout from DegreeVerify.com $10/each |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 12:52 pm Post subject: |
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| al-Californian wrote: |
| nomad soul wrote: |
Because I'd been hired by a Saudi uni, I was required to use the SACM in D.C. for my employment visa processing. For those who aren't aware, the SACM also handles administrative processing (visa & travel) for US citizens directly employed by Saudi unis. However, I don't know if that's the case for all Saudi unis. Anyway, they were very professional and it didn't cost me more than the overnight mailing expenses and visa processing fees. As you mentioned, I did have my uni degree authenticated by them before completing all my med exams, and they were quick---I literally got my passport and authenticated copy of my degree back three days from the day I mailed my academic documents to them. |
So you didn't use an agent and had SACM process your visa application? Got a contact person for us?!! |
The SACM's website is www.sacm.org. Call them and ask. But as I said, I don't know if they do the admin processing for all Saudi unis and apparently Saudi-based schools also.
| uzurisoul wrote: |
| After my degrees were notarized, I had to send them to my Department of State. From there, I sent them to the U.S. Department of State in Washington. �now I�m waiting for the validation from the Saudi Cultural Mission. |
Maybe the requirements are different for k-12 teachers, but I didn't have to deal with the US State Department or my State Secretary's office in terms of certifying my degree; I just printed off two copies of the original for the SACM. In addition to all the other items you listed, I requested a notarized verification letter from my uni's registrar and a copy of my student-issued transcript. Once received from my uni, I sent both documents, unopened, to the SACM along with all the other required paperwork and the photocopies of my degree.
Anyway, the SACM will stamp the degree copies certifying authenticity and indicate the code and name of the school or institute you've been hired by. You'll receive one of those copies back, which you may want to photocopy and scan as backup before leaving for the Kingdom. |
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uzurisoul
Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 28
Location: Dammam
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| Anyway, the SACM will stamp the degree copies certifying authenticity and indicate the code and name of the school or institute you've been hired by. You'll receive one of those copies back, which you may want to photocopy and scan as backup before leaving for the Kingdom. |
My degrees are at the SACM......Am I good to go or do I need to forward them on to the Saudi Embassy for another stamp? |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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| uzurisoul wrote: |
| nomad soul wrote: |
| Anyway, the SACM will stamp the degree copies certifying authenticity and indicate the code and name of the school or institute you've been hired by. You'll receive one of those copies back, which you may want to photocopy and scan as backup before leaving for the Kingdom. |
My degrees are at the SACM......Am I good to go or do I need to forward them on to the Saudi Embassy for another stamp? |
Uh, you didn't need to send them your original degrees---just photocopies. Also, the Saudi Embassy doesn't do anything with your educational documents since the SACM handles authentication.
If you're confused about the visa process, recheck the embassy's website instructions for employment visas or get clarification from your employer's HR rep. But generally, once you have all your documentation completed, you'll send everything to either a visa agent, the SACM, or directly to the Saudi Embassy, depending on which entity your employer requires you to use. |
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uzurisoul
Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 28
Location: Dammam
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| Uh, you didn't need to send them your original degrees---just photocopies. |
I sent the Authenticated copies not the originals  The information on the Saudi website is a somewhat misleading....
Documents must then be certified under the seal of the local State Department.
� Documents must be authenticated by the State Department
Fee: $8.00 company check or money order made out to the Saudi Consulate for each set of documents that must be legalized
Based on the last part, I thought my documents had to be legalized by the Saudi Consulate |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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| uzurisoul wrote: |
The information on the Saudi website is a somewhat misleading....
Documents must then be certified under the seal of the local State Department.
� Documents must be authenticated by the State Department
Fee: $8.00 company check or money order made out to the Saudi Consulate for each set of documents that must be legalized
Based on the last part, I thought my documents had to be legalized by the Saudi Consulate |
Certainly is unclear. However, if you give it a second look... "A certified and notarized copy of the training or technical diploma must be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State." This refers to (non-academic) vocational or technical training obtained from commercial institutes.
Last fall, when I contacted the SACM about college/university degree authentication, they emailed me the following list of required documentation/documents:
- A letter from you or the courier agent, stating the reason for authentication, with a contact number.
- A copy of employment contract.
- Copy of your passport.
- Copy of your college/university degree.
- Updated official transcript, in a sealed envelope.
- Authorization letter from the applicant to allow Saudi Mission to obtain information about his academic record.
- Name of the college/university and telephone # of the registrar or the records office.
- Verification letter from the registrar's office at the college/university including your SS# (school ID #) and the telephone # of the contact person at the registrar's /record's office. This letter must be in sealed envelope.
- Verification from www.degreeverify.org
* Nurses and physicians are required to provide us with a copy of their practice license, and the telephone # for confirmation of the validity of license.
* For any other certificate or diploma, we need to know the place of training and the telephone # of contact person.
(End of list) Got my authenticated, photocopied degree back from them within 3 days of mailing the above documents. |
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rdobbs98
Joined: 08 Oct 2010
Posts: 236
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Did you send the copies of degrees before sending medical and the police report or all of it together. I had a Visa agent tell me we have to use a Visa agent for KSA government unis but I don't see the point. They aren't doing anything other than we do. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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| My degree was authenticated before I sent everything else to the SACM. This was only because my university was quick in providing me with the required documentation from their end. I don't know anything about using visa agents for government unis because my HR contact directed me to the SACM for visa processing. |
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rdobbs98
Joined: 08 Oct 2010
Posts: 236
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| It's the same for, directed to SACM, but my recruiter tried saying you have to use a Visa agent but Saudi Embassy site says different. Plus when you look at the process the Visa agent does you have to do all the leg work anyway. So why is it necessary? |
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