Job Discussion Forums

[burgess29]

My wife is working at PNU in Riyadh. She has applied for a family visit visa - using her sponsor to sponsor me to visit her in KSA.

PNU applied for her family visit visa three weeks before the last Eid. But the family visit visa application form is still in the system and hasn't been processed. The letter of invitation (LOI) hasn't been issued.

In other words, we've been waiting 4 weeks for this...and PNU have informed my wife that it could take another 4-6 weeks for the LOI to be emailed to the Saudi Embassy here in the UAE (for me to complete the process).

Is there any action I can take to speed up this process? Contacting the MOFA for instance, or going to Saudi Embassy here in the UAE?

Regards

burgess29

[nomad soul]

Your timing wasn't good considering it was right before Hajj.

Is your wife working for PNU directly? Or is she employed (on a muqeem/iqama) with a contracting company?

[scot47]

Complaining will not solve the issue. It could well make things worse.

[burgess29]

My wife is a direct hire with Princess Nora University. I am a direct hire with an HE employer in the UAE.

Btw scot, I wasn't suggesting a complaint. I lived and worked in KSA for 5 years and know full well the futility of complaints - and how they can worsen the situation.

But isn't there a way to find out what is actually causing all these delays - would a visa agent in UAE or a visit to the KSA embassy in UAE reveal what's going on?

Regards

burgess29

[I-forgot]

I'm surprised that your wife has been told she can sponsor you. There has been a move towards offering single status only contracts to ESL teachers.

I have lso heard (but do not know how reliable this is) that people with the job title of teacher or instructor are not permitted to bring family over. You must be a lecturer ir professor in order to sponsor family.m

Whoops - just re-read that you want a family visit visa, not residency sponsorship, in which case the above does not apply. I won't change the post in case it helps others. In your case, I suggest your wife gets friendly with someone in admin to speed things up. They do have favourites!

[bigdurian]

It shouldn't have anything to do with anyone in admin.

You go to the relevant person where you work with the applicant's details. They apply online on your behalf, it takes two minutes. The cost is 25 or 35 SAR.

You get a number, which you can then check progress yourself on the ministry website. You should know after a week.

Sounds like whoever in HR hasn't actually done anything.

[nomad soul]

[hsm]

I suggest that you wait this week.
I think you will get the approval during this time.
Maybe your request was postponed till the new visa fees become effective starting from the new Hijri calendar.