Job Discussion Forums

jamal · Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 8

Hi,

I recently signed a contract with a college in Saudi. I got the letter from the college addressed to the embassyin Washington, DC. I have all the docs; medical report, degrees, police report, letter of no objection. I have everything ready. The problem is that I have to do it myself, not through an agent like the two jobs where I worked before. I contacted the college for some info about to whom should I mail the application. They said they had no idea and that I had to "explore the procedure".

I got some phone numbers for the embassy in DC, but I was wondering if someone went through this process before. I appreciate any help u can offer. The address where I mail the application, the name of the person in charge, fees, anything that can make the process as smooth as possible.

Thanks

007 · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 10:43 pm Post subject:

Why not contact the Saudi Embassy in Washington and ask them for information regarding your visa. If you have all your documents ready and certified by the foreign office and the Saudi Embassy, I think they will issue the entry visa for you wihout any problem.

jamal · Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 8

What are the docs that need to be certified by the foreign office and the embassy. Are u talking about the degree? I do have all the paper work ready, but Ithought once I mail the application, he embassy certifies whatever needs to be certified.

007 · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 11:08 pm Post subject:

As far as I know, your degrees should be certified by the foreign office before to be certified by the Saudi embassy. Also, your work certificates (Non-Saudi ones) should also be certified by the foreign office before to be certified by the Saudi embassy.
It is your responsibility to certify your documents with the foreign office.
Check with the Saudi Embassy before you send them your documents!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

As to getting your degrees and certificates 'certified' - call the state department in DC. It will take awhile to be transferred a few times till you find the right person, but they will tell you the procedure. The steps must be followed in proper order or you can add weeks to getting it done.

The Embassies are rarely useful for this part of the process.

VS

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

If you live near Washington go in in person; also the consolate can recommend a doctor there who knows the procedure. Too often what happens is that the county forgets to sign out on one of the medical tests and the whole application gets returned.

a_ibrahim · Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 54 Location: ohio, usa

I was told my documents needed to be certified by the Saudi Cultural Mission. Here are the numbers for the Consulate/Visa section at the embassy and the Cultural Mission office.

(202) 944-3126 Consulate/Visa Section
(202) 337-9450 Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission

You will most likely get the runaround a few times before getting anything done. But, fortunately for you it's not Ramadan or it would be even harder to reach someone.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Normally certification by the embassy is the last step in a process... the 2nd to the last being the US State Department. Prior to that are notarized signatures and certification of notary. It can be done in DC over two days if you don't mess up step one.

Confirm it with the State Department.

VS

jamal · Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 8

jamal · Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 8

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

The Saudi State Department ? What pray tell is that ?

jamal · Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 8

se_bocere · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 19 Location: Mancs

I think that these procedures are really a relfection of an over-bureaucratic society that likes stamps on everything. Typical of Arab countries.

Anyway, it is frustrating to know that when you send the documents to the cultural mission to authenticate them they send them back to you and you have to send them again to the embassy - both are in the same city they should just take care of them all at one and pay one fee. What a rubbish policy.

I am applying to work in Saudi as well, but I am currenly living in the UK - I have no idea why they sent the visa to DC. That's another story. I have a job at KAU, but they told me that I need to sign the contract in Jeddah. I don't have a copy of the contract, since I didn't sign it, but all the information is on the visa authorization letter (in Arabic) which was sent to the DC embassy. I called the embassy and they seem to be programmed to say that I need to send a contract, but after I insisted that KAU sent a letter with the details to the embassy the person on the phone seemed to give in to the fact that I would sign the contract in Jeddah and that I could apply for the visa with the papers that I have.

To make a long story short, I would like to know if anyone is in the same situation and has successufully applied for a visa? I am just scared that these people are as ignorant as they sound on the phone.

Additionally, the university in Saudi said that I should ask the embassy about my air tickets. Something tells me that the embassy would not know what I am talking about once again. Is this true? Does the embassy schedule air tickets for employees of universities?

I am freaking out at the moment, because of all the stamps that I need to get and the mail that needs to be sent back and forth.