Job Discussion Forums

[Imdramayu]

I'm trying to arrange a work visa for myself and dependent visas for my wife and kids. The KSA consulate is not willing to issue these visas. At this point in time, they want to issue only mine and issue my damily's dependent visas later. This is because my Visa Authorization Letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in KSA lists only my name. What can be done to convince the KSA consulate to issue the dependent visas (along with the work visa)? My sponsor has faxed a letter to the consulate to ask them to issue the dependent visas but the counsulate officials are ignoring my sponsor's pleas.

What can be done? Does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs usually only include the requested work visa names (and not the requested dependent visas names) in their Visa Authorization Letters? How can one work around (or with) this?

[scot47]

In my experience Consulales may listen to employers. They will not listen to you.

[Gulezar]

I suppose it all depends on your employer. From my experience, one woman refused to come to the Kingdom without her husband in tow. Two other friends had the run around for a whole semester before their families were granted visas. Balance your desire for the job and the stress of the uncertain arrival of your family.

[007]

[Imdramayu]

Well, 007, my employer says is not their fault that a Visa Authorization Letter was issued that included only my name (and my family's names). They say this is the new policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Also, they say that the decision to issue dependent visas alongside my own work visa is made by the KSA consulate. The employer says they have no control or influence over it.

I wonder how much influence my employer has over the MFA and KSA consulate.

Since September will be a slow month due to Ramadan, how long will my dependents' visa take to be processed after I arrive in late August?

I wonder if I could try what Gulezar's friend did and strongly insist dependents' visas are issued along with my own.

[Cleopatra]

[Imdramayu]

Cleopatra, how much does this have to do with the employer/sponsor and how much to do with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)? It is the MFA's Visa Authorization Letter which only lists my name (and doesn't mention my dependents name). My employer says they requested 3 visas to be authorized but the MFA only issued a Letter with my name on it. My employer says this is because the MFA is doing this more and more often these days. They say that the MFA's procedures have changed, and so they aren't authorizing work visas and dependent visas at the same time anymore.

According to my employer, the heart of the problem, in my case, is the KSA consulate in my resident country is not willing to listen to my employer's request to add the two dependent visas. Apparently, KSA consulates in other cities (London, Washington, etc.) are listening to requests to add dependent visas so work visas and dependent visas are being issued together. But, for some reason, this consulate here has caused problems in the past (same as mine) and is continuing to refuse to listen.

What can I do? Should I come down hard on my employer when they may not be able to do anything?

[Stephen Jones]

Marhaba! Ayubayan!

When you calm down and start to analyze things you will realize that logic and consistency are conspicuous for their absence.

This is actually the way of the world, not just the Magick Kingdom.

KFUPM and the RC used to get dependents in at the same time as the worker, if they felt strongly about it.

The 'regulation' has always required a five-to-six-month wait.

Be happy though, you know as much as any of the anonymous posters on this forum.

[Cleopatra]

[Imdramayu]

Hey, Cleopetra, I'm gonna hit the embassy on Sunday with the intention of seeing the consunsellor there (sp?). I want to encourage him to issue the dependent visas as well.

[Cleopatra]

Didn't you read what I wrote?

You can 'hit' the embassy all you like, it won't make a shred of difference. The embassy can only issue visas on explicit authorization from the MFA in Riyadh. No authorization, no visa. Not everything in KSA is straightforward, but this is. Feel free to hassle the embassy staff, but you are only wasting their time and yours.

[Imdramayu]

Cleopetra, I did read your take on the KSA consulate. But I do plan to discuss this issue with the consular staff and consular official himself. This is what my sponsor has suggested that I do. I'm hoping it bears fruit.

[scot47]

Cleo is right. You are wasting your time. All you will achieve is to make an enemy of the consul !

[Cleopatra]

I suspect your sponsor is trying to 'fob you off'.

The closest analogy I can think of is this: You ask an acquaintance in a foreign country to wire 500 Euro to a branch of their bank in your city. They wire you 100, but tell you that they can't/won't send you the rest. You proceed to go into your local bank branch, and request that the local manager give you 500 Euro instead of the 100 he had been authorised to give you.

How successful would you expect to be in this situation? Not very, I would imagine. You could expect about the same amount of success if you try to hassle the Saudi consul into giving you a visa he has not been authorised to issue. These men really are just 'paper pushers' and have little autonomy when it comes to such matters. As Scot says, you're only likely to make enemies of the consular staff.

[scot47]

And after you have made enemies of the consular staff you may find that there are lengthy delays in issuing the visa for yourself. "Come back tomorrow."