Job Discussion Forums

long · Joined: 01 Jan 2009 Posts: 2

I am being advised that on arrival at the airport in Saudi all laptops, external disk drives and phones with storage capacity will be checked for dodgy content. If nude pictures or unlicenced software, copies of movies etc are found, the item is confiscated. Can anyone who has entered Saudi recently advise me how thorough this check is? Confused

johnslat · Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 5:03 pm Post subject:

Dear long,

Please check out this thread (page 2.)

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=75844&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=customs+inspection&start=15

And this one:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=70908&highlight=customs+inspection

Regards,
John

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

As with many things here, the answer is "it depends".

Better to assume that you will be checked. Do not bring in anything that is dodgy.

trapezius · Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:34 pm Post subject:

Depends on your age, gender, and nationality. Find yourself on the scale below.

Pirated software and movies are no problem. But nudity is a no no.

Least likely...................................................................................................Most likely
to be checked...............................................................................................to be checked

Old[er], female/couple, Western...................................................................Young, male, Asian

johnslat · Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:38 pm Post subject:

Dear trap,

My goodness - you seem to be suggesting that the Saudi Customs' authorities engage in (gasp) "profiling."

Regards,
John

perfectweapon · Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 11:01 pm Post subject:

When I went through the last time with my laptop I was not inspected, so as you have stated it depends on the mood of the people who are inspecting. But just incase I had everything on my flash drive inside my wallet. Very Happy

Sadebugo · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 524

Back when I was living in Saudi, there was an urban myth that if you tipped the baggage handler SR50, he would give a signal to the customs inspector allowing you to go through unmolested. I never tried that but heard it from a lot of people. Does anyone know if this is true? John?

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

johnslat · Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 2:28 pm Post subject:

Dear Sadebugo,

" . . . . if you tipped the baggage handler SR50, he would give a signal to the customs inspector allowing you to go through unmolested."

Now that would be something that I'd NEVER try. OK, maybe, just maybe, it MIGHT work, but I'd say the chances of your getting "detained" and/or arrested because you attempted to bribe (and not a big enough bribe) a righteous believer would be much more likely.

Regards,
John

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

And I have heard that the customs men get a bonus of 500 SR when they find someone with illicit materials.

Now let me see which would I rather have - a "halal" 500SR from my employer or a percentage of a 50 SR bribe passed through some Bengali ?

Cleopatra · Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 6:31 pm Post subject:

There is a lot of corruption at many levels of Saudi society, but I have never heard of petty corruption among low-level officials. That's not to say it doesn't go on but I don't think it's particularly common. I would say attempting to bribe a SAudi official isn't perhaps the best way to embark upon your life in the Kingdom. In any case, unless you're really being reckless, you probably have little to fear.

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 12:41 am Post subject:

With all the concern about security at airports right now, I seriously doubt that the officials would take much interest in the contents of your laptop, unless it contains outright obvious pornography. Unless you have something really, really objectionable on it, I would not take chances by bribing an official and thus calling attention to yourself.

Sadebugo · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 524

Cleopatra · Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:26 pm Post subject:

johnslat · Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 3:31 pm Post subject:

Dear Cleo,

One of my students in Jeddah, way back in the early 80s, was the head of Customs at Jeddah airport, and he invited the IPA teachers to dinner one evening. His residence was, of course, palatial, but especially interesting was when, on a tour of his house, he showed us his "movie room." It was lined with shelves, all of which were packed with VCRs, all of which had been "confiscated." He even had duplicates (and more) of some; I recall seeing about half a dozen copies of "Raiders of the Lost Ark," one of his favorites.

While I suppose at least some of the VCRs had been "confiscated legally,"
I suspect most of them were there simply because he was a "collector."

Of course, that was long ago, in a galaxy far, far away - so to speak. I'm sure such malfeasance no longer goes on (Irony Alert.)

Regards,
John