Job Discussion Forums

zorro2428 · Joined: 25 Dec 2009 Posts: 6

Does anyone know if NOCs are still required when leaving the country and accepting another job?

I recently heard you dont need them anymore, but wanted to know if anyone knows if this is true.

Thanks

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Some employers still ask for them. The "Ask Our Lawyer" column in the Arab News recently had a question to which the legal beagle pointed out," These NOC's are no longer a legal requirement but continue to be an administrative requirement."

Go figure.

Citizenkane · Joined: 14 Jun 2009 Posts: 234 Location: Xanadu

The NOC situation is unclear. From time to time you hear that they're no longer required but it seems that most embassies do still ask for them if your passport shows that you've been working in the Kingdom in the past few years - the number of years depends on the embassy. Also, some employers insist on you having them even if you can 'wash' your passport and get a new visa. So I would say that, for practical purposes at least, the NOC is still required.

passionateteacher · Joined: 23 Dec 2009 Posts: 30

From what I was told you need them to be able to re-enter the Kingdom otherwise you cannot apply for another work visa for two years. Also an NOC is good to show the next employer that you no longer have ties with the previous one such as owing money for breaking a contract. I know someone in the US whom one of the schools refuses to give her one because she owed money for breaking her contract. She was in a fellowship program. She can change her passport but I found out that in the airport in KSA they now do fingerprinting and eye scans. She was not eye scanned but her husband was. So even if they changed their passports, I am not sure if that would help them upon entry into the Kingdom.

I have a question, how long do they keep your records on file of your fingerprints and eye scans? Does anyone know?

alfanie32 · Joined: 22 Dec 2009 Posts: 2

There's sometime rules that are put in place, but not always followed, look at a women travelling to Saudi Arabia on her own, before it wasn't allowed without a Mahram, now all single females are able to go on their own, even the rules on the embassy websites haven't changed, sometimes it's at the discretion of the embassy person...