Job Discussion Forums

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Opps...sorry! I should have said, ..."if you doubted me"...my bad.

I wuz pretty trashed when we left JFK and slept all the way into Jeddah, so I mighta looked a bit rough to the pious. All I know is that my computer wuz toast inside of six months...

NCTBA

[sheikher]

WARNING: This post exceeds 140 characters.


Lately there is indication of "intensified awareness" -- note the BlackBerry fiasco of late, and the fingerprinting, which seems to be somehow effective.

http://fixalaptop.com/2010/07/27/can-i-bring-laptop-computer-to-saudi-arabia/

Question by SatAtmaKaur: Can I bring laptop computer to Saudi Arabia or will it get confiscated at the airport customs? My future employer says there is no problem at all bringing computers and other personal effects into the country (I�m not talking about religious items etc, just about the good ole laptop).

Answer by SuGaR LiPs
I dont think that there is a problem


http://www.expatexchange.com/expat/index.cfm?frmid=289&tpcid=3344751

As for the computer, can you afford to lose it? They may confiscate it and you can collect it another day after they check it. I've never had my laptop confiscated at Riyadh airport. And you can always just buy a computer here so why bring one from home?


http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=74265

A colleague told me today that they used to do this, and that they have a programme which scans your computer for anything that could be inappropriate content (perhaps by checking file names. He wasn't joking, and I don't think he'd lie


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_video_games#Saudi_Arabia

A short list:

God of War II Banned because of violence cruelty and blasphemy against islam.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Banned because of violence (including against Islamic soldiers) and cruelty.
Assassin's Creed Banned (for two weeks) because of violence and cruelty.
Grand Theft Auto (series) Banned because of violence and cruelty.
Pok�mon series (trading cards only) Banned because of "promoting Zionism and gambling." [35][36] However, that ban only applied to the trading cards, as Pok�mon video games are still sold today in Saudi Arabia.
Dante's Inferno Banned because of violence, hellish visions, religious sensitivity and nudity.
Heavy Rain Banned because of nudity.


http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-386676.html

GCC Rules Pertaining to Electronic Devices. Please be advised that all airports in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have a new rule regarding arriving and departing overseas workers carrying electronic devices. The GCC consists of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Republic of Yemen. This has not been published to the public. Please advise all that are traveling to GCC airports.

All Electronic devices will be submitted for check up before the immigration section:
� Devices include cellular phones with camera and memory card, flash disks, external hard drive,
laptop/ notebook/ pc, iPod, iTouch, and mp3 players with memory cards.
� A special USB device will be inserted to the electronic devices that you are carrying. This special
device can scan all contents of your laptop and/or cell phones including videos and pictures, jpg,
bmp, avi, etc�, and contents will be recorded to their main computer.
� All devices with nude pictures will be confiscated immediately. There will be no fines, refusal will
send you to jail and you will face deportation.
� Laptops with pirated software will also be confiscated.


http://www.pinoy-ofw.com/news/143-new-airport-rules-in-saudi-arabia.html

Apparently, Saudi Arabia has been more strict when it comes to incoming passengers and their baggage. Since July of this year, all electronic devices are required for check up. This includes laptops, flash drives, mp3 players. A �special� tool will scan content of these electronic devices and anything that violates Saudi rules will be confiscated. So it�s possible for someone who will bring in storage media with pornographic materials or laptops with pirated software to face deportation or jail terms. Compromising devices may as well be confiscated, so beware when you are traveling to Saudi Arabia. Here�s the directive from OWWA about this matter.


http://sa.promo.web.id/laptop-to-saudi-arabia.com/comment-page-2/

Q: Hi, I am traveling to Saudi in the month of December. Can i get my laptop with me.

A: yes you can. just leave the porn at home if you have any.
x rated stuff could land you in a bit of trouble and they do tend to bother foreigners a little bit, specially when it�s their first time in saudi arabia.

A: just don�t bring in pornographic files with it. don�t bring cd�s/dvd�s, specifically, the pirated ones [each one incurs a fine of 500SR and confiscation], dont bring any portable hard drives, each one is considered as a cd/dvd and incurs the same fine and confiscation.


http://www.anglopacific.co.uk/customguides/Saudi%20Arabia.pdf

Goods Subject to Censorship
Exposed film, including prints, slides, etc.
Records, books, magazines,
pictures/photos, & other printed matters.
Personal computers, audio/video CD�s, diskettes, USB�s, computer hard disks, printers.
Mobile or Cellular phones
Audio/videoVHS/VCR/cassettetapes,
phonograph recordings.
Or, any other items that store information

A penalty will be charged to the consignee for CD�s, VCR tapes and books confiscated after the censorship. (US$ 135.00 each for CD�s & VCR tapes, and US$ 14.00 each for books).


http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/nea/817.htm

Customs officials routinely open mail and shipments to search for contraband, including material deemed pornographic and non-Muslim religious material. Customs officials confiscated or censored materials considered offensive, including Christian Bibles and religious videotapes. The authorities also open mail and use informants and wiretaps in internal security and criminal matters. Security forces used wiretaps against foreigners suspected of alcohol-related offenses. Informants (know as "mukhbir") and ward bosses (known as "umdas") report "seditious ideas" or antigovernment activity in their neighborhoods to the Ministry of the Interior.



Of much greater concern should be the illegal confiscation of passports by employers.

http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/40-689.aspx


Labor law violators, Capture of, Fingerprinting,

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2010080880437

Employing people who violate labor and residency regulations is illegal and those who do so will be held accountable and punished, Col. Al-Harthi stressed.

He added that benefiting from the services of escaped workers and violators of residency and labor regulations has adverse effects on security and can threaten families� safety.

[vanVlaanderen]

[sheikher]

I have small familiarity with the "in the clouds" file placement option, but that may be an option, however demanding on your wallet.

[veiledsentiments]

The thing with the GCC is that what they can do... or write a law saying that they should do... is usually very different from what they actually do.

It will be interesting to see what happens when everyone starts coming back to Saudi and elsewhere. As if the lines through customs are not long enough, imagine if they decide to scan every device.

I wouldn't wait until I got there to buy a computer since there are programs that I want that can't be downloaded with crappy connections or are often blocked... like Skype.

VS

[vanVlaanderen]

Is Skype blocked?

[Sheikh N Bake]

I agree, VS, although I should perhaps note that I've downloaded Skype a couple of times in the Qassim wasteland, along with some pretty nifty DVD and hard-drive-based media players. I admit I am now more concerned about returning. I guess I'll have to hotmail myself the pics of my girlfriend.

Skype isn't blocked in KSA. It was blocked in the Emirates as of 2007 when I left. The UAE is really block-happy and censor-happy these days, in many ways worse than KSA.

[veiledsentiments]

[Cleopatra]

Skype is freely available in the Kingdom and can be downloaded there perfectly easily. I've used it frequently, and so have many people I know. If there are any restrictions on its usage, they are likely to be placed by the owner of the network (ie your employer) rather than by the government.

[veiledsentiments]

When one has problems with a program or website in the Gulf, it is often difficult to figure out where it is coming from... everyone will deny it and point their finger elsewhere.

VS

[cmp45]

I know colleagues in Riyadh, KSA who used Skype on their office computer and were able to make international calls with out any major problems.
However, like any technology...is never 100% problem free