Job Discussion Forums

[Yasuke]

Has anyone processed their Saudi work visa outside of their home country? If so, how did you do it? Thanks.

[nomad soul]

Definitely check with your employer first to make sure you can apply for a visa while outside your home country.

Experiences vary; some visa applicants require the assistance of a visa agent. But generally, your nationality and the country you're presently residing in are very likely to determine the process.

[Gamajorba]

[Yasuke]

Thank you for feedback. As a follow up, is there an expedited process or it is return to my country of origin and just wait?

[nomad soul]

[scot47]

I did it in Istanbul. It was difficult.

[pooroldedgar]

What exactly makes it more difficult? Is it simply the posting back and forth?

[MixtecaMike]

The big difficulty is that you won't get a straight answer as to yes or no, what you need, etc. I was told to get mine via the Seoul embassy, no luck, then flew to Bahrain where it was "all sorted", but it wasn't, entered KSA on a visit visa and eventually (four months later) had to fly back to Australia to get the visa.

I then spent a lot of time and money getting stuff for the Saudi embassy in Seoul for my family's visas, and after a lot of running around and wasted time they finally said we cannot issue the visas. They came to KSA on visit visas, and after a bit of running around they got dependent visas issued in Bahrain.

BTW this was eight years ago, you really should be asking for RECENT experiences, Scot47's Turkish success story was probably back in the last century, given he's been out of the kingdom for several years and he arrived many years before that.

If going back to your home country is a problem then you might be better off taking a job with a dodgy company that uses illegal (no visa) workers, i.e. take the money and run.

[nomad soul]

[scot47]

It is difficult to generalise. Every experience is different and things change over time.

In 2004 - the last time I did it through Istanbul, I was presented with a lost of 14 requirements - in Turkish. I managed to decipher most of them but the last one baffled me until I found a helpful local.

Point 14 on "Requirements" translated as

14. On no account should applicants staple documents together!

A complication was that they put me down as of the Mahometan Religion which meant that on arrival I was given a GREEN IQAMA. I refused to even touch it and insist that I got a BROWN IQAMA That was duly done but I had to stamp up 500SR !

[Yasuke]

Thank you for the information. I have spent time on the phone with the Saudi Embassy in my home country and the help they offered was limited. I was wondering if any one could explain to me why I needed to be in my home country? If I could get all of the documents that they needed, would it really matter if I were in the country or not? The only problem might be the medical, as it would be from a doctor in a foreign country.

Thanks for any information.

[nomad soul]

The likelihood of your visa application being denied or delayed is high if you try to complete some of the requirements (e.g., the lab tests and physical exam) in a different country. Additionally, I doubt you'd want to be without your passport for weeks while it's in one country and you're in another.

This is about what the Saudi government requires and not what's convenient for you. That said, why not ask the Saudi consulate in the country you're presently residing in if you can complete all the visa application requirements and the process there for them to issue your employment visa? Otherwise, head back to your home country to get everything done.

[MixtecaMike]

[scot47]

Dealing with Saudi Government Department is done by their rules - not yours. You will not advance your cause by behaving like a barrack-room lawyer.

I am astonished that you managed to speak to anyone in the Embassy and even more that help was offered.