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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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 Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 12:26 am Post subject: No lockup for expats caught without a valid iqama |
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No lockup for not carrying Iqama
By Mansour Al-Shihri, Okaz/Saudi Gazette | September 08, 2015
Source: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20150909256036
RIYADH — Expatriates caught committing minor residency law violations such as not carrying their Iqamas (residence permits) or carrying expired Iqamas are not to be detained, according to an announcement from the head of the passports department (Jawazat).
Director General of Jawazat Maj. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya said expatriates can only be detained by the passport police for major crimes. “Expatriates caught without Iqamas or with expired Iqamas should be asked to pay immediate fines,” he said. Al-Yahya said the Interior Ministry has started taking steps to reduce the number of cases of expatriates detained for petty residency violations. “Measures are being taken to prevent the detention of expatriates for minor violations of the residency law,” he said, adding that there are committees to review the violations and decide whether they entail detention or not.
The director said the Kingdom’s detention centers release between 700 and 900 expatriates a day with minor violations. The immediate fine for not carrying an Iqama — the most common violation among expatriates — is SR1,000.
Al-Yahya asked all expatriates to make it a point to always carry their Iqamas. He said Jawazat is taking measures to expedite the procedures relating to expatriates. “We are approaching a time when the Jawazat will not have any expatriates detained for passport violations,” Al-Yahya said.
The Jawazat has announced that Iqamas will be replaced with five-year-validity residence ID cards next year (Gregorian date of October 13, 2015). The expat ID cards will have no expiry dates on them. The ID cards will be electronically issued and renewed through the e-services of Abshir or Muqeem every five years. The cards will stay the same, only their validity will be renewed in the system. The new cards have a number of features which make them tough to tamper with or forge. The annual fee to issue or renew a card will remain the same, but expatriates will have to pay for five years at one time.
(End of article) |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 7:06 am Post subject: Re: No lockup for expats caught without a valid iqama |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| The annual fee to issue or renew a card will remain the same, but expatriates will have to pay for five years at one time. |
I see. Just as I suspected. We have to pay for the new 5 year card at one time when we initially get it. (That means even if you have only
a 1 or 2 year contract, you will still have to pay for 5 years to start off). Notice that they don't say how much that will be. SAR 10,000?
Then, in addition, we ALSO have to pay the "yearly fee". That used to be SAR 500/year.
I dunno people....they're making it harder and harder to continue to say "yes" at contract time.
"A tax by any other name is still a tax". |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 7:13 am Post subject: |
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| Many Saudis would agree that foreigners should PAY for the privilege of being in the Magic Kingdom. |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 7:19 am Post subject: |
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Foreigners in KSA have long since "paid" - and paid dearly - in more than a monetary sense for the privilege of residency in KSA. But once they start chipping away at the monetary benefits (which is happening more and more), the balance starts to shift and those other aspects of life in the Kingdom of Humanity take on a larger and more ominous weight.
Wait until gas (petrol) subsidies are removed next year. Better start making your bookings now. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 7:48 am Post subject: |
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| Maybe KSA is now on the way to becoming a "normal" state with things like domestic taxes ? |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:02 am Post subject: |
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| Never happen. They tried imposing an income tax once back in the 80s, I believe it was. The entire country came to a total and screeching HALT and the system was scrapped within a week never to be heard of or from again. |
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coldcucumber
Joined: 21 Dec 2012
Posts: 114
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| Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:57 am Post subject: |
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| Taxes were scrapped in the Kingdom circa 1975. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:25 am Post subject: |
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| hash wrote: |
Just as I suspected. We have to pay for the new 5 year card at one time when we initially get it. (That means even if you have only a 1 or 2 year contract, you will still have to pay for 5 years to start off).Notice that they don't say how much that will be. SAR 10,000?
Then, in addition, we ALSO have to pay the "yearly fee". That used to be SAR 500/year.
I dunno people....they're making it harder and harder to continue to say "yes" at contract time". |
How do you know employers won't pick up some or all of the costs? Besides, the amount isn't even yet known. However, since you're apparently still in KSA, hash, that's a discussion you should have with your employer. Then you can report back here with your info.  |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
How do you know employers won't pick up some or all of the costs? Besides, the amount isn't even yet known. However, since you're apparently still in KSA, hash, that's a discussion you should have with your employer. Then you can report back here with your info. |
How do I know Generalissmo Putin or His Excellency General Sisi won't pick up at least MY costs? I don't. That's a rhetorical question you're asking.
Have a "discussion"? With my employer? As you well know, in KSA you don't "have a discussion" with your employer anymore than you would go on vacation with your employer. Can you imagine that scenario? Tow (sic) Dodo birds "discussing" something? In KSA, things are not resolved via "discussions". They're resolved via swift and uncompromising edict from "above". Period.
The fact that, as you mentioned, we don't know how much all this is going to cost is suspicious. I mean, all this is supposed to be taking place next month....like in a couple of weeks. Whenever there's obfuscation (see dictionary.com), there's suspicion.
I won't have to report back. Eventually, it'll all come out via the newspapers, I suspect, as if it were the most natural of events. Then watch the "wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth". No, I won't have to utter a peep. |
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