Job Discussion Forums

profchaos · Joined: 31 Jul 2007 Posts: 6

first i must say the collective banter amongst you is both helpful and entertaining. however, to the business at hand. currently, i am american living in germany and have run into a situation with, lets say, not the most truthful of schools. i have been looking at coming to the middle east for some time, but it appears that my plans have been acceleratored by extenuating circumstances. i am trying to add a little humor because if you could only know the turmoil here in germany, you too would only laugh.

out of curiosity, all these needed documents as mentioned by jamal on july 26th, must they be obtained state side? because my immediate questions are the following.

1. the need for official transcripts. i have to personally obtain them from my university which would be a big kick in the dingy. will a notarized copy of a diploma due? or a letter from my 3rd grade teacher?

2.the police report...i went to college and let's just say i might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time...no prison time though.

3. lastly, do i need to step foot back in america to get the ball rolling on all this? must everything come from the hollows of american bureaucratic offices.

jamal's original questions as a refresher...

Name of applicant & S.S#.
Name of Employer.
Name of the Courier Agency. (I was told,over the phone, not to worry about this)
A letter stating the reasons of for requiring Authentication.
A copy of the employment contract.
A copy of the applicant's passport.
A certified copy of the applicant's college/university degree.
Updated official transcript (in a sealed envelope).
Name of the college/university and telephone number of the registrar or the records office.
Verification letter from the registrar's office including applicant's SS#. (School ID number), and the telephone number and the contact person in the registrar's office.
Written consent to allow the Saudi Cultural Mission to verify the degrees.

4- Send all the paper work to te Saudi Embassy. (police and medical reports, passports, letter of no objection, copy of contract, letter from employer to the embassy, verified degrees, and 4 photos)

5- Wait and pray you didn't forget anything.

please dont get me wrong, i have the experience and qualifications. i just want to know if it is worth travelling back to the states or possibly staying here to get all of this underway. THANKS!!!

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

A lot depends on your employer. If the deal is with Uncle Abdu's English Skool - forget it. If it is with a larger, more prestigious and better organised outfit, many things are possible.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

What embassy is the visa coming from?

also in saudi · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 137

If your employer has you obtain a business visitor visa, and converts it to a work visa and iqama, you can bypass all of the formalities, including medical exams, diploma/transcript authentication, police report, etc.

Van Norden · Joined: 23 Oct 2004 Posts: 409

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

These difficulties are all part of a well-desgned aptitude test. If you fail them, then you are not suited to life in KSA.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

profchaos, I realize you don't need to waste time just now, since you need to get yourself worked out of what sounds a bad situation,

but if you had time to elaborate a bit on what's going on in Germany, the info might be useful to someone.

Did a school promise to get you legal papers and then didn't or couldn't follow through?

profchaos · Joined: 31 Jul 2007 Posts: 6

thanks for the advice. i must admit that i am l a little new to this, but you all are making more than an effort to look after those a little wet behind the ears. but as to a question posed before the problems here in germany are, to make things short, cut in pay, extended periods between pay and non-native speakers teaching advanced classes when complaints come in as those with an english tongue sit by the side.
like a corporate 'yes' man i have excepted this, only to bide time to save a little more and not return to the states unless absolutely necessary to pick up needed documents.
as far as i underdstand quite a few of you are in jubail or riyadh. and a lot of you have posted both good and negative comments about both. but correct me if i am wrong, but jubail is the better of the two? i know i must research a bit further, but like others mentioned, don't make the wrong mistake twice. so i know ultimately it is my decision to tread my own path, but if anyone can be anti-montey hall and show me what's behind door number three, i will bring whatever you want from the west on arrival. are we allowed to bride people on this site?

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

prof chaos, you still have not answered the question. Which Saudi embassy are you to pick the visa up at? And who is your employer.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Hmmm, non-native speakers taking work from native speakers who can't work legally in the country...

I think it's another one of those situations where the laws of the country aren't on your side. Yeah, I do have a covert agenda - I'm one of those long-term posters who warns people about the risks of going to a country where you're going to have to live/work illegally.

But I do honestly hope you'll be able to work something out, and if there's any actual help I can offer, will do so.

sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain