Job Discussion Forums

[Hamsun]

I�m currently living abroad, in BKK Thailand. I�ve been told by the Saudi Embassy that I can do the visa from here with the prerequisite docs, a work permit and a letter of invitation and certification of employment from the employer. The employer hasn�t sent the docs (though they seem strait forward enough).

Now I am being asked to fly to Bahrain to do the visa from there! I get the feeling they are new to the process and quite possibly not �in-the-know�.

Any thoughts? What can I expect in bahrain?

Thanks.

[The Lathe of Heaven]

depends.

who is the employer?

TLOH

[EFLUndercover]

If you have been given permission to receive your work permit in Bahrain, then you will have to deal with a visa agency.

I recommend:

Diplomat Visa Agency
Office: 973-17-533377
Mobile (Basheer): 973-36-432489

You will also be required to do your medical there as well, I recommend:

Dr. Abdullah Kamal Clinic
Sheikh Issa Road
Office: 973-17-256704

Call the visa agency before arrival to make sure you have all the necessary paperwork.

The Saudi Embassy in Bahrain is one of the most hassle-free embassies to deal with so you shouldn't have a problem.

[Didah]

Hi Hamsun,

Just a word of caution about flying to Bahrain to complete your visa. I just went through a visa nightmare myself and have first hand experience dealing with the KSA embassy in Bahrain.

First, if you have to travel to Bahrain on your own dime, you should confirm that your future potential employer has the correct block visa on file with the KSA consular section in Bahrain. That means that your job and qualifications have to match the criteria that the company or university has on file for the position. If your future ex-employer does not have the block visa on file in Bahrain then you have about as much chance of getting it where you are in BKK or a better chance in your home country where the KSA prefers to have the visa processed.

If you are instructed to go to Bahrain to complete the visa, you still need the draconian medical (which isn't cheap), the police check, and probably your degree or certificates certified. When I was going to be sent to Bahrain, I had my medical, police check and the degree verification. So, all the ducks were in a row. The bottleneck was that the company that I was to be employed by did not have the proper visa on file in Bahrain so going there would have been a complete waste of time and money. I eventually withdrew my candidacy from the company without the proper block visa either in Washington or Manama and took a job with another company who was able to secure a visa for my in two weeks from the states because my paperwork was complete but more importantly, they had the proper visa that mapped to my qualifications and the visa was granted.

I have had experience with the KSA consular section in Bahrain. In that consular office, there is not even any pretext of civility that the Saudis may show in other countries. Even with a visa agent, there are still hoops that you have to jump through and going to Bahrain is only the Silver Bullet if your employer has the proper block visa on file and your paperwork is in order.

If you are instructed to go to Bahrain, I would strongly advise that you get your future employer to pay your airfare and hotel expense. Even staying in a cheap hotel like the Oriental Palace (not bad for the price) you will still have expenses and you could be there for up to two weeks. I was there for 10 days over a passport issue that was not as involved and the Saudis did everything they could to make sure that they made it as tough as possible for me.

I hope things work out for you but be careful. You could go to Bahrain -- hopefully on their dime -- and still not get the visa. Be careful

Good luck

[Hamsun]

Didah:

Thanks for taking the time to pen such a thorough answer, I will be flying on the company dime and I've just received a copy of the visa from the KSA consular section in Bahrain. So I feel fairly good about the arrangement...

Thanks again!

Ham