Job Discussion Forums

[unc5050]

Is it true I can not take my family with me? and wait till I go there and ask for a family visa? I contacted the visa department which will send me my visa asking about How I can get family visa for my son and husband? they said "According to saudi law you have to travel first then within a week your dependents will be able to join you. This is what family visa is"

[veiledsentiments]

Take great care and confirm things with other female teachers who have already completed this process - preferably with the same employer. We read tales here of teachers who were never able to get their families in after they arrived. And I would not be surprised if the process becomes even more difficult for a female trying to bring spouse and child(ren). Within a week? Highly doubtful. Nothing in Saudi happens in a week. Expect weeks or perhaps months.

VS

[Betrayer of Hope]

Are female teachers even allowed to bring their family? I didn't think that was possible. Perhaps I may have been misinformed. It is highly unlikely that your family will be joining you within a week. As VS mentioned, it can take several weeks or even months before they can join you. The process to get your family into Saudi is long and tedious. A lot of patience is required while going through the visa process.

Good luck, hopefully you won't need it.

[Gulezar]

I knew a woman who waited for a semester to get her daughter over to Saudi.

[Muhammed Abbas Khan]

As far as I am aware there is no real difference between a male who enters KSA on a work visa and sponsors his wife and child(ren) and a woman who enters KSA on a work visa and then sponsors her husband and Child(ren). Below is a rough step by step guide:
Step One
Secure employment - usually involving a contract where you will be given a visa number to access at the Saudi consulate of the country from which you reside.
Step Two
Complete Medical prior to attending Saudi consulate. Get your qualification attested (you can speak to the Saudi consulate of your country about that)
Step Three
When you arrive in KSA you will have to first wait for your work visa to be transferred in to a 'residency permit' (iqama) - this takes a minimum of one month (but depending on your employer can take longer).
Step Four
After having obtained your iqama you can apply to sponsor your spouse and child(ren). You will have to pay a fee (please check the KSA website for exact amount) to apply for sponsoring (istiqdam) of a spouse and child(ren). You can personally visit the relavant government office or have an agent based in KSA do this for you (agents are readily available to undertake the application for a nominal fee).
Step Five
Once you have submitted your sponsorship application (istiqdam) you will be issued with a receipt - You should scan and email this receipt to your spouse who can then produce this at the Saudi consulate of his country. It will take one week from the submission of your istiqdam before your husband can access the visa number and have his passport stamped and ready to travel.
PLEASE NOTE
When I completed the istiqdam process for my wife and child I was able to produce a 'marriage' (nikah) certificate which although not recognised by the UK it was accepted in KSA.

All in all research any prospective employer. Once you have recieved your iqama (minimum of 1 month wait) then the istikdam process is merely a matter of one week although you could possibly add an additional week or whatever for the booking of flights. So a minimum of six weeks before you will be reunited with your family.

In addition, I could put you in touch with an old colleague of mine whose wife actually sponsored him. You can PM me.

Regards,

Abbas

[Saudi4Ever]

My children and I were given Visas to come with my husband. However, he was always hired directly andnot through contractors.

[veiledsentiments]

I expect that this is another situation where it pays to, as Scot47 always said, choose your master very carefully.

VS