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Post by mastei on Jun 30, 2013 7:57:27 GMT
Hi everyone,
I found some conflicting information on the forum and also from my relocation advisor w/r the exact steps for the option of delayed family arrival.
Could the people who have gone this route please advise - I need to communicate my decision to the Aramco UK folks!
So if I decide to first come alone for my 90 days probation period, do I have to first complete my 90 days in full, get confirmation of the permanent employment AND THEN apply for the iqama? and only after the iqama has been granted my family can apply for Visa and join me in the Kingdom?
I read somewhere that the whole gap between the employee departure and the effective family arrival can be even more than 6 months, while my advisor is assuring that as soon as my probation period is complete they could come over...
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Post by GroveWanderer on Jun 30, 2013 10:05:25 GMT
I have never heard of anyone waiting for 90 days before, you would normally apply for your iqama immediately upon arrival. When your 90 days probation is up (if you have been told you have to wait for that, before requesting for your family to come over) you would apply for them to join you.
Yes, it can take longer than that for your family to arrive. Just consider how long it took you to get your visa to come over here - it could take just as long (or longer) for your family to get their visas.
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Post by Irishcoffee on Jun 30, 2013 20:08:19 GMT
You applied as bachelor or family status?
Is it stipulated in your contract that during probation period you are not allowed to bring your family to KSA? In my contract/offer as family status are nowhere written such things!!!!
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Post by mastei on Jul 1, 2013 7:46:28 GMT
Sorry I should have been clearer. My offer is for family status and if I want, we will all travel together.
But we are having some issues with my wife's documentation and my relocation advisor is saying that if the departure is at risk of being delayed due to reasons not directly related to the employee, I would be required to first go alone and having them joining later.
She also explained that if they are joining within the 90 days, they will be able to come any time and I would be assigned a house from the start. This option is unfeasible for us, since we have two very small children and my wife cannot make the trip alone.
Otherwise, bachelor status first and change to family status (and house) after the 90 days probation period. This way, once I get my iqama I should be able to get back to travel with them to KSA.
So my question is really for the latter option. From what I have been told, if we decide to go for the "90 days bachelor" option, they will be able to apply for a Visa only at day 91 and I have to wait for my iqama/multi entry visa - and then we have to wait knows how long...
Is there any other option you might suggest?
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Post by GroveWanderer on Jul 1, 2013 10:08:58 GMT
Even if you are spending 90 days on bachelor status before switching to family status and applying for your family to join you, that does not mean you have to wait 90 days to get your iqama. Normally, you would get your iqama within 2-4 weeks of arrival. As soon as you have your iqama, you can apply for a multiple exit/re-entry visa.
In any event, there is no way that the issuance of your iqama or exit/re-entry visa should impact on the time it takes to get your family here. As you've said, you have to wait 90 days before starting that process and you would almost certainly have your iqama and exit/re-entry visa long before that.
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Post by azraeil on Jul 1, 2013 10:44:46 GMT
Here's what happened to me 7 years ago.
1. Came in alone but on Family status. Don't worry about it, Aramco is not as strict to force you to change to a bachelor status if your family didn't come with you
2. Ofter getting the blood result (done during the first day of orientation, 2 days after arriving), applied for Iqama -- Iqama received 2 weeks after application
3. Immediately applied for Family Visa -- Visa was approved 3 weeks after application (for a total of 5 weeks)
4. Applied for leave to go back to home country to pick-up family -- Leave was approved based on Division Head's discretion .... if you have a boss that does not allow you to get any leave before the probation is over, then that could be the problem people are having.
Family came in 2 months or 2.5 months after I arrived.
Apply for iqama for family -- approval received in 10 days after application.
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Post by mastei on Jul 1, 2013 11:17:07 GMT
Many thanks azraeil, that is exactly what I would be looking for!
To be honest I wouldn't mind even if I can't take any leave during the probation period, provided that at the end of the 90 days I can go and pick them up... As long as I know that the timeframe is 3 months and not potentially 5,6 or more, as it is written somewhere on the forum.
As a matter of fact, being based in the UK I could also come and pick them up during a weekend (once I have my multiple entry visa) without the need for some leave (challenging, but possible!)
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Post by penguin on Oct 25, 2019 13:58:45 GMT
Hi Azraeil, When you picked your family up, I believe they are on business class. Did you get the ticket for yourself reimbursed again by aramco? Here's what happened to me 7 years ago. 1. Came in alone but on Family status. Don't worry about it, Aramco is not as strict to force you to change to a bachelor status if your family didn't come with you 2. Ofter getting the blood result (done during the first day of orientation, 2 days after arriving), applied for Iqama -- Iqama received 2 weeks after application 3. Immediately applied for Family Visa -- Visa was approved 3 weeks after application (for a total of 5 weeks) 4. Applied for leave to go back to home country to pick-up family -- Leave was approved based on Division Head's discretion .... if you have a boss that does not allow you to get any leave before the probation is over, then that could be the problem people are having. Family came in 2 months or 2.5 months after I arrived. Apply for iqama for family -- approval received in 10 days after application. |
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swan
Senior Member
Posts: 209
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Post by swan on Oct 25, 2019 17:51:58 GMT
Penguin: I believe if you chose to go collect your family, it would be at your expense.
I know a couple of guys who flew part way, to get the family through transit and into Saudi (so say family went Home-Amsterdam-Dammam, the Aramcon went Dammam-Amsterdam-Dammam).
I know one guy who went back to Aus - But considering they had 6 months twins, plus a toddler, you can see why. I know he was economy, hence my feeling its at your cost.
I came out with a 3 and 5 yr old on my own.
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