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Post by aramcodream on Sept 16, 2013 13:12:06 GMT
Hi,
I'm in the process of relocating to Saudi on the 1st of November.
can I please kindly ask you how long would it take to get the IQAMA and Multiple entry visa done ? My wife would maybe need to get back to UK for one month, and I would really appreciate if you could give me an approximate time frame, so I can plan accordingly.
another quesiton, how long does my wife need to stay in the kingdom to not loose the housing ? she actually just need to get back to the UK to sort out paperwork !!!!
thanks in advance for your anticipated reply
regards
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derekg
Senior Member
Posts: 107
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Post by derekg on Sept 16, 2013 15:34:20 GMT
Timing is highly variable, but initial Iqamas are usually anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending on many things - usually expect about 4 weeks for the Iqama. Once you have the Iqama, the 6 month multiple visa takes anywhere from 2-14 days, usually around 3-5 business days, again depending on many things.
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Post by GroveWanderer on Sept 17, 2013 5:43:22 GMT
According to the IR Manual, an employee loses his family status if his wife is absent from Saudi Arabia for a total of more than 180 calendar days in any calendar year.
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Post by azraeil on Sept 17, 2013 11:30:46 GMT
In al practical purposes, don't worry about it. They say 180 days but they almost never check. I have so many friends whose wife spends at most 1 month in the kingdom as their kids are all in boarding school.
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Post by principe.azzurro69 on Sept 18, 2013 5:25:17 GMT
My personal timeline (Expat, not Saudi): arrived on August 26; got the Iqama on Sept 12, my timekeeper (department chief's secretary) applied for my multiple exit-reentry visa around Sept. 2, received multiple yesterday (Sept 16). The multiple has a validity of 352 days, contrarily to the six months that I was expecting (I was told they had switched to only issuing 6 months visas). Pay attention to what they tell you at HR, don't wait for emails or phone calls from them, go to Midra and talk to them personally - I got the multiple only because I was there and someone told me there was a problem with one of the banks for the 500 SAR fee the multiple costs: usually it is deducted from your salary but apparently these days there are huge problems. Since I have no bank account in KSA yet, I gave 500 SAR to a friend and he did the money transaction while attaching it to my Iqama number. Again, things like that are better to be done in person… Fingers crossed!
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Post by aramcodream on Sept 20, 2013 9:26:06 GMT
Thank you for all for sharing such valuable information
Thanks principe.azzurro69 for sharing your timeline
azraeil : I believe they can check on the stamp on the passport ? arrival date, departure date ??
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Post by Aramcomom on Oct 19, 2013 0:00:04 GMT
Hi all,
I would really appreciate it if someone could offer some advise or shed light on my situation. I'm an expat wife slated to arrive in KSA with my children on the 24th of Oct from the U.S. I'm currently in line to be scheduled for my US citizenship. This means my interview appointment will most likely be within the next 90 days, for which I will definitely have to fly back to the US with my kids. Is this (approx 90 days or maybe even less) enough time to obtain iqama, and a multiple entry visa? How long would it take if we got the whole process started right away?
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Post by Guiness10 on Oct 19, 2013 5:21:46 GMT
My timeline on this:
Arrived 24th September ... Iqama issued 6 October.
Waiting for exit entry visa as we have just had a weeks holiday but they are typically taking 4 - 10 working days
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Post by Aramcomom on Oct 19, 2013 5:28:14 GMT
Thank you for your reply.
Is that timeline accurate for dependents as well? And how long is the multiple entry visa valid for?
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Post by azraeil on Oct 21, 2013 10:23:48 GMT
Yes, they can check your entry and departure from the kingdom. But as I said I wouldn't worry too much about it.
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Post by Guiness10 on Oct 21, 2013 13:49:40 GMT
Update ... my multi visa came through today ... has only taken 3 working days  |
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Post by Aramcomom on Oct 21, 2013 15:37:36 GMT
Yay! How long is it valid for?
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Post by johnnyemman on Oct 22, 2013 6:41:57 GMT
Guiness10, Woah! good luck. I arrived sept 29th, looking at your timeline,it came out real fast but still havent received my iqama yet.................still waiting.  |
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Post by Guiness10 on Oct 22, 2013 18:30:39 GMT
Aramcomom, Its valid for a year .. Bahrain beckons this weekend  johnnyemman and Guiness10, Have you called the passport office in Dhahran? My friend didn't think hers had come through and when she rang it had been sat there for 2 weeks Good luck |
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Post by johnnyemman on Oct 23, 2013 7:05:16 GMT
Guiness10,
Am jeolous! :roll: cant wait to go to Bahrain. Pls can you send to me thru PM the passport office phone # in Dharhran.
Thanks
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