Nemo
Member
Posts: 41
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Post by Nemo on Oct 31, 2014 20:06:17 GMT
As a way to give a valuable information to those who are applying for a job or are in the relocation process with Saudi Aramco and are planning to bring a stepchild as part of the family, I am going to share my recent experience. I was hired by ASC and all the time I made sure to let my relo advisor know about my stepson and our intention to move all together to KSA. Some documents were requested and timely submitted and we all got the same entry visa from the KSA embassy. However after we moved here and apply for iqama, that was denied to my stepson as KSA authorities don't recognize step relationships. A lot os uncertainty, frustration, stress happened before Aramco could obtain an exception from the government under the commitment to not request this type of exceptions again. So if this is true that this was the last iqama for a stepson I really recommend anybody with a similar case and still not in kingdom to make sure to have all the confirmations from Aramco prior to get here.
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Post by vpainter on Dec 26, 2014 5:02:07 GMT
Changes with whomever is over that department. We had to get special approval years ago for our stepdaughter. It just needs to be handled up front as best as possible.
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Post by Bosentang on Jan 8, 2015 9:51:23 GMT
Both of my stepchildren's request for iqama was rejected by SA's HR Department inOctber of last year. I talked with the HR Supervisor and he told me he would not even consider applying as they have clear direction not to do so.
A big blow for us, but as our children are in their mid to late teens we are working with visitors visa to get them here and multiple trips back home for my wife.
The original poster is correct in that people should be aware of this issue, before accepting a position with SA.
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stmayo11
Senior Member
ExPats Community Moderator
Posts: 159
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Post by stmayo11 on Jan 8, 2015 9:59:07 GMT
Not sure if this is a viable option, but adoption would turn stepchildren into legally recognized children. I realize that adoption is a complicated legal process and may not be an option for everyone...Especially if one of the parents would have to relinquish rights, etc.
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Post by Libbie on Mar 9, 2016 10:23:05 GMT
We are in a similar situation. My Partner and I are getting married at the end of the year and we were told that he will go over to Saudi on a single status after which he can apply for bachelor status after we have gotten married and only 6 months after that can he apply for family status.... I however have two sons from my previous marriage. If he were to legally adopt them would there then be any issues getting iqama's for them? This is a huge process and it would be completely unnecessary if their applications are going to be rejected regardless of the fact that they are legally adopted.
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stmayo11
Senior Member
ExPats Community Moderator
Posts: 159
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Post by stmayo11 on Mar 10, 2016 20:14:37 GMT
You need to check with your relocation advisor and make your family situation very clear to him/her. No one can answer this other than your recruiter and/or relocation advisor who will need to ask the right people about your particular situation.
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Post by omani on May 3, 2018 5:14:17 GMT
Any news in the change of stepchild policy in Saudi Aramco? I was told that they will not give residency status to him.
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Post by vpainter on May 3, 2018 8:03:12 GMT
It is true, they do not recognize step children and you may have to press HR or your recruiter for a honest answer about whether they would be able to get your step child an iqama.
BUT even getting them to consider it is hard to do, you will need to provide all kinds of information and a paper trail. The hardest part is that your wife will possibly need to be here before you can apply to bring your step child over as a resident, which would mean leaving them behind when you first come over. But I recommend you really work on getting them over with you. I know one employee from the U.S. who brought their step daughter over with the family. The only reason they ended up giving them a visa for the step child was because the employee had come first and the mother had visited him during that time so she had already had a visa previously. Otherwise she would have had to be in kingdom first prior to the child coming. The department manager was working on this end to get the child a visa also. Which is probably the main reason they were able to bring her with them and the government used the fact that the mother had already had a KSA visa in order to give the step child a visa, but this was in 2001 and it changed later to no. But never hurts to try again if your willing to go through the hassle.
He had to provide tax documents for so many years showing he had been supporting her. They had to have the wife’s divorce decree showing she had custody of the child and could determine where the child lived AND the other parent had to sign off on the child coming to KSA or they needed a court order stating they could bring the child to KSA. They had to have birth certificates for both mother and child and your marriage certificate to the mother of the child.
If the other parent was deceased, you would need the death certificate.
This may not be a job option you would want to consider until your step child is 18.
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