Mothers Iqama

I am sorry to hear that.  Unfortunately, a foreign parent of a Saudi child cannot get sponsored for a residency, just on that basis.

What I mean is that to get a residency, the parent has to be sponsored, either by the Saudi spouse or the Saudi child (once the child becomes an adult).

I assume you have raised the issue with the State department and the US Embassy in Saudi?   they are the only ones who can help you.  The other option, expensive one, is to get a family lawyer in Saudi and file a case against your ex.  It would help if you first filed a case in the US, got a judgement in your favor and then using those documents, demonstrate in a Saudi court that this is a case of child abduction.

I strongly suggest to jump in a plane with a simple visitor visa. Now you can get it online or even on arrival and it is valid for 90 days with multiple entries for 1 year. So, you will have 90 days to stay with your daughter to see how is life in Saudi and may be to find a sponsor or other way if you decide to become a resident. You will also have enough time to talk to a local lawyer.

@Guest5837

Hi,

I just got my Iqama as the mother of Saudi Citizens (had this in 2018 when working in Riyadh), but one of my children applied for me.

Firstly, I was granted a family visit visa (adult child applied online and was granted by an agency in my home country, which was very cumbersome and thankfully I had a certified copy of the birth certificate, but the Passport office, who issued the Iqama, wanted the original), arrived into Saudi on that and then was able to apply for it to be transferred. This was a lengthy process and required me to obtain a Single Status Certificate from my own country, then have it verified by my embassy in Riyadh, and then the Ministry of Justice.

We had tried to facilitate this on a tourist visa but was not allowed and "went no where in the system".

I think each case is unique, but thankfully I lived and worked in Saudi for a couple of decades and was able to obtain one then.

I would advise your first step if to contact the Saudi Embassy in your country and then liaise with the agency they refer you to. It is extremely challenging to undertake this process and I wish you all the very best.

Michelle

@bogdanalexpop

Heh,

I just completed a year long process for this to occur.

You can not transfer a tourist visa to 'Iqama' as the mother of Saudi citizens, even whilst in country - and yes you only get 90 days total of a year long multiple entry visa, but you can easily extend in country before the end of the 90 days (I tried that in 2023 and it was still in the system when I returned in September 2024).

The process is the obtain a family visit visa and then request it be transferred - one of my adult children did this for me. This gets done through and online service called Abshar...you need a Saudi ID or Iqama to apply for this. Almost like a catch 22. It takes real determination and commitment to see this through and sometimes God:-)

Many ins and outs but it is possible.

Michelle

@Guest5837

Alternatively, you can try to come here to work:-)

Michelle

P.S. Saudi is a much nicer place to live then when I came in 1991