husband and i both have job offers, can we apply at same time

Hi,

First of all congrats to both of you on getting jobs here.

Secondly, there is no easy reply to your question. You could both come on work visas indepedently but it could lead to certain complications if there is a checking by the Police or the Mutawwa as you will not have any proof to show that you are with your spouse and not with an unrelated person. (Unless you carry around a marriage certificate translated in Arabic).

You can sponsor your husband as well as far as I know.

My wife had a job offer here as well but I still made sure to bring her over as my dependent, so now it is easy for her to go out of the country and switch jobs if she wanted to.

Hopefully, this answered your question. And welcome to Saudi Arabia. You are in for an interesting experience

I think it is more easier to come as a dependent,
Getting Visa as a wife is much much easier and also I think "Less costly" ..
I am not sure about the cost, but surely they want to give you dependent visa because the procedure is more easier,,...

It is better for you too to come as a wife,, in emergency cases, if there is crises (as example) and they have to let you go,, you can stay with your husband without leaving the country..

But of course, you can have your own visa as independent.

thanks for the replies! It is good to know about the matawwa, i didn't realize that without being brought over as a dependent your iqama wouldn't list you as married. very good to know, maybe better then that i get sponsored by my husband.

Thanks again for your help!

Hmmmmm,

Anyone forgetting that if you come over on your husbands visa you will have a big fat "not allowed to work" on your visa.

You also run the risk of being offered a smaller package as you would be considered an in country hire?

You could consider coming over on your own visa, when applying for you iqama you can provide your marrage certificate and be put on your husbands.

Just a thought??

Nelson17 wrote:

Hmmmmm,

Anyone forgetting that if you come over on your husbands visa you will have a big fat "not allowed to work" on your visa.

You also run the risk of being offered a smaller package as you would be considered an in country hire?

You could consider coming over on your own visa, when applying for you iqama you can provide your marrage certificate and be put on your husbands.

Just a thought??

You are right about the not allowed to work part. But its not strictly enforced here as far as I know. The risk of getting a smaller package is there but on the flip side, it saves the employer the headache of having an employee on their visa count.

As far as showing the marriage certificate is concerned...well I am not very sure thats possible because the last time I brought it up with my GRO, he shook his head emphatically and said..La la (No No). But who knows, maybe its possible.

In short, I think every way has its own pros and cons. Just depends on what you can and cannot live with.