life in dammam

Welcome to Expat.com, Showcat.

Hi there Showkat.
I hope everything is ok with you.
If your employer will settle and manage everything for you and your family before you come to KSA, then it is ok if you will bring them along with you. I would advise you to travel to KSA alone and then make sure that everything is ok for your family such as the Iqama, medical insurance, etc.

Driver's License is not that expensive here.

Regards

showkat wrote:

Hello to everyone..I am Showkat coming to KSA very soon.Would like to ask u some questions coz i even dnt imagine the life there..
1.Is it better to come with family or take the family later..
2.Is it difficult to get a driving licence and how its expencive..i heard a lot that driving isnt safe there coz local people dnt follow traffic rules and drive with high speed so a lot of accidences occur
3.How the native people take foreigns

Thanking you in advance

Hi Showkat,

1. Depends on what your employer arranges. It is common here to travel first and then bring family.

2. Driving licence easy - bring your current licence with you. Not expensive. Driving is crazy here, but you do need to drive to get about.

3. Local Saudi's no major problems. You will find expats throughout KSA.

hello Showkat, welcome to KSA , its a big place and like Delhi, everything is wrong when it is misused, like not using the traffic rules makes accidents, such many things happen everywhere, and be bold to make your decisions, and advised to settle down first and then bring the family, because you should the timings, jobs location and your house location and where to keep your family in which locations, everything will depend on your smart brains, wish you good luck. Don't be afraid to come alone.

Thanx friends,
actually i m coming as a doctor,some people say that there is no problem with accomodation there and local people prefer to see u with family but not alone

what Iqama means?

Hey, you have got it wrong and dont listen to stories. All of your doubts will be vanished once you arrive here. And dont bring your family right away, make the arrangements for them and then bring them along.
For driving, it is safe unless you are a reckless driver yourselves.

Welcome to Saudi Arabia

thanx a lot

Dr. Showkat, welcome.

If your employer will process all of the paperwork, bring your family with you.

If you need to do things like arrange your own housing and transportation, leave them at home and bring in a few months.

In Dammam/Khobar/Dharhan there are many foreign workers and many workers from your native country.  Like in most of KSA they aren't considered as "equal" as Saudis, but they are not treated poorly here, so rest assured on that point.

Getting a driver's license is fairly easy.  There is a thread with all of that information on here somewhere, I remember reading and contributing last week.

An Iqama is your Saudi residence card.  Once it is processed (it can take time, as well) then you can get your Saudi driving license and arrange to bring your family over.

Good luck...happy doctoring.

thank you Mister Stretch..is it impossible to find an accomodation without iqama?Its written in my contract that transportation is free..what did they mean?car or allowance?