Moving to bahrain -timeframe for moving

Hi!

1. ACCOMODATION
This site could help you to find easily an accommodation for your husband
http://www.expatriates.com/classifieds/ … available/

TEMPORARY ACCOMODATION
2. Temporarily he stay in a hotel or a fully furnished flat which you can use to browse the same link i have mentioned above.

VISA PROCESSING TIME
3. For Bahrain Visa processing time min. 3-10 days, you can check this link below.
http://portal.lmra.bh/english/faq/quest … 0qK0VWSxLU

Have a happy and safe trip to your family!

Assuming you are British, whenever you fly into Bahrain, you get a 3-months visit visa. If you like, you can come with your husband immediately and have your dependant visa sorted while you are here.

Your husband will also be able to drive in from Saudi Arabia everyday, as long as he has his passport. Make sure he never, ever accepts his company to hold onto his passport after he's got his visa. This is very important, otherwise he won't be able to come to Bahrain everyday.

Visit www.bahrainpropertyworld.com for the list of properties available to rent in Bahrain. You can select Saar from the drop down menu and filter it further depending on your preference. It's a tenants' market here as there so many available properties.

I have done quite a bit of a property hunting myself so it you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask.

You are going to love Bahrain, but you are coming right before summer. Don't let the weather put you down. About 8 months of the year is like a pleasant British summer here. The remainder of the year is... Well... Like hell...

Your husband should be able to get you a property really quickly, probably 2-3 weeks maximum.   Of course, if you get an unfurnished place it could be a bit sparse until you get round to buying or shipping your own.  It makes the first few weeks fun though - my boys loved "camping in".

As said above you can get a tourist visa which will be vital anyway as your husband will be in Saudi and unless his company has an office in Bahrain, you will need to travel to Saudi at some point to get Iqama's for residency purposes.

However, if you want to come at the same time as your husband, you could stay in serviced accommodation of which there is tons.

Good luck.

Hi,

My husband started working in Saudi in December, and we found a place to live in Hamala (thought the address says Janabiya for some reason - we can see the British School from the house!) (just over the causeway) in January when my son and I visited Bahrain to help find a place!  C's Saudi Iquama took a while to be sorted which is the main reason for the delay in sorting a house.  Once we started looking at housing we had chosen and were able to move in within a week - viewed Saturday and Sunday and moved in Friday!!

We have gone for a fully inclusive housing package on a lovely little compound with other families, a childrens play area, a pool and a small gym.  It includes OSN (Satellite TV) and all bills!  They even supplied a water heater/cooler which is now in use!!

Skype has worked well both when C was in Saudi and here so our son (5) has been able to talk to him regularly when we are apart and even read to daddy!! 

I would suggest that if you want to meet your husband here you wait to book flights until he has his iquama and multi entry exit visa sorted since we spent rather a lot rearranging flights when Cs Iquama was delayed!  We fly Gulf Air on our visits at the moment and the staff have been great, and A was very impressed with his Falcon Flyer card which arrived before mine (he is a dependent on my account, though my card still hasn't arrived!)!

At present my son and I are still in the UK since I don't want to move him without having a school place sorted!

HTH and all the best with your move!

Sarah

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply. This information is very helpful and reassuring to know we don't have to spend to much time apart as a family as this expat venture is all new to us.

Why Sar? much better locations, with less local fireworks, Hamala, Jasra, New Janabiyah,.....
Expact 2-3 weeks : to sort out accommodation in bahrain while i am still the uk ? Check on expat angels, European ladies assisting expats moving here.
what are the temporary options for accommodation : Seef residence, we stayed there for 5 weeks until out furniture came. (1 son age 6 at the time).as we want to keep being apart to a minimum as we have a 2 year old daughter to consider?

what time frame does visa/permits take ?  Fro Bahrain I have a lady called Layla, takes 2 weeks max fro ID and residence. Let me know if you want her number.

Stofwolk wrote:

Why Sar? much better locations, with less local fireworks, Hamala, Jasra, New Janabiyah,.....
Expact 2-3 weeks : to sort out accommodation in bahrain while i am still the uk ? Check on expat angels, European ladies assisting expats moving here.
what are the temporary options for accommodation : Seef residence, we stayed there for 5 weeks until out furniture came. (1 son age 6 at the time).as we want to keep being apart to a minimum as we have a 2 year old daughter to consider?

what time frame does visa/permits take ?  Fro Bahrain I have a lady called Layla, takes 2 weeks max fro ID and residence. Let me know if you want her number.

There is nothing wrong with quite a bit of Saar and also nothing wrong with "Old Janabiya".  Certainly no fireworks here.  As I have said on countless occasions here, it depends on your budget and what you are looking for.  The areas mentioned are mostly over priced.

Yes, you can use Expat Angels or similar but they are expensive and a decent Estate Agent will do the same job for no cost to you.

It will take longer than 2 weeks for the Visa.   If you read the post, 1bex's husband will be based in Saudi.  It is not possible to obtain Bahraini residency for a dependent family anymore in those circumstances without going into Saudi and getting an Iqama for the said family first.  It can then be possible to obtain paper CPR's after that.  And certainly the last time I spoke to a Bahraini broker a matter of weeks ago he advised that due to a reorganisation of the system its taking weeks and weeks just for a basic visa to be issued.

1BEX - this is not a problem - get your tourist visa and then it can be converted when your husband's company are ready to do the paperwork.

I can read, not to worry about that, her husband already started in December so his papers must be done by now,  If her husband has his paperwork in order it takes 2 weeks, last week friends got theirs in 15 days. He works in Jubail. most of the Bahraini brokers say it takes time because THEY take time, up late, early lunch, etc.
Sorry to say but its very,  very,  run down over the past years, Try to miss the burn spots on the road and count the weekly additions. if you don't mind long traffic due to burning tires every now and then. I lived there for 5 years,  Just moved a year ago to the other side. Same price as I was paying in "old" Janabiyah.
Yes expat angels are not cheap but pay peanuts and you get monkeys. Sure several ladies that work for the agencies do it cheaper and take a month rent as fee, this you can also request as discount from the owner.

I absolutely do not recommend going with Expat Angels nor with an estate agent unless you have very specific requirements. Bahrain has tons of properties and you can simply walk in to most of them or ask the doorman to show you the property to get to know about. Expat Angels won't do this for free. Estate Agents won't make you pay anything but they will take their money from the landlord, which means you will not be able to negotiate the price much.

Most of Saar is safe, but there are areas which are not pleasant to live. And if there is a protest going on, getting in and out of Saar can be cumbersome. Having said that, Saar and surrounding areas have some of the best villas I have ever seen, if you want to live in a villa and have a budget to pay for that.

This has raised some interesting points.
I am working in Saudi and have my Iqama and multiple.
My intention is to move my family (Irish passports) to Bahrain and come home at the weekend.
We have a school lace, so I thought I could find accommodation..... can I ?
Then move them over there and start the residency procedures.... can I?
Unless I have got confused by the above.

Am I dreaming? 
My company does not have offices in Bahrain.

Any help will be appreciated.

Get a letter from your employer not minding you move to Bahrain( not specific required but you are in the middle east so extra preparation never hurts.
I can provide you a number of Layla who does all my visa's she is great, ( I have a company in Bahrain).
I suggest to move near border to save lengthy trips.
I will be glad to help out, I went through all tis 4 times already, and made 4 company registrations ,  so seen it, done it.
Can send me a message any time

We are/were in the exact same position.

My husband was working and living in Saudi for three months while his probation period passed and he got his iqama.
I moved over in February. We had a hotel for two nights while we house hunted. We found a place on the Friday and literally moved in on the Saturday so turn around time can be very quick.
We used an estate agent (an English lady) and negotiated the price with her.
My husband car shares with 3 others to Saudi everyday and although it can be hard, he much prefers it to living in Saudi.

We've found everything to be very easy to sort out (so far, touch wood).

If you need anymore advice, I'll be happy to help where I can.

Thanks everyone for the replies, very informative.
So as I have an Iqama I can rent the house.
What about residency (CPR) for my wife and daughter?  She will be going to school and we have a place, but do they a CPR to stay at the school and go about the everyday business?

Mummy T, may I ask if there are any empty houses on the compound you stay?

Omeath wrote:

Thanks everyone for the replies, very informative.
So as I have an Iqama I can rent the house.
What about residency (CPR) for my wife and daughter?  She will be going to school and we have a place, but do they a CPR to stay at the school and go about the everyday business?

Mummy T, may I ask if there are any empty houses on the compound you stay?

Yes you can rent a house with an Iqama.

Officially, you need a CPR for school but you can get away without it - they will ask for it but just say its in process.

I believe the law changed and your wife and daughter will now also need to be given Iqama's in Saudi.  You will then need to apply for a temporary CPR for yourself and then your wife and daughter can also apply for full CPR's.  I am sure someone will correct me if that is no longer the case.

Hi Ann,

I believe that scottrace is right as far as CPRs are concerned etc.  C has his iquama and now has a paper CPR (they don't give a card to Saudi iquama holders!)  We were able to rent this place fully inclusive of TV and internet with C's iquama and passport copies - they were fine with that.  I think there is a place here at the moment, (have messaged you my contact no).

Schools we have spoken to are relaxed about CPRs on application since as they say they can take some time!!

C has just this morning got his Bahrain driving license and the Bahrain version of the Highway Code!!!  Took 2 hours inc coming home to get a copy of his visa page of his passport (he already had copies of passport, iquama, Saudi driving license, CPR, international driving license and UK driving license! - we both have a one of those books of plastic folders which hold copies of all papers that 'might' be wanted!!)

Longer term with regards to A and me we think there are 3 options
1) Saudi iquama  (but cost is not small!)
2) Visit visa and do regular visits to renew it
3) I find work here to get a CPR for myself and A!!

Hope this helps you,

All the best

Sarah

Just like to thank everyone for the replies an e mails.
Everyone has been a great help. I have a much clearer picture on things now.
Thanks again.