visa for my family

Sudha_senthil wrote:

Hi Salman,
I have been offered a job by the Ministry of Interior in the AMI hospitals. My husband is a software professional and he has to get a job after coming there. So with this situation i have a few questions now.
1) Will it take 2-3 months to get my family to KSA after i reach there? Is there any faster way? Bcoz i cannot leave my son for so many days.Or can I take them with me on a visit visa and when i get a family visa they can go back and come again?
2) can my husband get a job in dependent visa?
3) How are the job opportunities for the software professionals there and which city is best for it? I have not been told my job location yet. So if you could help me with this i can ask for the city of my choice.
thank you in advance.

well first of all for visit visa to call ur family here in saudi u need to have iqama which u will get it after 2 months here. for family visa u should have iqama too and some paper work is needed for that like ur marriage certificate and kids form.

I am looking for clarity on this issue.  I also have an offer for a position in a hospital. I was told that with my position I can bring family over.  Now I am starting the visa process and I am told that I may have to wait to bring my husband and children with me.  Since they are all the Arabic speakers and I am not, this is a little disconcerting for me since it will also be hard to get around without my husband.   I am not sure then, it seems the process is that I will need to come to Saudi Arabia first and then they would get the family visa? Or is it that they can come with me on a different kind of visa and then upgrade the visa once they arrive?  My employer said they are still working on the details, so I am a bit nervous. I am wondering then, it may take like 3 months for them to come to me? Any sooner?  Also,we are in the US right now, but if we are apart my spouse would prefer to visit family in his home country so he can get extra help with the kids since I will be gone. I am wondering if they could process a visa from his home country, since there is an embassy there, once I have gone.  I think it would be dreadful to rely on others and people I do not know to get to work and do grocery shopping, but if it were a limited amount of time I might do it.   But I have heard of other people say that they have been told their spouse could stay,but then they had to travel home in order to bring them some 6 months later?  I am reconsidering whether I will really go if they won't let my family come, as that happened to someone I heard about.  I was told this is a position where I could have family come and did not accept other positions where I could not.  Does grade and level on job offer have anything to do with it?  How can I be certain about whether they can come?

I have a question about iqama. It seems like your Iqama is the basis for whether your family can come or not, but you do not get the iqamah until you are already there?  Is this correct?  So then if the Iqama is incorrect you will be without your family?

Here iqama is a residence permit issued to those expatriates who arrive in Saudi Arabia on an employment visa. It takes 2 weeks to 2 months time to obtain an Iqama after joining the Company.

After receiving the Iqama then only you can apply or sponsor your direct family members for permanent or temporary stay (Family Residence Visa / Family Visit Visa).

1) Will it take 2-3 months to get my family to KSA after i reach there? Is there any faster way? Bcoz i cannot leave my son for so many days.Or can I take them with me on a visit visa and when i get a family visa they can go back and come again?
Ans: As "The Fugitive" said before you apply for family visa or family visit visa in  both cases you need to obtain an valid Iqama, Now a days it takes 2 weeks to 2 months time to obtain an Iqama after joining the Company.

2) can my husband get a job in dependent visa?
Ans: As per law legally its not allowed to work on dependent visa.

However I think still he can apply and attend interviews and later he can explain his situation to the employer whether he can take transfer of sponsorship from depended to employment or not. (**Check with some expert and stay out of trouble)

3) How are the job opportunities for the software professionals there and which city is best for it?
Ans: As per my knowledge job opportunities for the software professionals are limited here, but not sure . But In my opinion Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar are suitable places for your husband to work according to his job profile.

I have not been told my job location yet. So if you could help me with this i can ask for the city of my choice.
Ans: City of your choice, its very rare here, I don't think they will give you a VIP treatment. By the way if in case you have choices then I would suggest as per my experience Riyadh is more conservative than Jeddah or the Eastern Province Cities (Al Khobar, Dammam-Dhahran, Jubail).

But Riyadh is also pushing forward with its numerous construction, industrial, Hospital, Financial City, Health care and Smart City programs and many more, Jeddah it is a major commercial center located in Western region of Saudi Arabia along the coast of the Red Sea, its a huge city well known for its historical remarks and very close to sacred cities of Islam(Makkah/Madina). While Khobar, Jubail is generally considered as the most organized cities in Saudi Arabia, both situated near seaside  and Corniche, And also it has the best pedestrian friendly walk ways, have less restrictions compared to other cities.(like The mutawa / mutaween (religious police) are numerous in Riyadh region and its better not to be messed with them. Women must cover themselves with an abaya (available in shops everywhere in Saudi Arabia) and it's advisable to carry a headscarf as well. Read, understand and follow the guidelines in the Saudi Arabia article to stay out of trouble.

Best of Luck.