Moving from Saudi to Bahrain

Hello,

You could go through the below mentioned posts which could give you some inputs regarding the CPR/VISA, i am sure someone will reply to you on the school part of the query

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=139227https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=462193

T&R

Thank you!  One question still stands... My husband works at Aramco. Aramco doesn't really support living in Bahrain and commuting. I assume they will end my and the iqama if my sons as soon as my husband converts his status to bachelor.
Do all the family members get a CPR when you lease a family home. I don't mind to do a visa run every six months, but every two weeks would be to much of a gassen.  Especially when we don't can go to Saudi.

I found a contact detail of Philip does anyone know if he still is available?

Why not give Phil a call or email him to find out if he's available? He's the only one who can tell you that for sure.

Aramco will not help your husband get sponsorship for your iqamas but he can still do the process himself if you want to renew them. This is because your husband is your sponsor, not Aramco.

None of you will get CPR cards. They are only issued to people who have a sponsor in Bahrain. What you might get is a CPR number. But this doesn't allow you to do much. For example, you can't open a bank account with only a number.

You can't get a CPR number, as far as I know, without first getting some form of visa. For Brits, it's a five year multiple entry. Once you have that, you can apply for the CPR number which is a relatively simple process. To get a visa, you need a Bahraini visa agent to do the paperwork for you. Phil should be able to help with that, if he's still available.

Thank you for your answers. I will try to contact Phil.
Today I contacted some schools for my sons, they are willing to take them in by January if we get CPR cards or numbers.

When I read the other threads you can obtain a CPR with an imprint, but I understand now that this is incorrect. We can get in to Bahrain from Saudi easily and also on our Dutch passports we can get a tourist visa.

Well I spoke with Philp, but it was a disappointment. He told me that he is leaving Bahrain and cannot help me at the moment. He did give some information. As my husband is working at Aramco it is almost impossible as Aramco is not willing to sign any of the visa forms required for Bahrain.
So if there are any Aramcons here, please share your secret how did you pull it of?

I'm not sure they did pull it off. The only Aramcons I know who live in Bahrain don't have kids and are British. Brits get a three month visa on arrival which can be extended for another three so they don't have to leave often to renew their visas.

Ok. As far as I can tell coming from the Netherlands you get a two week visa (tourist). I now have contact with another visa agent. Maybe he can help us.  And if not then we will stay in Saudi.

I hope that link will help you alot
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 84#2819850

Esther,
I just wanted to let you know that staying in Bahrain on a tourist visa doesn't mean having to leave the country every two weeks. When you are issued your visa on arrival, you will notice that it lasts for 3 months and general information advises you are able to come and go within those 3 months, staying for a maximum of 2 weeks at a time for no additional fee.

However, if you are happy to pay a fee of BD25 (each time), you can have your visa extended by visiting the NPRA office on Exhibition Road. They will extend the visa for 2 weeks at a time. If you are willing to pay, you can continue to extend your visa for the entire 3 months without leaving. You should be aware that parking is scarce and it is best if you get there at opening (7.30am) to avoid having to wait. I usually park on a parallel street (it is a short walk from Ashrafs). You need to complete a visa extension form and take a number from the machine. You will need to turn to the right on entering the building and go through the turnstiles. There is a machine to get your number between the entry and exit turnstiles (you will have to search for it). Visa extension forms are supposed to be here also, but you may have to go to the office on the other side of the building to find one (just ask around).

Apparently there is more than one office you can visit. The following link may be useful: http://www.npra.gov.bh/en/page/service-centers/

Alternatively, you can overstay your visa by 2 weeks and pay for the extension at the airport on departure. The desk is just before immigration where you get your exit stamp. Until recently it was acceptable to leave and return on the same day, but now you are required to return on a different date. Be warned: if you overstay by more than 2 weeks, you will have to pay a substantial fine.

I hope this helps,

Jennifer

As a Brit, and this might apply to similar Euro nations too, I believe there are limits on total stay within Bahrain, and it was limited to 180 days. So although you can bypass the having to leave regularly, there is an overall limit. Now whether or not this is applied strictly or not, I cannot say, I have heard of some people popping out every few months and back again with no issue. Worth clarifying though.

I wouldn't recommend trying to stay here without a proper residency, it's just asking for hassle. Even though you can pop to Qatar very quickly and cheaply if you want to do an exit run, it's not practical with kids.

Bonafide and secure methods to get a CPR would be to find sponsored employment here, or purchase a property which I believe entitles you to residency. However this residency won't allow you to work, which might be ok . The only issue is finding something you want that is affordable in an area that expats can buy in. Look at Juffair, Amwaj, Reef.

By the way I'm sure on an old thread some time ago, somebody mentioned Philip and he was not doing that sort of fixing any more, but worth trying any way.

My wife has lived in Bahrain for almost 3 years now on nothing other than a tourist visa. We are Brits, so when she comes into Bahrain she gets a 3 month visa that she can then extend at the NPRA office, which I think she has only ever done once, as she/we normally visit somewhere outside Bahrain before the 3 months runs out.

I don't know anything about there being a limit (180 days) on the aggregate amount of time you can stay in Bahrain without having something other than a tourist visa, but needless to say, touch wood, she has never experienced any issues with immigration.

Unfortunately the 3 month visa is not a multi entry visa, so if you exit Bahrain during the 3 months and then return, even if it is within the original 3 months, you will have to pay for another visa, which for Brits is BD20.

Just for clarity, I don't have a Bahrain residency either, I work in KSA and commute daily, so I have an Iqama which allows me to get a 5 year multiple visa for Bahrain and that allows me to spend 28 days each visit in the country. However, we have decided that for various reasons, such as we can't have a joint bank account as my wife is undocumented in Bahrain, to finally go through the process of getting her an Iqama in Saudi. Once she has her own Iqama she will then be allowed to apply for residency in Bahrain.