Work visa delay

Dear,

I also in same case and waiting for Visa for 4 months and no reply from company. From August 2016, there is new rule in KSA, that before applying visa for expats, companies need to advertise the vacant position to Saudi Nationals and wait for around 2 to 3 months and conduct interviews over there and  only after that in case if the employer not able to find any suitable saudi candidates visa can be issued to bring expats. This new rule becoming head ache for many companies and even so many employers unaware of this and issuing offer letters to expatriates.

There are so many candidates like you and me were waiting for visa and only ALLAH knows the exact time, even the employers cannot predict the exact time.

Hameed,
We should keep each other posted of any news. May Allah make it easy for us.

ttabn123 wrote:

Hi all,
I accepted a teaching  job offer in Riyadh in mid April and have yet to receive papers for visa. HR keeps saying they are still waiting. Is thus long wait normal? Should I be worried?  Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks

Hello ttabn,

I'm in the same situation, is it a teaching position in a University?

Thanks

It's an international high school...let's just hope for the best

I am also going through similar problems. Can anyone update as to how much time this work visa processing takes? I am really worried and waiting now for more than one month but the employer seems to be least bothered.

Hello Hameed

Thanks for your very informative conversation Glad to see and disappointment decrease can say now I am not alone who waiting  so far 2 months ,as buddy says keep in touch . All the best Allah is Greatest INSHALLAH

Regards
Mazhar Hussain

Hi all,

I'm also in the club. I'm a pilot and I'm waiting for my Visa papers since November.
I should move to Saudi Arabia with my family and this long wait is causing a lot of anxiety.

Thank you for sharing your experiences, this help a lot..

You are not the only one! At times it takes a lot of time to get the documents in order and approved as per stated timelines.
Just keep in touch with the hiring company and the HR department.
If they keep lines of communication open, which implies that things are alright and your process is moving as per SOPs - standard operating procedures.
Good luck!

Thank you !

Hi Friends
I am from India and also got a job offer in Saudi Arabia during Oct 2017. I am still waiting for the visa and employer is in touch with me and asking me to wait bcoz they r trying to get the visa from the govt of KSA. The whole story of delay was happened due to sudden change of law for hiring expat (theme of sudization) into KSA. So guys, anyone here hv got its visa since then or still waiting !!!..pls update .. So we can keep hope ..

Thnx..Anuj

Don't lose hope! That is all I can say.

I know what you are feeling and going through.
My hiring process started back in Dec 2017 and now I am going through such complications.
The most difficult part is the Saudi culture degree attestation process. I have to get my degree attested through so many institutions and then wait for up to 4 weeks to get the final stamp from the Culture attache office.
Than further VISA stamping takes time.
I wonder how many candidates are actually putting up with this process? or do they get fed up with this nonsense and look elsewhere for a job? I am sure employers in KSA must be losing a lot of potential employees because everybody keeps a second option for himself and his family.
Never resign from your role / current job based on an offer letter from any employer in the KSA! the letter won't feed either you or your immediate loved ones. Always submit resignation after getting the visa stamped in the passport.

Good luck anyways!

Thnx friend...finally have u got the visa or still in queue with hope like me ??

Hi all,
like I wrote in my previous post , I'm waiting visa since November.
Let's keep update each other to try to understand times of this proces.

Thank you
Sandro

No dear! not yet.

I am still dealing with the AGENCY in Pakistan and its stupidity.
The firm misspelled my name and hence the agent without checking the details sent out the courier and now we are moving back and forth ! the firm is required to reprepare all the documents with my right name as given in the passport and NIC.

So, once that is settled, then I will restart my attestation process at the Saudi Culture Center.
It is time-consuming indeed!

Long way ahead!

Hi Dear,

How are things with you?

Hi

I believe you addressed me to reply...then I would like to say..my attestation parts are over ..all documents are in line for visa endorsement..only delay is in respect to get visa approval from KSA govt. against application of employer ..

Yes off-course will say..these attestation part is also a confusing one to process through..the recognised agent are typical dumps to take care..I have faced many challenges to complete it..

Thanks

Anuj007 wrote:

Hi

I believe you addressed me to reply...then I would like to say..my attestation parts are over ..all documents are in line for visa endorsement..only delay is in respect to get visa approval from KSA govt. against application of employer ..

Yes off-course will say..these attestation part is also a confusing one to process through..the recognised agent are typical dumps to take care..I have faced many challenges to complete it..

Thanks

Hi Anuj
  I am also from India. How much time degree attestation took in your case?

In my case it took 4 months after continuous follow up..
Thnx

Thnx

Hi friends

Did anyone get visa ? Did u contact ur employer and what's their comment ?.. pls share the updates ..

Now it about six months waiting for my working Visa. My Company's HR office told me that they cannot solve the problem  as it depends on the government authorities.

That is really very weird sir.

I am going through the attestation process. That is my update.
it takes time to get through this process.

waiting, waiting, waiting

Hi casamatta..

Its really sad.. Did ur employer surrender back or still they trying to get ur visa?..if so, it may take another couple of months..we need blessings..oh God...pls help us..

Hi guys,
Iam also in the same situation. Waiting for VISA.. iam from india..
My case is different. I had everything in hand. But due to new rule they r applying for new VISA. 1 moth back my HR have applied for new VISA and it seems they r also waiting for the same from ministry..
Dont know how long they will take to issue new engineer VISA..
Regards
PK

Hope you get your visa asap!
goodluck

They are still trying to get my visa.
Two more months? It 's terrible !

agreed

Good morning to all of you,

has anyone had good news about his working visa ( Iqama) during this period?
if so, could you  be so kind  to let me know how much time has passed since the beginning of the trial?

Thank you

Sandro

Hi sandro,

3 days back i got work VISA and got stamped. For me it took almost 6months to get VISA since i got my offer letter.

Regards
PK

Thank you , this is a precious information for those who have been waiting a long time and do not know how much longer.

My employer keeps on asking, how much more time? how much more time?

I just feel a bit demotivated now due to the delay.

I know that this is the Ramadan period , and I read that government offices will have a shorter opening time during the day for the respect of the religious worship.
I wonder if they will continue to work on Visas process or if we  have to consider it as a month of further waiting time.

How is it going for everyone?
I am still waiting at my end.
This Saudi Culture attestation takes a lot of time.

Hi Hussain..
Dont worry..  hope they will start work after 24thjune and i recently came to know that many people waited for a Year also and than travelled to Saudi.. it is quite common here looks like.. All the Best and keep praying.. u will get soon...
Regards
PK

Newyork89 wrote:

Hi Hussain..
Don't worry..  hope they will start work after 24th june and i recently came to know that many people waited for a Year also and then traveled to Saudi.. it is quite common here looks like.. All the Best and keep praying.. u will get soon...
Regards
PK

Dear brother,
AA and EID MUBARAK!

The employer is not willing to wait beyond July.
I am in a real fix. 
The agent told me that they will reopen on the 20th of this month.
My fingers crossed at the moment.
Rest is Naseeb / taqdeer.
Kind regards.

Dear Brother,

Followup with your agent and get the degree attested. Once it is done within a week u can get VISA stamped..
Hope you got VISA number provided by your recruitment company in saudi rite? If not, ask them to arrange for the same in parallel.. because, in my case, after degree attestation.. due to some reason my initial visa number which they issued become useless it seems.. so they processed for new VISA and it took nearly 40days to issue the same and then within a week it got stamped...
All the best..

Regards,
PK

Newyork89 wrote:

Dear Brother,

Followup with your agent and get the degree attested. Once it is done within a week u can get VISA stamped..
Hope you got VISA number provided by your recruitment company in Saudi rite? If not, ask them to arrange for the same in parallel.. because, in my case, after degree attestation.. due to some reason my initial visa number which they issued become useless it seems.. so they processed for new VISA and it took nearly 40days to issue the same and then within a week it got stamped...
All the best..

Regards,
PK

thank you for providing this precious piece of information.

I will ask my agent to follow up with the company on the visa status + validity.

Because visa  was issued sometime back in March.

Kind regards.

My latest development: I have been asked by someone at the Saudi Culture Office in Islamabad to get my BRITISH Master's Degree attested via the Saudi Culture Office in the UK!  has anyone heard of such a thing?
I thought Saudi culture attache office was responsible for attesting all degrees of Pakistani Nationals.

Please if anyone can guide me?