Comprehensive Bahrain Visa Process & FAQ - Work & Self sponsorship

XTang · 2018-01-24T12:34:07+01:00

Edit Feb'20: Merged stickies for work visa and self sponsorship visa Edit Feb'21: Added visa cancellation law in case monthly fees are not paid Note that I haven't managed to update this for quite a while now due to lack of time. While a lot of information is still valid, some things have changed e.g. parents visa sponsorship is now possible etc. In case you want to suggest edits from your own experiences, please add to the thread and I will incorporate your suggested changes whenever I get time. There is almost a constant stream of threads asking about the process and how long it takes, why is it delayed and what's happening. I have some time on my hands today so thought to create a single thread that should address most but not all questions. Important points - please read before any response or message: 1) I am not an agent or PRO or the definitive source on this. This is all based on personal experiences from the employer and applicant side of things. This is meant to aid people but at the same time, I cannot help or respond to requests for help - not a PRO as stated :) 2) Rules and regulations change so the information here may become out dated over time. Check lmra.bh website for the latest information. Also a lot of administrative guidelines e.g. bans or extra scrutiny on certain nationalities are NOT advertised publicly e.g. the ban on Pakistani passport holders lasted for more than a year and was NEVER admitted to by either the Pakistan Government nor Bahrain immigration. But the fact was that no Pakistanis were able to get new work or visit visas for a long time 3) This is about the application process ONLY; from beginning to end. I won't dwell on other items CPR, requirements for visas, attestations etc. However, I will list some of the frequently asked questions on these topics below 4) No one and absolutely NO ONE in this forum can tell you which stage your application is at, where it's stuck, why is it stuck and how long will it take. The best source for that is your employer. We understand that you are anxious but repeated questions and private messages are pointless and will only annoy people 5) In most cases, the only thing you can do is talk to your employer and / or wait. There is no process for fast tracking applications. That is not to say that they can't be fast tracked but that requires connections by either you or the PRO. I have seen an application leading to a visa within one or two days in such a case. And NO, I cannot help you in doing that The process is as follows. Application by Employer Once you accept the job offer, the employer will create an application in the LMRA system (EMS). They will ask you for documents for this purpose such as copies of first two pages of the passport, photos, attested educational degrees, preliminary medical report (or GAMCA number) etc. For dependent visas (wife and kids), it is the same but additional documents will be required like attested birth certificates and attested marriage certificates (but no medical reports as not needed for dependents). Other type of visas such as parents, children older than 18 and so on are NOT through LMRA but directly through immigration on paper forms. The employer will upload the documents and submit. At this stage the application will show the status of SUBMITTED as well as show on LMRA stage on the LMRA website (Express services tracking tool). LMRA will verify documents, employer eligibility and other matters. The application can be returned here for many many reasons such as offence on CR, fees not paid, bahrainisation ratio, documents missing or not clear etc. If the application is returned more than twice; it will be rejected and employer has to apply again. This stage usually takes 2-3 days but can take longer if more verification is required, system is down and / or there are holidays. Once done, it goes through CIO onwards to immigration. Also the employer can follow up with LMRA through the contact center or e-support. NPRA Most time is taken here as security checks are conducted at this stage. The application can take anywhere from 2 to 3 days to 2 to 3 weeks. Sometimes it can take months. Most application rejections also happen here for different reasons e.g. security check failed etc. The status on the site will show AWAIT GDNPR while it is in processing here. If rejected, it will show EMPLOYMENT VISA NOT VALID or in some cases, will go back to LMRA or not show at all. Now this bit is important; at this stage, LMRA cannot help with queries as they will say that the application is with immigration and to wait. Because while LMRA determines eligibility and quota for visas etc; the final approving authority for the right to come to Bahrain is with immigration NOT LMRA. Also, in most cases, your employer can follow up directly with immigration by visiting their offices or through a PRO but in 99% of the cases, cannot influence any faster processing or get reasons for why the application is delayed. If immigration want additional details, they will ask the employer or LMRA directly (they don't in my experience though). The ONLY thing you can do here is wait. PAYMENT If the application is approved, it will come back to the employer for payment. Once paid, it takes a maximum of 2-3 days for the visa to be issued and printed. Sometimes it is almost instantaneous. The status shown is AWAIT IMM when payment has been made. Then it goes to immigration and finally back to LMRA for final issuance of visa. HOWEVER and this is important; sometimes there are delays after this stage. In most cases, it is because the system is slow or not working properly or there are holidays - as a result of which it takes longer. At other times, LMRA or immigration could hold final issuance of visas due to any number of reasons such as recent violation by CR etc. As an example, a company had a health check violation/failure for one of its workers (Worker failed the medical in Bahrain) and the entire CR/address was put on hold until that violation was cleared i.e. expat deported and evidence provided to immigration. Till that was done, no visas could be issued irrespective of which stage the application was at. Similarly, in another case, the application was rejected at this stage as the applicant had entered Bahrain on a multiple entry visit visa which was still valid and until that was cancelled, the application could not be approved. These are just a few examples. There could be many other similar or different reasons. ISSUANCE This is the last stage and the application comes back to your employer. They login to the system, print the work visa and either send it to the employee (if he is outside the country) or send it to immigration with passport (if the employee is in the country). If you are outside, then you enter with the visa and at the airport, they will take your picture & fingerprints and issue an appointment for medical. At the same time, they will stamp your passport with a residence permit. You can get it converted to a sticker later if is an ink stamp. Similarly, if you are inside Bahrain, you will have to go for the fingerprint / photo to one of LMRA's centers. This process is called enrollment and until that is done, you won't get the residence permit. All in all, the overall process normal time range is between 1 to 4 weeks with the average being two weeks. In few cases, it could take a couple of months. As I said before, the only advice that can be given in such a situation is to follow up with your employer, wait and generally never resign from your current job until you have the printed visa in your hand. EDIT for questions; 26th November 2019 What do you mean by attested documents? and do we need to get documents attested by Bahrain Embassy / MOFA Bahrain or will Apostille work? Simply, your original document needs to be attested by the Bahrain Embassy in your home country. And the Embassy will only attest the document if your Ministry of Foreign Affairs has done the same. If you are based (with a valid resident visa) in another country e.g. the UAE with an attested degree from your MOFA, you may be able to get the attestation from the Bahrain Embassy in that country without needing to go back home. The second part relates to "Apostilled documents". Bahrain is a signatory to the Hague convention which means that theoretically speaking, your apostilled documents should work. However, LMRA is in a habit of routinely rejecting apostilled documents and asking for Bahrain MOFA attestation. That is easy and costs 10 BD if you are in Bahrain. If not, then you have to follow the whole attestation route as described above in your home country. Can wife sponsor kids and husband? If the wife is on a work visa and the husband is also in the country, then the answer is no for the majority of the cases. There are a few exception for women in senior roles in some industries like financial services, healthcare and banks. The ONLY situation where this is possible most times, generally speaking, is if the wife is on an INVESTOR visa. In this case, she can sponsor both husband and kids. HOWEVER, to sponsor kids, the husband MUST go to the notary public and give a statement that he is ok to allow his wife to sponsor the kids. Then this must be attested by MOFA Bahrain. Is it possible to sponsor parents? No, there is NO process for doing that. However, it is possible but very difficult. Generally speaking, only people who work for very big companies and in senior roles (high salary), have a chance. I was able to sponsor my mother for a few years in the last company I worked for but other junior colleagues of mine were routinely rejected. The application is directly with immigration and not through LMRA plus your employer needs to get heavily involved to get it through. My visa has been rejected with message "Apply for a different expat", what do I do? Unfortunately, nothing. This message means that it is a security / CID rejection and no matter, how many times your employer or any other employer applies, you won't get a visa. There is a remote chance to get it through but only if your employer has high level connections - that way, they can approach immigration directly and find out if it is a real issue or a case of mistaken identity / documents which they can get rectified. It happened to me on my first time coming to Bahrain and took a few months to sort out - was sorted only because it wasn't a pure "security" issue. Can I sponsor my girlfriend / boyfriend? No, you can't. Bahrain being a Muslim country doesn't recognize those relationships. How to cancel your visa, how long does it take and is any money refunded to the sponsor? For work visas, only your sponsor can cancel those. The process is to fill a termination declaration form and upload it in the EMS system. This is signed both by the sponsor and the employee. Once this is submitted, it takes literally seconds to cancel the visa. Once cancelled, the employee will appear as terminated in the EMS portal. On LMRA website, it will show as "Expired Employment Visa" or visa not valid. Once the employee leaves the country or transfers to another employer, the EMS portal for the CR will update and healthcare fee credit for work visas will be given on a pro-rata basis. This is the only credit that is given on visa cancellation. Visa fee is only credited pro-rata on mobility and not on cancellation. How to update CPR address for employees under LMRA domain? Employer logs into EMS system Goes to General Functions Clicks on Update Expatriate Address Takes print of confirmation Books appointment with CIO Takes necessary documents for chip update - EWA or Municipality letter from employee as well as passport and CPR' When I look on LMRA express services, it says record not found? This could mean many things i.e. either the application for a visa has not been made or updated in LMRA system or the visa has been cancelled and the record deleted from LMRA system. In all cases, you should follow up with your sponsor. When I look on LMRA express services, it says monthly fees not paid? This has nothing to do with the individual visa applicant. Every business or CR has to pay LMRA a monthly fee of 5 BD for each work / investor visa on it's CR. If this fee is not paid in time, this message appears. And if the fee is not settled within three months, all the visas issued by the CR, get cancelled. Here is the law which LMRA is flashing nowadays on their website i.e. Feb'21 - I am pasting it here as someone was arguing with me on a post that visas are not cancelled in this case. Note that in accordance to Article (26 / B / 8) of the Labour Market Regulation Law which stipulates that non-payment of monthly invoices for more than 3 months will result in the cancellation of work permits, thus the employer will be obligated to incur the expenses of his workers' deportation fees. Why is my visa application delayed beyond the time period listed above? This happens. It could be due to nationality related security matters or any other reason. The only thing you can do is to wait. I cancelled my visa in Bahrain and applied for a new visa. It was approved but could not be printed as offence 15 came on the CR? Don't worry. This is an automatic enrollment offence. When people come to Bahrain for the first time; the visa is issued when they are outside the country. When they enter, enrollment i.e. finger prints and photo is done at the airport. When you apply for a visa while in Bahrain, after cancelling your previous visa, and not leaving the country, the system automatically marks an offence as soon as new visa is approved, as it detects that enrollment is not done and you have already physically entered (assumes you skipped it at the airport). With this offence, the CR is immediately blocked for issuance of all visas. Then after a day, the system automatically carries over the past enrollment data (which you did for your previous visa) and the offence disappears. Besides work visas to Bahrain, what other options do I have to get residence here? You can self sponsor yourself (but not work) through investment. This sticky: Continued in thread below OR start a business in Bahrain and sponsor visas for yourself. This sticky: https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=739858 I have an issue which is not listed here. How do I contact you and can you share your details? You can message me through the private messaging option. I don't share my contact details on the forum as I have a day job and don't have much time on my hands. SELF SPONSORSHIP VISA - RESIDENCY THROUGH INVESTMENT I went through this process recently and thought to pen down a sticky as there are lots of questions on the forum about this. I will continue updating it as and when required. The issue with this topic is that while the visa process is listed on the NPRA website, the details behind that are not. Also, when you ask property agents or PROs, depending on your question, you will get different answers - so there is a general lack of clarity. Basically there are three ways to apply for a self sponsorship visa as listed on the NPRA site: https://www.npra.gov.bh/en/services/visas-residence-permit/residence-permits-services/rps/ Edit Dec'23: As per latest requirements published by NPRA, fixed deposit requirement for SS visa has been reinstated for retiree (5,000 BD) and investor (15,000); but not for property owner. I think this makes sense especially since they removed the requirement of 100K investment for investor i.e. now you can just get a CR, put a fixed deposit of 15K and get a 10 year self sponsorship visa. I will eventually update the SS section if I manage to find the time to do so :). 1) Property purchase of 50K BD or more 2) Retired foreigner - worked for 15 years or more in the GCC 3) Foreign investor - invest 100K BHD or more in a Bahraini company (recent news in Nov' 19 : This is going to be reduced to 50K to bring it in line with point 1. Not sure exactly when it will be in force) Practically speaking, if you want to live in Bahrain but don't work here (no work visa), these are your ONLY LEGAL options for staying here. Setting up a company for visas (process on the sticky) is not advised for this as LMRA can and will shut down "shadow" companies set up for this purpose - in fact, they are doing it right now. In this thread, I will only discuss option number 1 in detail. The visa process for the other options works in the same way but the documentation requirements are a bit different e.g. evidence of having worked in the GCC for 15 years for option 2 and copy of MOA for option 3 in addition to showing a tenancy agreement or EWA bill. Property requirements: As an expat, you must buy property valued at 50,000 BD or more. Generally, properties built on reclaimed land or in touristic areas e.g. Juffair, Seef etc are eligible. In addition, developments with villas like Riffa Views, Durrat etc, also offer freehold properties for purchase. Rule of thumb is that if you are buying apartments, go for buildings of 10 stories or more as there are specific requirements for property for this type of visa. You want to go for properties which have a "Title deed' or are "Title deed ready" i.e. the title deed for your property has been issued after being split from the developer's mother title deed. Off-plan properties are not eligible for this reason. Purchase process: 1) Short list a property and sign a pre-sale agreement. This is usually accompanied with token money of around 2,000 BD which is refundable in case your security clearance fails. If you change your mind, you lose it. If the seller changes his mind, he has to pay you back double of what you put in. This is done on stamp paper and signed by the buyer/seller & property agent as witness. Keep in mind that this is time bound i.e. valid for a few months - so if your security clearance does not come during that time, the seller can refund the money and walk away from the deal 2) Once this is done, the property agent or developer will submit the title deed along with your ID documents i.e. passport / CPR to the Notary in Ministry of Justice for security clearance / NOC. This clearance is only for expat buyers 3) This usually takes 1-2 months. Sometimes it can take a LOT longer. For some nationalities, security clearance doesn't come at all despite waiting years. Therefore, sometimes, the developer will ask you to pay him and book the apartment under your name ( in their records only - especially for new buildings for which the first transfer to new buyer hasn't happened) before they apply for this. DON'T do this and NEVER pay anything more than a token deposit. Because if you don't get clearance, you are stuck with an apartment that you won't be able to transfer under your name nor get the visa. The number that is given for security clearance, when documents are submitted, is the SAME number under which the sale agreement is done, which means, that unless there is a clearance in place, the sale agreement CANNOT be signed and without sale agreement, there is no title deed. This then means that your property ownership is on a piece of paper given to you by the developer and depending on their credibility, you are at risk of losing everything 4) Once the clearance is done, both the buyer and seller appear in the notary office (GOSI mall or SLRB office i.e. Survey and Land registration bureau) and sign a "Sale-purchase" agreement. The buyer pays the seller via manager's cheque at this point 5) Make sure that when you go to the notary, you go there early in the morning i.e. before 9 and that the seller brings literally every single document imaginable (and you bring your passport / CPR). Because, they have a habit of asking for documents out of the blue and if you don't have them, they won't give you a token. And by the time, you get the document and bring it back, the process which could have finished under 1 hour, will end up taking 5-6 hours as the queue would have overtaken you by then 6) Once the agreement is signed, you submit the original title deed and original sale agreement to SLRB registration section to get the title deed i.e. red book transferred under your name. You will pay one point seven percent of purchase value if done within 60 days from purchase date or two percent after 60 days. Also be mindful that the sale purchase agreement validity is only 1 year which is why you must transfer before this time. This is why I would recommend to use the notary in SLRB office as for one, it's not as crowded as GOSI mall and secondly, the next step to be done is at the registration counter right next to the notary. This transfer of title deed (for first time issuance) can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months - there is an option to fast track by paying 51 BD which reduces this time to 2 weeks usually. For existing title deeds, the transfer & update on the red book takes a day or two as all they do is, print on one page in the title deed / red book after the first owner pages & the property map, showing the second owner transaction 7) Take a copy of the title deed (ideally original) and follow the process for getting the EWA bill transferred in your name. It can also work with a copy of the sale agreement but sometimes they are finicky about this. You also need to take your passport, original CPR, title deed and a stamped letter / statement from the bank which shows your IBAN number. You would need to go to one of the three customer service centers i.e. Muharraq, Zayed Town or Country Mall. Go VERY early - they open at 7 AM (The busiest center by far is Muharraq). If you go then, you will be out within the hour. Otherwise you will waste a lot of time as there are tons of people doing change of name requests at any given time - as tenants of rental properties. When done, they will take a security deposit which will vary depending on the meter in the property e.g. 100 BD for single phase, 300 BD for three phase and 1000 for villas. Pay the amount and get the bond certificate. Practically speaking, for the visa, you just need the title deed and EWA bill / bond. Now there is one huge gap / issue in this for people who are not resident in Bahrain and don't have a CPR. This means that you won't have a bank account or IBAN to give to EWA. as the banks won't open an account without a CPR, which you can't get without a visa. So it is a circular loop and even property agents are complaining about this. So the options are to either go to self sponsorship section in immigration and try to get a letter / temporary cpr number with which the banks can open an account or take someone else with you who is resident in Bahrain and can give / sign on the debit undertaking with EWA to get the electricity running. Visa process: Now that you have the property, the next step is to apply for the visa. These are available for 2, 5 and 10 years. Note that the 10 year visa IS available but most agents don't know it. I met a lot of PROs & agents who swore that the self sponsorship visa is only 2 years. Simply, as I keep saying in this thread, most people do NOT know the process or requirements so trust only what the self sponsorship section in immigration tells you - go there yourself in case of any doubt. You must NOT be working in Bahrain for the public or private sector. You can apply for the visa and once approval is given, to get it stamped, you will have to cancel your existing visa. But generally, if you are not a resident or on Saudi iqama, there is no issue in applying or stamping - no cancellation required. The documents are listed on the NPRA site as per link above. Point to note is that they dropped the requirement for the 15,000 BHD bank deposit which is a welcome step. Secondly, you MUST show monthly income of 500 BD or more through investments in or out of Bahrain or work outside of Bahrain. This cannot be from your job or work inside Bahrain. Take all the documents and apply at the NPRA office on Exhibition road in the self sponsorship section. I submitted the following documentation: Filled out visa forms (one form for each member of the family - forms can be downloaded from NPRA site. It is the same form for ALL types of visas), copies of passports and CPRs for all family members, copy of title deed of property - first page, survey map pages and the transfer page which showed my details, copy of EWA bond (as first bill wasn't issued then), copy of insurance cards (just the front of the cards - no need for insurance letter), original certificate of good conduct from Bahrain / Saudi and documentation for proof of monthly income (bank statements from abroad showing investment income and also employer letter from Saudi). Was given a contact card for self sponsorship section with my file number. Now the wait begins. It takes roughly between 1 to 6 months to issue this type of residence permit. It took 2 months for my 10-year permit to be approved. Once approved, you go in with your passport, get it stamped and pay the fees. Note that the visa fee is the same for EACH visa. This means; with the cost of a 10 year visa @ 604 BD, if you are sponsoring your family, say a wife and 2 kids; then you will pay 604 BD*4 as your total cost. This is why a lot of people, when they find this out, ask for the cheaper 2 or 5 year permit at the counter, at the time of stamping. Once you get the visa, be aware that you CANNOT work in Bahrain but can live there without issue and sponsor your dependents as well (spouse and children up to the age of 18 only). Hence, I would only recommend this option for people who are wealthy and don't need to work (or are retired) OR people who work in Saudi but want to live in Bahrain. The self sponsorship visa section contact details are as under. They are generally very helpful towards investors. Telephone Number: +973-17399712 Fax: +973-17535204 Email: self.sponsorship@npra.gov.bh Other questions: 1) If property is in two names, do both parties or one only become eligible for the visa? - Not many people are clear on this but each person's share must be 50K BHD, to be eligible for a visa. If the share works out to be less than 50K then no one is eligible for a visa. A lot of people will tell you that husband and wife on a 50K property will get a visa - also a lot say no. The answer is yes (but only for husband and wife) and it is possible if you have an attested marriage certificate, both are equal shareholders in the property, electricity bill is in husband's name and the husband applies for the visa & then sponsors wife as dependent (Same situation as me - visa was approved). BUT this is allowed only in the case of a husband and wife relationship; all other family relationships are subject to the same rule of 50K per person per visa 2) Can the wife sponsor the husband if the property is in her name? - Again, another question to which you will hear different answers. But, the answer is no as self sponsorship requires the breadwinner to sponsor his family and not the other way round. There may be exceptions here and there in cases where the wife is showing income independent from the husband but this needs to be confirmed 3) Is the visa guaranteed when you purchase property? - No, it is entirely at the discretion of immigration just like other visas. The chances for refusal are low if you have a clean record and have gone through the clearance at purchase time but it can happen 4) Is this permanent residency? - Yes and No. The visas are for lifetime IF you continue to hold the property but must be renewed 6 months before expiry at 2, 5 or 10 year periods. Secondly, you can only sponsor your children until they are 18. After which they need to get their own visas through work or studies or other means 5) Can you rent the property? - Yes, you can but try to keep the EWA bill under your name 6) What happens if I sell the property? - The visa will be cancelled. You may at most get an extension of your stay in Bahrain by 3 months when that happens 7) Does buying a property lead to citizenship? - No it doesn't. You must fulfill all the other requirements i.e. length of stay etc. HOWEVER, be aware that they recently changed the rules and now for all citizenship applications, you MUST have property under your name. So this will obviously help if you are otherwise eligible to get the passport 8) What happens if I die? - This is a big topic but generally speaking, if you are a Non-Muslim and have a will, the provisions of your will are applied by the Bahrain courts for succession certificate. This certificate will allow the beneficiary to transfer the property under their name and apply for a visa in turn. If you are Muslim, then Shariah law will be applied - even if you have a will, while they will consider it, it cannot be in contravention to Shariah law. As far as the visa is concerned and IF, you are buying as a family i.e. husband and wife, and the property is worth less than 100K (i.e. each party's share is not 50K which means you only get one main visa) it is best to have both names on the property title deed. Because you can get a visa under this arrangement and if the husband dies, the transfer of the visa to the wife is a simple matter - the self sponsorship people told me that they routinely do this under these circumstances. Alternatively, if the property is worth 100K then both husband and wife can get self sponsorship visas of their own i.e. two main visa holders and one of them can sponsor the kids. No difference in cost and in the event one dies, the kids can be transferred easily to the other party. 9) What about power of attorney, can it help? - A POA given by you to someone allowing them to sell or dispose off the property is only valid while you are alive. On your death, the POA is invalid. Don't attempt to use in that case as you could be subject to legal proceedings for fraud. Edit: 23rd July 2019 - Choosing between investment in UAE, Saudi & Bahrain for visas? I have gotten lots of questions through private message asking for advice on whether to invest in Bahrain vs. UAE or Saudi. Based on the general confused tone of the messages :), I thought I should clarify some points. In Bahrain, for a 10 year visa, you invest 50K BHD with proof of monthly income of 500 BHD. In UAE, you need 100K BHD with proof of monthly income of 1000 BHD for a 2 year visa!!!. The UAE 10 year visa is for AED 10 mn and as far as I know, it is not linked to property purchase but investment (property visa is maximum for 5 years with an investment of AED 5 million). In USD terms, Bahrain gives you a 10 year visa for $132K investment whereas UAE gives it to you for close to $2.7 million!!!. At that price point, you can buy a passport for an EU country e.g. Malta or Cyprus. What you have to understand is that price point is set for a very unique category of people i.e. people who have been in UAE their entire lives and have big business set ups there. For them, it is very convenient as it safeguards their investment in the country which is worth a lot more than this price point. See the news about the people who got permanent residency in the UAE - and you will get an idea as to what type of people this program is targeted towards. Saudi is similar with a SAR 800K one-off payment (not investment) to get an indefinite term visa - targeted towards big business owners in the country who will benefit a lot from this especially by having businesses and property in their names vs. their sponsors. So, simply, the investment in Bahrain, if you want a 10 year visa and are a normal individual investor, is BY FAR the most cost effective of any other GCC country program out there. If money is no issue, then yeah, you can always go for UAE or Saudi. Edit: 29th Sep 2019 - Copying of my post by newspapers & publications Interestingly, a publication called "Salaam Bahrain" copied from my post, especially the FAQ/Q&A portion which is pretty much word for word in most questions (See POA, death and other questions) and published it in their July retirement issue. And since I posted this for the first time in April 2019; it is quite obvious that it is my post that was used to "borrow" from. https://issuu.com/salaambahrain/docs/sb_july_2019_issue See page 22-23 (they even got parts of the process wrong relying on old information rather than this post). Now this is what I call lazy journalism :). I don't mind this information being copied especially if it helps people but it would be courteous to give credit or cite a reference vs. trying to pass it off as their own research (which it is not!). Edit: 21st October 2019 A slight update on two things. CPR Process for this type of visa: As you know, if you read the thread, once you get this visa, you are no longer under LMRA. And you sponsor yourself so you don't need an agent to do this for you. So to get a CPR card; you would either need to book an appointment in the category of "Investors and dependents" on bahrain.bh under identity card services or go to the VIP counter in Isa Town. Take your passports with you, along with photographs - all card holders need to be in the country. The EWA account in your name will appear in their systems. They will print out the CPRs. At VIP counter, they will charge you 10 BD extra per card (I assume that at visa issuance, immigration also issues you a CPR number or it could be the same paper CPR number they give you to register EWA and open bank account - needs to be confirmed). Because, in the sponsor field, in the CPR reader print out, it is your own CPR number plus name which flows through from the immigration system. Employer name and number is blank. If you already have a CPR card and want to get the chip updated, it is the same process as above except it has to be by appointment (VIP services only does renewal or new prints of CPR and not chip update only). Be aware that if you have bought a property for investment i.e. you are not living in the property and instead are renting a place somewhere else; they will NOT accept municipality letters for the rental contract and only update on the address on which the EWA is in your name. If you rent out your property and the tenant uses a municipality letter to get the address updated on his / her CPR; then you can use your municipality letter to get your real address sorted. Transferring from LMRA visas: Once you cancel your visa and get this stamped, you are sorted. However, since you didn't leave the country, your details will still appear in LMRA system showing as "TERMINATED". To get them to disappear and for your employer to get a refund on the healthcare fees, you have to either leave or employer has to raise a ticket online with LMRA esupport. With this ticket, they should attach copies of your cancelled visas and new visas and tell LMRA to remove you from their system as you are no longer under LMRA umbrella. This will be done in a few days and the refund will be processed. Edit: 6th February 2020 A minor update on address certificate. What most people might not know is that CIO (CPR office) have address certificates in their system for each property. Now, while this isn't proof of legal ownership like the title deed, it is still helpful especially if you want to do things like rent to US Navy or organizations etc. For your property, there is ALWAYS an address certificate with CIO. It is usually just in the name of the developer. It is better to get it changed in your name. The process for that is simple. Just go to Isa Town CPR office. Don't go in the main building and instead look for a sign which says "Addresses / Birth & death registration". Take a copy of your title deed, EWA bond or bill and CPR of owner (optional copy of existing address certificate and copy of CPR/CR of previous owner). Go in and take the token for addresses. When your turn comes, tell the officer that you want to "change" the name on the address certificate, pay 1 BD and take your certificate. It is important to say "change" as their English speaking skills vary and most people who go there are for new buildings or buildings which don't have address certificate. So if he / she gets confused, they will tell you to bring building permit and municipality letter, which you don't need for the change in name. So avoid the waste of time.

Last activity 21 October 2024 by Peter Suranyi

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XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert04 July 2021 06:25:51

#161

11763

Go to immigration, they will just move the permit to the new passport after updating your passport details. Takes literally a minute - if you can get an appointment nowadays . Otherwise use an agent and hand him both passports.

WorldCitizen89Active member04 July 2021 06:37:47

#162

Thanks for the reply XTang, sounds like an easy one for once.

Armitage7Member13 July 2021 10:31:15

#163

Hello,

I have a question similar to that of Wrt2021 earlier this year. I'm planning to buy real estate property in Bahrain, get the residency and live there most of the year. I have a Bahraini contact there, and will be hiring a local lawyer to help me with the process.

I work as an IT consultant, remotely, exclusively for EU firms, now and for any foreseeable future.

I think it would be ideal for me to incorporate a company (WLL, since SPC don't exist anymore) in Bahrain to manage my business locally, but I'm afraid that it might put me in breach of the requirement to "not work for the private or public sector in Bahrain".

How do you think the Bahraini administration would interpret that situation if none of my clients are in the Kingdom?

Would it be better for me to incorporate my company somewhere else (like in the UAE for example) so that it could not be misinterpreted as "work for the local private sector"?

Thanks in advance, for all the time and dedication that you are giving to help us.

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert13 July 2021 12:11:40

#164

11763

It is not about clients, it is about the process of setting up a company. If you are the only investor/partner in the company, to get the company active (bank account etc.), you will have to be on the visa of the company and can't be on the self sponsorship visa. So in your particular situation, it is better for you to set it up in a place like UAE.

Armitage7Member13 July 2021 15:33:51

#165

Ok I see now, thank you for the explanations. So, a well-intentioned rule with unfortunate consequences.

I will lose money incorporating a company in the UAE and Bahrain will lose its 5% VAT on exports of services. I'll see with the lawyer if there is a solution to avoid this waste.

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert13 July 2021 15:39:19

#166

11763

Sure. Just be careful with what the lawyer says. For expats, all investors have to be on the visa for the bank account to be active.....for company in formation.

VinsanityMember02 August 2021 19:11:34

#167

I got my cpr 2 months back.
My wife and daughter have there bahrain family visa and will be entering Bahrain this weekend from KSA. Can anyone recommend if we should come through the cause way from dammmam
Or take a flight from dammam to bahrain. When I initially came to bahrain I opted for the flight as I was told LMRA processing is fasted on airport. Also what are next steps once she enters bahrain will she be needing to do medical as well? Or she has to do a medical before entering bahrain ?

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert03 August 2021 06:44:03

#168

11763

If you have the visa, they can enter from any border. The processing takes place on causeway as well. There is no medical requirement for dependents.

VinsanityMember07 August 2021 04:39:02

#169

If we enter sunday morning can we go straight to cpr office to get their cprs or should we wait some tome before proceeding to the cpr office which prints the cpr. Also is there any documents they will be needing to issue the cpr?

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert07 August 2021 08:18:14

#170

11763

No. Appointment is needed and your employer needs to coordinate the documents / arrangements.

VinsanityMember07 August 2021 08:44:14

#171

Cant i just go through fast track. ?

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert08 August 2021 06:42:02

#172

11763

Post Covid, there is no fast track service in reality. You have to to go early and get a token for it. Still a wait of 3-4 hours.

And you would need to take all necessary documents like address certificate, attested marriage certificate etc etc, all of which will take time to arrange.

Go here and read someone's experience, post #10:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=930873

Abdallah AccaryNew member09 August 2021 19:48:45

#173

Hello,
My employer asked me to check if I can come to Bahrain through a visit visa taken at the airport on arrival. Of course, he will work to transfer it to a working visa as I understood.
Let me explain the case, my employer says that it is a long process to get a working visa due to many reasons (i.e. COVID19 restrictions, etc...)
In order to know more about visa conditions, I checked the following website: https://www.evisa.gov.bh/ apply & eligibility.
I found that it is doable for those who have a French passport (to take a visit visa on arrival for one month)
I consulted my employer waiting for his return, meanwhile, I am sharing with you what I am passing through so maybe someone, who has experienced the same thing, can guide me.
Thank you!

danpam14Active member10 August 2021 05:26:44

#174

There are no restrictions for work visas for frech passport holders at the moment. Please know that working on a visit visa is not legal and has no legal binding on the employer to transfer as well.

VinsanityMember11 August 2021 02:32:07

#175

Guys. I am slightly nervous. I will be bringing my wife and daughter through the causeway on their valid visas for first time entry. Will LMRA be open at causeway on weekend to take their fingerprint and issue sticker? I have only Sunday off from work and want to go straight to CPR office Sunday morning.

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert12 August 2021 05:51:54

#176

11763

Causeway is always 24/7.

VinsanityMember14 August 2021 12:26:16

#177

They didnt put the sticker at the border. Just put some stamps on passport and told us to go to Manama. Can anyone help me for next steps for CPR for my dependents?

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert15 August 2021 05:44:45

#178

11763

This is normal. In the past, even at the airport, they would put a stamp and sticker you could get later. They upgraded the facilities at the airport but not at the causeway. The steps for CPR remain the same, you might need to get a sticker........where is your sponsor in all of this? they should be helping sort it out.

NeemishBanned22 August 2021 04:27:42

#179

149

Vinsanity wrote:
They didnt put the sticker at the border. Just put some stamps on passport and told us to go to Manama. Can anyone help me for next steps for CPR for my dependents?

Dear Vinsanity,

Please note that LMRA completes the process of enrollment and stamps the residency permit in your passport. It is not the scope of NPRA to complete the enrollment of newcomers. You can only avail of this service at Bahrain International Airport as there are separate LMRA counters for that.

As you have already entered the country. First, you need to get the visas stamped at the immigration. Please go to any document clearance agencies and they will stamp the residency sticker in the passport.

Once this is completed and as this is a new visa you need to complete the biometrics. Please book an appointment at ams.lmra.bh Please select Front Desk Services, and select any Biometric Data Collection at Sitra or Riffa.

Once you have completed the above 2 steps. You can book the appointment for CPR and duly note that they are asking for an attested marriage certificate when issuing dependent CPR.

This is the latest information. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any more clarifications.

NeemishBanned22 August 2021 04:32:45

#180

149

Abdallah Accary wrote:
Hello,
My employer asked me to check if I can come to Bahrain through a visit visa taken at the airport on arrival. Of course, he will work to transfer it to a working visa as I understood.
Let me explain the case, my employer says that it is a long process to get a working visa due to many reasons (i.e. COVID19 restrictions, etc...)
In order to know more about visa conditions, I checked the following website: https://www.evisa.gov.bh/ apply & eligibility.
I found that it is doable for those who have a French passport (to take a visit visa on arrival for one month)
I consulted my employer waiting for his return, meanwhile, I am sharing with you what I am passing through so maybe someone, who has experienced the same thing, can guide me.
Thank you!

Dear Abdallah,

The information which your employer is provided is accurate. They need to wait for more than 2 weeks if you are out of Bahrain. Try to come on a visit visa. Once you arrive in Bahrain just send the Slip which you have received at the airport, assuming the employer has all your other details ie-Passport, Job Contract etc.

Once your wok visa has been processed. You can start working for your employer.

ahmedkashif12Member24 August 2021 13:06:23

#181

Dear Bro,
You have paper visa for your dependent right. Just take that paper copy and original passport to sitra LMRA for biometrics. No need to take an appointment you can directly walk-in and take token in few minutes they will collect your dependent’s biometric. Then arrange one agent to get sticker on your passport they will charge you 7 bd. You can go to immigration office in Isa town directly lot of agents will be there outside. After that you can go for CPR, but for that your marriage certificate should be attested from Ministry of Foreign affairs Bahrain which is in Manama Bab-Al-Bahrain. Appointments for CPR it is tough to get. You can go in fast track service they will charge you 20 bd. You should go at 8 am and take token and wait for your turn and till that you submit your marriage certificate in counter 9 for registration.

VeleleMember19 September 2021 14:33:38

#182

Hi! Anyone here who has applied for a working visa to Bahrain as a nurse and wasn't approved?

Please let me know how and why. Thanks.

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert19 September 2021 14:50:20

#183

11763

Visas can be refused due to a variety of reasons. Read some examples on the first page of this thread.

VeleleMember20 September 2021 14:08:46

#184

Hi! Is there any way for me to check my Visa application status using only my Passport number? Thanks.

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert21 September 2021 08:56:09

#185

11763

lmra express services

VeleleMember12 October 2021 11:50:03

#186

As of this writing, how many days/weeks/months does it usually take for a working visa to be approved? Does it being a healthcare worker and place of origin matter? I mean aside from those who are in red listed countries.

Prince Boateng89New member12 October 2021 13:07:20

#187

When i check with my Application ID i see the status but when i check with my passport number it gives an error, why is it so ?

Usman Ahmed91New member12 October 2021 15:20:57

#188

Dear All,

I'm from Pakistan, My Employer has been submitted my work permit on 28th August 2021 and till date Status is showing: Await GDNPR

Can anyone guide what would be the possible issue of not getting visa approved from GDNPR

How long should I wait ?

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert14 October 2021 06:35:00

#189

11763

Difficult to predict. All you can do is wait.

uday197Active member30 November 2021 00:45:39

#190

Hi XTang. Very comprehensive and useful thread. Thank you very much. Would you please advise, what I can infer from the below status? GDN

Can I please know what stage ( early or final) if visa status is showing - does it mean GDNPR stage has cleared?

Legal status - "Employment Visa is in Progress..."
Information- Updated
Name
Occupation
Employer
Monthly fee: Paid

Thank you very much for your time and response.

Best regards

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert30 November 2021 09:33:51

#191

11763

It's in progress. Hasn't yet been approved by immigration.

uday197Active member03 December 2021 12:38:17

#192

Thank you X Tang for the quick response . That’s very helpful. Now status has changed to Valid employment visa and overall it took 6 weeks for the approval. I am very glad for approval coming on right time.

Now there is resurgence of covid in a mutated form and in case if my home country is red listed (touch wood) , am I allowed to enter Bahrain. My visa valid for 6 months , despite having visa am I allowed to enter Incase ( worst scenario) country is red listed.
If you have knowledge what was followed earlier ( May -October red-list period), please share, which will be helpful for me to prepare myself for all possibilities. Thank you very much for your time and help.

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert03 December 2021 12:48:52

#193

11763

As far as I remember, only residents and citizens were allowed to enter. You are not a resident until you arrive and get the visa stamped.

uday197Active member03 December 2021 12:54:05

#194

Thank you very much . I am hoping for not recurring of such situation .🙏🏻

Vijay gskMember08 December 2021 08:28:45

#195

Hi sir,
I have a one question, if have Travel ban, can Renew the visa? And, if aply travel ban, how many days after active? And how can pay due amount for travel ban.? Pls help me sir,
Thanks

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert09 December 2021 04:30:11

#196

11763

Covered many times in the forum. Use search

AtillaSencanNew member12 December 2021 09:10:48

#197

Hello everyone, and thank you for the useful information. Due to recent increase of applications, can anybody tell how long it currently can take for the work permit to be approved? Today is the 55th day since my application was submitted and it is still with NPRA. Is it normal to take that long nowadays? Thank you in advance!

XTangBahrain/UAE/Saudi Arabia Expert12 December 2021 09:16:39

#198

11763

It is generally taking longer. However, 2 months is a lot and this amount of time is usually reserved for nationalities that are generally either banned or were banned due to political or other reasons e.g. Turkish, Bangladesh etc. If it is still in process, it is a good sign as usually, it would be rejected out of hand. As to time, there is no way to know.

AtillaSencanNew member12 December 2021 09:37:36

#199

Thank you very much for your reply and the information. Yes actually my application is with my Turkish passport and now I see why it took that long. Anyway hope that it will work out soon.

ak018498New member15 December 2021 14:26:34

#200

Sir I m from india .how long to change legal status . employment visa is in progress.2 week almost finish still not chnge this status

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