We finally get our Iqama after nearly 3 months staying in Saudi (pheuuwww - it meant that we used up all our 90 days visit visa here before officially receiving the residence visa permit). What is Iqama? Iqama is an identification given to expatriates staying in Saudi. It is like a residence permit issued to those expatriates who arrive in Saudi on an employment visa. The iqama is valid for a period of 1-2 years. In our case, the iqama is for my husband who worked in Saudi whilst myself and children were sponsored by him to come over and receive the iqama. My husband's sponsor is the workplace that we is currently working with in Saudi.
Our Iqama application was delayed due to lack of documentations. I was not informed to bring my children's baby book that has all their immunisation records. Those records are actually one of the requirement needed for Iqama application. The vaccination record i.e. the ones written in the baby book is also vital for entry to any Saudi International School.
Initiated our application after 1 months staying in Saudi (which is quite late actually - some people that i've known applied for Iqama right after they have touched down to Saudi). Since I did not bring my children's baby book, we had to request from Prince Court Medical Centre, the place where both my children were born to provide the information.
Due to data confidentiality, we were asked to sign data disclosure forms which contains release letter of personal information to external party. Thankfully after some ding dong dong dong, and a few e-mails laters, they finally gave us the scanned copy of my children's vaccination record signed by my children's pediatrician Dr Anna. This process took us nearly 3 weeks but Alhamdulillah we managed to get the info released to us.
# Tips for mommies coming to Saudi - please make sure that you bring all your children related records - baby book, any medical record endorsed by doctors (if applicable), original birth certificates, Identification card, passport (of course - you need this to enter the country anyway)
# Tips for pregnant mommies coming to Saudi - bring along your current Pregnancy book as well as your other children pregnancy book too. ( I am not pregnant. Was told about this by a friend who is currently pregnant ).
The requirements for Iqama Application for family member in Saudi includes :
1. Husbands's Yellow Slip - i.e the Iqama
2. Original Passport for Wife and kids that contains temporary resident visa pages
3. Medical Report - wife and children have to undergo another round of Medical Checkup again in Saudi regardless you have had performed it before in your home country as part of the visa application for entry to Saudi.
4. Sponsor's letter
5- Passport sized photographs - some to be given at the hospital for the medical report and some for the application letter itself.
After 1 month plus, we finally received our iqama. The application may take 2 weeks and up to 2 months to get through. So, the speed of our Iqama issuance is so-so ( in the middle ). Am I happy? erm Ok lorr knowing the slow service of Saudian people.
The iqama is important for us to apply for single or multiple entry visa to go out and come back to Saudi without having to go thru the meticulous and time consuming process of obtaining the 90 days visit visa to Saudi. It is also important for us to buy telephone lines (although, my saudi line was bought using my husband's iqama), to roam freely in Saudi without having to carry our passport everywhere we go in Saudi.
To know further about Iqama or family visit visa application, you can read here
5- Passport sized photographs - some to be given at the hospital for the medical report and some for the application letter itself.
After 1 month plus, we finally received our iqama. The application may take 2 weeks and up to 2 months to get through. So, the speed of our Iqama issuance is so-so ( in the middle ). Am I happy? erm Ok lorr knowing the slow service of Saudian people.
The iqama is important for us to apply for single or multiple entry visa to go out and come back to Saudi without having to go thru the meticulous and time consuming process of obtaining the 90 days visit visa to Saudi. It is also important for us to buy telephone lines (although, my saudi line was bought using my husband's iqama), to roam freely in Saudi without having to carry our passport everywhere we go in Saudi.
To know further about Iqama or family visit visa application, you can read here
erks,.. for me that was the picture of me at the Dammam airport at 3 am in the morning on the very first day arriving Saudi last January 2015. They used point of entry picture in your Iqama. So some tips, dress nicely on the very first day of arriving the custom clearance point. (i will share my 1st day experience entering Saudi in another post)
Anyway, my children's pictures are from their passport pictures.. lucky them of not having a sleepy eyed face in their Iqama.. sigh
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