Moving to Riyadh and have 1000 questions

Hello sizzles - welcome to the forum.

Regarding your first question about the business visa.  I just recently arrived and I am still on a business visa while my company gets my permanent residency all lined up.  I am not sure if your company will be able to get a MULTIPLE ENTRY business visa for you.  This type of business visa will allow you to exit/enter the kingdom within the specified validity date.  I am sure you can ask your employer to obtain this type of visa for you INSTEAD of a single entry business visa.

Hey Miss,

Firstly, I believe you are on Business visit visa (single entry).
You can leave the country but problem is you won't be allowed to enter it  without a new visa. Unless you are able to acquire a Business visit Visa (multiple Entry).

Business visit visa can be arrange within a matter of 24-72 hours.
Permanent visit visa can take between 1 to 6 months (depending on a lot of factors).

Your second question regarding annual rental. Yes, this amount is fine and you can easily get a compound specially 1 bed or two beds should not be a problem at all.
Note that normal compound prices starts from 50k to 250k per annum. Then there are high end places they start from 250 k to 5ook. However 80 percent of the compunds in Kindowm and their 2 beds villa's rent under or around 150k.

Once you will live here, you will get to know and understand the work style here.
As per my experience, google the numbers of compounds in riyadh contact them. ask them details and then provide those details to employees in your company. You would be surprise how many compounds you will find easily.

Lastly, Saudia is the safest place on earth right now. so don't worry about the safety and security, as long as you are not in some desert. All major cities are safe, jubail, riyadh, jeddah and Khobar/dammam.

My friendly advice would be take the job offer it's good pay, tax free money and offcourse more savings.

I moved here from Toronto, Canada about an year ago. So do have little bit of local experience - let me know if you have more questions.

Hi There,

Thank you so much for your replies! They've been really helpful. I'm still on the search for a compound and am getting a little nervous as one hasn't been found yet, but I think I'll still be OK in the serviced apartment/Hotel until I find a compound.

I have been recommended to try and get into Kingdom, Cordoba, Al Hamra, Eid, Arizona. Unfortunately  I contacted Kingdom and even their waiting list is closed, but I haven't heard back from the other ones, do you know if Arizona would be in my budget of 150'000?

Also do any of these compounds allow pets?

Thanks so much again,

You have listed the better compounds and you will struggle to get anything for 150k as prices just keep going up.

Eid has a 'hotel' but not sure how much. You could try Seder or Ranco as they have much lower prices.

You may want to check out the compound I have been assigned to, Jzala III. From what I understand it is very new and is nice, and they apparently have lots of openings. The compound has been contracted to an aircraft company and mostly houses Westerners (Primarily Americans), so I am not sure if they have that criteria or not. If you click on the link below there is another link to my personal webspace that has a .zip file with all of the compound information.

I should be arriving Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, and will let you know if I can find any more information.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=116665

Thank you for your responses

@MaserMan would 150000 not even be enough for a 1/2 bed apartment?
@Jyurong thanks for the .zip! I'll definitely look into that one, please let me know what its like when you get there too, I'd really appreciate it.

Hello Sizzles,

In regards to your housing budget: If you are planning to stay here alone without your family, then 150K is excellent. Easily it will fit the budget of a luxurios apartment. The minimum size of a 1 bd is 60 sq.m and will can go upto 100+ sq.m.
It is true that there is a waiting list for all of the compounds, but one of things you can do is visit them, do an interview and for sure this will give you better chances to get one ASAP. I am living in FAL Compound, which is the closest to the airport and it was successful.
In regards to your cat, i dont think you'd have a problem in the compounds.
In regards to your visa, if they did not yet issue it, then advice them that you request a multiple exit/entry visa. It should be very easy for them to have it done for you. You can inform them, that you would want to go to DXB once each 2 weeks (on a weekend of course) to check up on your family. This would be on a temporary basis untill you get used to your new lifestyle here.
If you need the list of the compounds, then kindly let me know, I will send them to you.

TC,