Getting a visa for my Chinese wife

I am an Englishman working in Riyadh. I have only just got my residence card (igama)and now I want my wife to join me. Problem is our wedding documents are with my wife in China(Chinese national). Is it better for her to visit Saudi embassy in Beijing and get the documents verified and translated or is it better for her to send me the wedding documents and me to do it in Riyadh?
I would prefer for her to do it as she already has the documents and speaks the language. Does the Saudi side need the actual marriage documents or just a letter to say they hvae been seen and verified?

I also heard that after Ramadan the visa place stop doing Spouse visas and just do Hajj visas is this true?

Evening Star

I am not sure about the Ramadan rule you mentioned, but for your wife's visa, based on my own experience:

She probably can get the marriage document certified by Saudi Embassy in Beijing through the local notary office in her city/province. You just need to pay some money, around 300RMB I think. The notary office should be able to provide offical receipts for the cost.

But from what I remembered, for your wife to get a Spouse visa, she does not need to get her marriage document certified if you've got yours certified, which I believe had been done already since your iqama is issued. My Saudi visa agent in Beijing just asked the following things from me:
1) The original and two photocopies of your wife's valid passport (valid at least for 6 months and has at least 2 blank visa pages)
2) Two 2" white background certificate photos with your wife's name written on the back in pencil.
3) The electronic copy of the same certificate photo in 2).
4) A copy of the yellowish arabic invitation letter you got from the Saudi Foreign Affairs Department for your wife. (You can scan it here and ask her to print a color copy at her side.)
5) The original and photocopy of her marriage certificate.
6) A photocopy of her Chinese ID card. (front and back)
7) A photocopy of the info page on your passport.(The page with your photo, name, passport expiry date etc.) Again, just scan and print.
8) A photocopy of your Iqama. (front and back)
9) The original of the Intenational Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (Some people call it "the yellow booklet") and photocopies of its info page(has photo, name etc) and vaccination pages.
10) The original of the Certificate of Health Examination for International Traveller (Some people call it "the red booklet")and all of its pages.

for 9) and 10), she need to find the local entry-exit inspection and quarantine bureau to get them. It took me 1000RMB and 3 hours to do the examination and two extra weekdays to get the red and yellow booklet. She would probably need to prepare two certificate photos and get prepared for a blood sample test and two vaccine injections :) Anyways, it's always a good idea to call them for instructions before going.

The visa cost me 330RMB (if you do it through courier deliveries, add another 50RMB for them to send your visa back to you) and it took two weekdays. I actually planned a four-day Beijing trip and got it done within the trip.

Good luck on your application! If you have any other questions, feel free to let me know.

Hi and welcome to Expat.com Evening Star!

Hope the forum members will be helpful to you.

Regards
Armand

What is the name of the type of visa I need for my wife to stay here for a full year In Saudi. The arabic name I mean of course. Does this entitle her to work here? Anyone know which government department deals with this?

Evening Star

I don't know the Arabic name for a spouse visa...
What she's going to get is simply an entry visa, just like yours that allow the applicants to enter Saudi Arabia within 90 days after the issuance. It becomes invalid after the entry.
Your Iqama indicates that you are a legal resident as an employee in this country. When you need to leave Saudi Arabia, you will need to get an exit and entry visa to go through immigrantions. That visa is only valid for several months, so plan your schedule well before applying.

Also, you will probably need the following documents for your invitation letter application:
1)Your employment contract
2)Your Iqama
3)Your proof of marriage
4)A letter from your employer/sponsor, certifiedm probably by the Ministry of Interior