Holidays home

You'll need to arrange an exit/entry visa through your sponsor so I guess that's official permission  


You might be able to get a multiple exit-entry which lasts for six months and costs 500SAR (last time I got one)--this is the best because you can come and go as many times as you want in a six month period.

Otherwise, you'll need a new one every time.

AS Allie said, K.S.A requires that even if you have a valid residence Visa, still you need an exit/re-entry permission that is issued either as 'single exit/re-entry' or 'multiple' and as the name implies, single means you can go out and then return back to the Kingdom only ONE time, multiple would let you do this more than 1 time. Validity of this exit/re-entry is of 6 months, but 6 Islamic months, not Gregorian, so be careful in case you get it expired and still sitting in your home country thinking that you have few days in hand

Single is about 300 S.A.R and Multiple will cost you 500 S.A.R. Now how to get this exit/re-entry? Well, you can't get it by yourself, the HR/Government relation officer of your company can get it for you from the Immigration Office in your city.

Cheers.

shikra wrote:

Well, you can't get it by yourself, the HR/Government relation officer of your company can get it for you from the Immigration Office in your city.

Cheers.

You can apply and pay at your bank's ATM (remember, you are an 'alien' lol) and then pick up visa at the appropriate dept. in your company (at least that's how I've done it).

PS.  Sometimes employers refuse to grant multiple exit/entry visas (I know Filipinos and Indians who have been turned down) but they're usually granted to Westerners.

brackenb wrote:

Hi there. I hope to be in Riyadh very soon for a year long contract. My question is can I buy a ticket and fly home every so often to visit family or do i need to get official permission every time I want to travel home?

Thanks

To travel like others mentioned here - you need to get exit reentry visa. But before that companies have leave policy - like you cannot leave during the probation period, you cannot avail leave until you complete at least 9 months in service etc etc. You need to check this with your company / line manager and then avail the leave first. The exit reentry is just govt procedure.

Hi does this rulle apply to professionals who have multiple entry visa as well?

Ierfaan wrote:

Hi does this rulle apply to professionals who have multiple entry visa as well?

As long as you are employed under some one - in any country you need to inform your manager / company as to your personal / official leaves. Since on visit visa - no you don't need exit reentry. You can exit and enter multiple times (since its multiple visa) within the time frame / validity of the visa.

Thanks for explanation. But on IQAMA can I leave for home at any time say for a week if my employer granted me leave. Does he need to know I am going home? I could go anywhere in the world. Do I still need to inform him, even if I am on official leave?

Alliecat wrote:

You can apply and pay at your bank's ATM (remember, you are an 'alien' lol) and then pick up visa at the appropriate dept. in your company (at least that's how I've done it).

Yes, you can only pay the fee in this way, by using ATM, or through Online Banking (provided by the bank in which you have your account in K.S.A)

But to take the passport to immigration officer and get all done, you need the Government relation officer of your company.

Some companies do not allow multiple exit/re-entry because they want to keep track when an employe is going to leave and come back to K.S.A, but if you have a decent profile in your company, normally it is not an issue.
(And yes, Westerners are given preference, I wonder why when they are not even so beautiful, right AllieCat? )

shikra wrote:

[ I wonder why when they are not even so beautiful, right AllieCat? )

huh?

ALLIECAT

shikra wrote:

But to take the passport to immigration officer and get all done, you need the Government relation officer of your company.

I'm not sure what this means.  The guy in HR who is in charge of visas where I work insists that we pay at the ATM.  He won't take money.  We pay at the ATM, he goes on line and verifies that we paid, and then he files the paper work and if it's single exit/entry has the visa in a day or two (multiple can take a bit longer--it also requires a memo to HR FIRST requesting a multiple--which they either agree to or not). 

I thought it was done this way everywhere but of course I could be wrong

salman_123 wrote:

ALLIECAT

Are you stalking me?

Alliecat wrote:

huh?

Boooh....

Alliecat wrote:

I'm not sure what this means......

I thought it was done this way everywhere but of course I could be wrong

You are right, it is done in this way, but this is not the only way to pay for your Visa ( you can pay by yourself using your bank account too, rather than ATM). But when you say that the HR guy checks your payment online and produces the Visa in a day or two, in these days he actually goes to the immigration office and gets your Visa in receipt form duly attested by the authorities.

HR or Government Relation officer, these terms are somewhat interchangeable here in K.S.A.


...

shikra wrote:

HR or Government Relation officer, these terms are somewhat interchangeable here in K.S.A.


...

I don't know the guy's official title, just know where to find him when I need him

Ierfaan wrote:

Thanks for explanation. But on IQAMA can I leave for home at any time say for a week if my employer granted me leave. Does he need to know I am going home? I could go anywhere in the world. Do I still need to inform him, even if I am on official leave?

As long as your employer agrees and gives you exit reentry for the duration of your travel you can go anywhere you like.