Business visas - Your verdict please!

If you're talkin about the visit visa.

It's renewed every 30 days (here). It can be renewed up to a certain amount of days. Some 90, some 180, some a whole year or more. All depends on how good the employer is with the system.

As far as I know, you can't get a bank account, but you can cash cheques.

You can rent out a flat.

You can get a phone line / internet.

If it's not renewed on time, it's 10,000.00SAR and you can't leave the country until it's paid, or a little "push" helps clear the way.

That's if you're talking about the visit visa.

Cause as far as I know. You either have a Iqama or a Visit Visa.

Hey Beezer ,

thanks for the reply. But i think the "visit" visa is different to the "business" one.

anyone else know any different?

Biz visa means that he needs to leave the Kingdom every 30 days, for the length of his visa (6 months, 1 year, whatever).  He has to leave EVERY 30 days.

Now, biz visas can be converted in-country to work visas if his employer knows what the hell they are doing and a trip out of the country isn't needed for that.  I've done that twice, because my employers were well established and had lots of Wasta.

-can you open a bank account to be paid?

No.  You can only open an account if you have an iqama.

-can you rent a flat?

Probably, but it won't be easy.

-can you get an internet connection?

Yes, you can.

-If the business visa isn't stamped in time will they throw you in jail?

Generally a fine, but they might not let you back in the country...a definite possibility that I have seen on more than one occasion.

If it's standard practice for the uni, (and it is, like at some) the question is how long will it take to convert (if ever) and how does he cash his checks.

Of course he'll be working illegally during this time, but that is a pretty normal thing for unis in KSA.

Not much diference between a business visa and a visit visa in terms of what you can avail and not avail as a resident in the Kingdom.

1. You cannot rent an apartment without a Resident Visa (Iqama)
2. You cannot send remittances out of the Kingdom
3. You may have access to the Internet

The responsibility of issuing, validating, and extending such temporary visas, viz; business/visit, is in te hands of the sponsor although you could easily suffer the consequences until he sorts any issues out after arrival here.

As long as the expat conforms to the rules specified by the temp visas he should be fine.

At the end of the day it also amounts t how much "clout" the sponsor has with the Govt authorities.

We call it "Waasta" or the Big Waaw, here.

Thanks mr stretch and MM.

its going to be an interesting/stressful experience.

for him.

Interesting reading mrStretch

Yeah this is all good to know. I wouldn't worry Saq mate, if it all plays out I can rent the place under my name and you can all just pay me 1/4 each....

...plus interest of course!!!

In the words of the great Jim Royle.

Interest...MY ARSE!

...plus this was an enquiry for my "friend" mailman. As if i'd work in the kingdom illegally!

mailman13 wrote:

Yeah this is all good to know. I wouldn't worry Saq mate, if it all plays out I can rent the place under my name and you can all just pay me 1/4 each....

...plus interest of course!!!

Now why didn't I think of that?
I MUST be getting old, surely, without a doubt.... phew! Time sucks!

MWAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

My evil plan is about to hatch!

You know that old saying, 'Never go into business with friends'? Well what happens if your 'friends' are your business?

I wonder what other 'opportunities' lie in wait....

.....thinking.....

mailman13 wrote:

MWAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

My evil plan is about to hatch!

You know that old saying, 'Never go into business with friends'? Well what happens if your 'friends' are your business?

I wonder what other 'opportunities' lie in wait....

sounds to me like...

...its business time