I have been trying to move to Saudi Arabia for the past 5 years now. To make it short: my main focus is studying (Islamic studies) in a university in Makkah and privately with other scholars for a period of 4-5 years. In order to get accepted to this particular university, you need to have an iqaamah beforehand, unlike the other universities which, upon accepting you, they give you a student visa.
Secondly, I need to take my family and I out of our current environment for issues that are too long to discuss.
Bottom line question: how can I obtain an iqaamah for me and my family to live in Saudi Arabia legally? As mentioned before, I want to study full-time and not work at the moment. Besides that, my highest education is a High School diploma.
I am willing to invest in a business (a bare minimal investment) in order to obtain this iqaamah but again, my primary focus will be studying. Also, is it possible to pay money for an iqaamah?
Please let me know.
Immigrating to Saudi to live there permenantly
Someone has to sponsor you for employment to get Iqama and you cannot get it till you are out of country.
For employment only? What about a business?
Does anyone have experience with opening or buying a business and obtaining legal residence through it?
All the thousands of small shops we see scattered in Jeddah, Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah... they seem to be all foreign owned. Do all of them get iqaamas for themselves and their families?
no, almost none of them are foreign owned. They are owned by saudi (wakeel) and the foreigners work there etc. the Wakeel takes a cut, some more, some less. if wakeel ever wants to "pull the rug under your feet" that is exactly what will happen and there goes the iqamah.
There are 'foreign investors' and that type of investment is not minimal.
also, while people on iqamah are welcome to study here, there has to be an avenue for student visa - especially for islamic studies
Iqama, residence permit, is offered to people coming from outside KSA to work here. Since your primary target is to study, universities here offer scholarship programs. Get enrolled in any of these programs to complete your studies, perhaps being too focused on iqama will take you no where.
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