Comprehensive Bahrain Visa Process & FAQ - Work & Self sponsorship

If it is a work visa and you carry a print out then yes, you can go across the causeway.  Saudi immigration makes problems for visit visas.

What kind of problem they only check the exit visa on the Saudi side, are they concerned with Bahrain work permit? what i read online was that you need to have your fingerprints and picture taken when you come to Bahrain would that be a problem as well on the causeway?

After covid, Saudi borders have only opened for expats to travel out.  However on the causeway, they habitually are restricting expats from going out unless they can show a bahrain residency or work permit. Even people who can get visa on arrival in Bahrain are not allowed to exit. I spoke to Bahrain immigration on my last trip and this is not an instruction from their side.  Its being done by Saudi immigration on their own.

And fingerprint and other formalities can be done on the causeway. They will send you into a room on arrival in Bahrain.

Hello Xtang and Logical Indian,
I Worked 3 years in Bahrain, now living in India. I want to come Bahrain with visit visa for job purpose. I will stay with friend and search for a job there. Here my question is, Who will be my sponsor on my visit visa? If I apply my Visit visa on this website, https://www.evisa.gov.bh/VISA/visaInput … &A0S=a

Can I proceed to apply visit visa through this site?

your answers and suggestions will be highly appreciated...

The evisa site is only unsponsored visas.   So you are not sponsored by anyone and get a visa based on your own merit.

Thanks for clearing this doubt.
If evisa site provides unsponspored visa, it means Applicant comes under Immigration. Please correct me.
If Applicant comes on evisa which is unsponsored, after getting a job, can we get transfer to employment visa?
Your Answers gives more info.

Any visa can be transferred provided it's valid for 6-7 working days when the application for work visa is lodged. Applicant comes under immigration on evisa.

Hi,

I came to Bahrain on a government deptt job, my spouse visa was issued as dependent visa and traveled with me all the process is complete my employer deliver my CPR to me by hand, and told me that I have to apply for my spouse CPR my self. I registered the ekey access on the bahrain.bh website under family services where my spouse is not listed once I tried to add the family member using the personal number/CPR number which is on the RP stamped at the airport the system gives an error "Apologies, the added family member does not meet the relationship condition." any other way or method to this issue.

It happens sometimes.  You need to take a physical appointment in this case.

This is a query for Mr. Xtang.
I am trying to cancel my work visa for stamping of self sponsor permit. My employer submitted the form for cancellation to LMRA two days back. But it is still showing as "Valid employment Visa" when I check it online in the LMRA expat services portal by entering my CPR! Any suggestion on what to do next? Thank you

You need to follow up with LMRA.  It shouldn't take this long - it takes literally seconds to cancel it online through employer EMS system.  Don't know why they sent it manually.

Hello, regarding the requirements to not work if you get a visa through buying a house, can you work remotely?

Let's say I setup a company in my original country. Can I work for that company and earn the necessary income?

As long as you are not working for a company or clients in Bahrain, it will be fine.

Okay thanks. Appreciated.

Hello

How long it takes to get employment visa nowadays?
Application is in progress with the GDNPR since 14th JAN 2021.

The process is taking longer but that is too long.   There must be some issue - ask your sponsor to check.

I am a blogger and I have a blog that focuses on delivering digital products to people in the US and Europe. Using self sponsorship investor visa (through buying house), I wish to move Bahrain to continue my blogging activities.
My question is that must I register my online business in Bahrain when I get there since my product is not meant for Bahrain or GCC market (I intend to work remotely)?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I got issued valid work visa. My employer next day applied for my wife and daughters dependent visa. Can I travel without them ? Or me entering bahrain will impact their visa status?

You can travel without them.

Can I leave bahrain without my cpr. As I know the actual cpr takes a while. Once i enter I have to do medical. Can I return back to ksa after my medical? Or will I be stuck there (bahrain).

You cannot leave Bahrain until your visa process formalities are complete i.e. medical and then residence permit issued / stamped in passport.   Actual CPR you don't need to wait for.

Doesnt the residence permit get stamped at border when I enter bahrain?

Not sure about the causeway but at the airport they used to put an ink stamp and then issue printed sticker later.  Theoretically, you can leave after doing the medical but to avoid any issues, I suggest to stick around at least until the lmra website shows your visa status as "valid employment visa".

Just as an update to the above, I've received my first visa at the airport and my most of my colleagues as well. The actual printed sticker.

On another note: As a self sponsored resident, how much time should I allow for the renewal of my visa? Say my current one expires at the end of August, what's the earliest and what's the latest I should start the process?

The self sponsorship section people actually stress on this a lot - 6 months prior to expiry.  The renewal takes almost as long as the original visa.

Thanks for the reply. Wow, didn't expect it to take that long.

Neither did I but that is apparently how it works for them.

So if they put my sticker on passport, and I do my
Medical same day. Can I leave back for KSA ? I work in KSA, and I dont want to be stuck in Bahrain? My Lmra page says Valid Employment Visa in green.

Anyone with prior experience, plz confirm.

Also can anyone suggest a good hospita to do my medical? Will they need appointment or walkin? Also Do I need a form from my employer or no need?

Sorry for the anxiety driven msg.

Yes you can leave.  And for the medical, your employer needs to guide you as they would have booked the appointment.

Thank you XTang, your advise and others advise were really helpful. I was able to come thru the airport. They put the sticker as mentioned by our friend above on my passport. They also gave me an appointment for my medical.
My question is , the LMrA at the airport took my pics and my fingerprints already. Do i still need to go for biometrics in lmra locally? In addition, can someone advice what is next step after medical? How can I apply for cpr? Sorry for redundant questions:(

Everything from this point on has to be handled by your sponsor, nothing you can do yourself.

I don't think so.

Don't think so about what?

So is it advisable to come to Bahrain with visit visa to search for job?  They dont need more documentation to transfers or will not be complicated to transfer from visit to work visa? Is the process the same as switching from one work visa to another ?

Sorry I think I replied to the wrong post.

Weyih Innocent Yuniwo wrote:

So is it advisable to come to Bahrain with visit visa to search for job?  They dont need more documentation to transfers or will not be complicated to transfer from visit to work visa? Is the process the same as switching from one work visa to another ?

It's not about visa, it's about finding a job.  And it is really bad now with job losses and employers prefer people who are already here.

Thank you for the answer, is the visit visa application going on in this days for Indian nationality?

You can apply but even if you get the visit visa, you won't be able to come to Bahrain until the new restrictions that were put in place, are removed.

How does it work with an existing residence permit when I get a new passport?

Let‘s say I need a new passport because my old passport was damaged (main page starts to separate).
Do I need to renew the visa or does it work similar to US visa where you use the new passport but show the old one with the visa in addition?