Invitation

What is IQAMA?

How does it REALLY work???

I have read a lot of blogs about it and everyone seems to have slight variations about what they know about IQAMA.

It would be nice and worthwhile to get the process well explained by someone out there who really has indepth knowledge on it.

Thank you very much

I'll leave the earlier questions to the experts.

The "Iqama" is what I'd like to explain.

Iqama is simply put the "Residential Permit" something like the green card, an ID that states your status here in the kingdom and your eligibility to be in the Kingdom as a legal resident.

everything you need done in the Kingdom requires to have an ID "Iqama" to process.

It’s the responsibility of your sponsor (Kafeel) to issue you an Iqama. The Iqama is valid for one year and can be renewed only by your sponsor.

Issuing an iqama can be a challenge for some sponsors for different reasons and also can take months. During this time your movement is totally tied up and you can’t execute normal living, for example, you can’t open a bank account or rent a car or travel or…..

Most companies will hold their employees passport and issue an Iqama for them as the only legal identification form for none Saudis in the country.

To leave the country on any time, your sponsor will have to issue a final Exit visa for you if you are leaving the country for good or an Exit Re-Entry visa if you are leaving and planning to come back. 

All companies/ sponsor are categorized in one of 4 categories (excellent, green, yellow or red) you don’t want to work for a sponsor who is in red or yellow cos you will face tons of issues that will make your legal status  and life here in the country questionable and you will be paying for your kafeel mistakes.

For your friend to visit the country. The big answer is NO with a small yes. Let me explain;

Visit visa can be issued only for parents, so his/her options are getting a tourist, commercial, business or Ummra visa.
Now, I never heard of someone who came into the country in a tourist visa with the exception of old folks groups from japan or Italy, so I will not consider it as an option.

Commercial and business visas are the easiest option, but those can be only issued by a company (your company or someone else’s) and usually companies will only do it as a BIIIIG favor for one of their senior employees.

If your friend is a Muslim then they can apply for an Ummra visa (it can be issued on around  8 months of the year) and will be valid for a month, but the Ummra visa enable him/her to travel to only three cities in the kingdom, Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah.
The gender of your friend will affect their chances of getting the visa. It’s easier for men and hard for single women.  Also in “Official” Saudi Arabia, there is no such a thing as a friendship with the opposite sex.

If you are living in the hospital accommodation, then the chances for you to accommodate a friend is very slim if you were living in the family section and almost nil if you were living in the singles section.