Hello everyone,
I have a kind of complicated question here.
I'll be in Jeddah mid August. I was planning to fly with my wife and kids. However, I'll need to return to the U.S three days later for a relative's surgery and stay in the U.S for ten days. I thought I could get an exit visa permit to leave right away, but it seems that's not an option.
Then, I thought my wife and kids could get there earlier and I would get to KSA two weeks later. However,I was told kids can't enter the country without the father. Are there any ways to get around this? Any permit or paperwork that could be done?
Thanks for your help.
Unaccompanied woman with children to enter KSA
Gustaf
28 July 2014 21:49:57
23
hamudi
04 August 2014 09:23:57
1981
I suggest you delay your arrival .
Which Witch
04 August 2014 19:37:42
156
If you will arrive on Work Visa - you can not leave the Kingdom until you get iqama and then exit-reentry visa.
If your wife and children have own visas they are free to travel alone. But usually they can get residence (or visit) visa only after you get iqama (or your employer has big wasta).
Gustaf
04 August 2014 20:03:21
23
Wife and kids have their own visas. But, my employer told me kids enter the country under my visa. We may delay the day of arrival. Apparently, there's no easy solution for this.
Thanks
Trapezius
05 August 2014 08:30:52
1309
If you need to return to the US three days after arriving here, why not just come after the surgery?
Once you arrive here, you cannot leave till you get your residence and labor cards, and that can take anywhere from a week to 3 months, but typical 6-8 weeks. And usually dependents arrive once the bread-winner has his/her residence card. I have heard of exceedingly few cases where the whole family has come together to SA. Nearly always, the man comes first, then the family follows a couple to a few months after.
Your wife and your children are classified as your dependents.
hamudi
05 August 2014 08:39:59
1981
Trapezius wrote:If you need to return to the US three days after arriving here, why not just come after the surgery?
Once you arrive here, you cannot leave till you get your residence and labor cards, and that can take anywhere from a week to 3 months, but typical 6-8 weeks. And usually dependents arrive once the bread-winner has his/her residence card. I have heard of exceedingly few cases where the whole family has come together to SA. Nearly always, the man comes first, then the family follows a couple to a few months after.
Your wife and your children are classified as your dependents.
The twist now is that he said "wife and kids" have their own visas....
If they have their own visas then they are free to travel...you just come here after the surgery ... that's all.
Unless, your wife is Saudi and you are the "legal guardian" please clarify your statuses to get a clear answer from us.
anneosman
05 August 2014 12:03:15
7
An American, I've lived in Jeddah for 25 years. During this time, I have taken the kids home for a vacation without my (Arab) husband at least 15 times -- maybe more. I did this when they were infants, little kids, and teenagers. I was never asked for any kind of proof that their Egyptian father approved of this, whether he was with us or not. The issue did not come up.
My husband had arranged the "exit and re-entry" visas, though. Maybe his signature was enough?
If a woman is entering Saudi with kids there should be no problem as long as the passports and visas are in order. Usually, the airline staff will check to make sure that these documents are available before the plane to Saudi takes off.
If you are worried about this, check with the Saudi consulate before you go.
On the other hand, if a woman is leaving Saudi with her kids, the airport officials may require proof that the father approves. It's best if he's there to see them off.
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