The best services to use when moving to Saudi Arabia

Hello Everyone,

From my experience, I think the most valuable services that any new expat is in need for are;

- Pick up from the airport at arrival, and drop to the accommodation
- Arranging for an accommodation for the first two weeks if the person has none arranged by his company on arrival.
- Having a telephone sim card is very critical on arrival to contact the family back home and the employer. If that comes with internet package it would be awesome.

These are the most things I found essential when you arrive a new country.

Cheers

I agree you brother

For new comers following information will be helpful...

1. Mobile Sim:  you can get mobile sim card with voice and data packages at airport. you can see stalls of three main telecom companies (STC, Mobily & Zain) at airport. i'll recommend you to go for mobiy's Voice+Data package. it's cheap, having good service and strong network coverage in kingdom.

2. Expatriates.com: this website will help you a lot. here you can arrange suitable accommodation in your required area, best used vehicles and many other services.

3. Bank Account: That is another important thing to have. my recommendation is to go for SABB or Samba banks, due to good services offered by them.

4. MOI Account: once you will receive your Iqama /Muqeem Card (Residential Permit), i'll recommend you to create and activate MOI (Ministry Of Interior) Account, which will enable you to access many of government services.

that's what i remember for now...

Hi mates,

It was long while I moved to Saudi Arabia in 1992. Many facilities of the recent years were not available that time, not even in dream.

First of all, mobile phone was out of reach of general public. Traditional land phone was also very hard to own.

There was no internet, so WhatsApp, IMO, Messengers, Facebook, etc. were totally unknown.

However, revolution of technologies, specially developments of internet and telecommunications, now a days, many things made much more easier, closer and cheaper to all.

I remember my day of arrival to Riyadh, which was 28 Dec. 1992. Our flight landed in KKIA in the evening. That was a worst rainy and cold day. My destination was my elder brother's workplace or residence. I only knew the name of the place where his shop was located in Riyadh city - Zahrat Al Badia, near vegetable markets, that's it. I just told this to the taxi driver. I had no any Riyal to pay the taxi bill, which drive the taxi driver to find my brother's place and he was succeed.

You should visit expatriates.com i don't know that how it helps you but it will be helpful in all aspects

I recommend from being in Riyadh, saudi arabia. Before coming to saudi arabia we have to refer some point which makes the person easy to survive .

* Refer the [link moderated]
* Refer the https://www.expat.com
* google map for location
* smartphone for convenient.
* has some knowledge about that place where are you going.
* precaution to be take care seriously.
* arabic and english is important . I suggest before coming learn arabic and english by
   institute or own    preparation.
* keep in the mind iqama is very critical to get. without iqama you cannot survive.

If this all point you have known then you can live your own life in saudi arabia.

I will give some advice on Mobile SIM on Zain which is the best personally for me especially if you are having an iPhone

If you do not have iqama yet then get Noor Package for SAR30 and having SAR25 credit. Then you can use that credit to subscribe to the data plan which suits you.

Once you have your iqama then go for Shabab if you are regular Youtube user or Postpaid SAR99 per month to have make calls and internet.

If you need internet at home for your laptop, tablet, AppleTV then get 300GB or 600GB plan if you want uninterrupted internet speed. DO NOT get their unlimited data package.

If you have iPhone then make sure you turn on WiFi Calling. Can make cheap and good quality calls when you are out of Saudi Arabia, no roaming charges.

Hi every1
I have been here for 2 years. Many facilities are not available like before. Visit visa fee is 2000 that is not good for the expat and govenrnment. NO one trying to visit KSA because of these fee. They should remove this fee. There is too much benefit for the country if tourist visit in any country they use lots of resources. So Saudi government should think about it and remove these charges which is imposed now.

In terms of a mobile SIM, I would avoid Mobily as they have the worst customer service I have ever experienced.  Also, I travel around KSA with my job and there are lots of areas even towns close to Riyadh where there is no coverage on a Mobily.  I recently transferred to Zain and notice it links to the STC network when out of Zain coverage so a much better option.  Some of the Zain packages include international call as well.

As already mentioned, Saudi can be a pretty daunting place at first so make sure you are met from the airport which will hugely help you feel comfortable.

I used Expat Logistics to assist bring my dog over and that service went a lot better than I'd expected so they come highly recommended.

Yes mentioned above are very invaluable. I would like to add friends to talk to and some place to buy your needs" Bakala" I'm not so sure of the spelling though.