When you have arrived in Saudi Arabia on employment visa or permanent family visa, the most important thing is getting your iqama. It is the responsibility of employer and right of employee to get the iqama within 90 days of arrival to Saudi Arabia. Employer will be taking care of all the expenses of your iqama (Articlev40.1 of the Saudi Labor Law). Whatever the case it is, you will have to go to your first Iqama in Saudi Arabia. If your iqama is not issued within first 90 days of your arrival, there will be a penalty which your employer will have to suffer. Moreover, it also gives you right to transfer your sponsorship without consent of your sponsor.
- Before your visa validity expire, It is your employer responsibility to get residence permit (Iqama or Muqeem Card) for you.
-It is right of every employee to get Iqama or Muqeem (residence permit) from your sponsor before your work visa validity expire.
-There will be a penalty for your Sponsor (Employer), If he did not issue your Muqeem Card (Iqama) within 90 days of your arrival.
Also read this article "Sponsorship Transfer without Kafeel Approval".
-If you came on Azad visa (Free visa) you have to pay for Iqama as per your deal with him.
1. Your Employer will ask you to go for medical test in the specific approved medical center by giving you a passport copy.
2. Once you finished medical test, Your report will be handle to you within two days. Your medical report will be sent directly to Ministry of Interior (MOI).
3. After that your HR people will ask you for two pictures and your passport.
4. Register yourself in Saudi Council of Engineering if you have engineer visa. If you have medical profession visa you should register in Saudi Medical Council.
Documents Required for Applying Iqama first time:
Generally your Employer will take care of these all things, If you are on work visa. If you are on Free visa (Azad visa) your kafeel will charge you for this process.
- Medical Report
- Residence permit (Iqama) Form and company related documents.
- Iqama/ Muqeem feed for one year SR 650/-
- If your company has less than 50% of Saudis there will be a fee of SR 2400 for labor office. If you are on Azad visa your kafeel will ask you to pay.
Once you receive your Muqeem Card (Iqama) check your name matches with your passport name and also name is in Arabic as well as english.
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ReplyDeleteIqama validity is one of the major concerns of an expatriate living in Saudi Arabia. The Iqama expiry date is also mandatory when filling out some application forms.
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iqama status I definitely enjoyed it.
iqama check
can i start working while waiting for iqama?
ReplyDelete