Stamford25

Can anyone please provide me with advice regarding this issue:

I left a job in the UK to go and work for a company in the UAE, but they then changed their mind and asked me to go to their KSA operations, which I agreed. They renegotiated my contract, which I signed - the KSA contract, got the visa processed and inserted into my passport at the Saudi Embassy in London, and was then ready to travel to Riyadh in January 2009. However, they then asked me to go to Dubai in order to be briefed my a line manager who was based there, and they said this would take two to three days, before then travelling to Riyadh. However, 8 weeks later I was still in Dubai and they hadn't processed a UAE visa for me. I wasn't able to open a bank account and they wouldn't give me any indication for when I was going to Riyadh. In addition, my KSA accommodation allowance etc. was much lower than what the original UAE contract was, yet I was living in Dubai. I had no choice but to return to the UK. The company effectively breached the contract, and I have all the paperwork to verify this.

The Recruitment Consultant who introduced me to the company has apologised to me, but hasn't been able to provide me with any advice regarding the KSA visa.

There are a number of other opportunities/ companies who are interested in employing me to work in Riyadh, but I don't know where I stand with my KSA visa.

Having not travelled to KSA with my previous employer, or worked for the company in KSA, is my visa still valid to go and work for a new company in KSA? If not, will I require the previous employer to issue me with a No Objection Certificate (NOC), or because I never actually ended up working for the employer in KSA, can I just get another visa processed in London?

Any help or direction would be very much appreciated.

still.unsure

first things first, your KSA visa has a 3x month limit which means that you need to enter the kingdom for the first time within 3x months of visa being issued. if you don't, i think there's a fine for the company, and you have to start the visa process all over again.

in terms of the NOC, ask for one from your company anyway, better to have it than not. whether or not you'll actually need it is another thing. if a new employer applies to the ministry to get you a new visa block, i guess they'll find out then and there if you can. i don't believe there's such a thing as an automatic ban/block and as your previous visa may well have expired by now, no harm done.

however, this is the magic kingdom, and any advice you get is subject to what the particular officer feels like doing/saying at the time. best to let your new employer sweat that one out.

Stamford25

Thanks for this advice. Much appreciated.