NeutralPath

Hi,

I recently obtained a position within a petrochemical company (as an engineer). The process took all in all about 2 months.

However after everything being sorted and me being due to fly out in two days I get an email from my employer, saying they were unable to obtain a visa.

I find this just so odd, I have no convictions, political affiliations or anything that could possibly taint my 'reputation'.

Is there anything I can do, having wasted all this time and invested a lot of resources in this position I can't understand for the life of me what has gone wrong and I can't think of anything I can do.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

sicklyman

it won't be much consolation but the Middle East is the kind of place where a "technical problem" like the inability to get a visa might be used as an excuse to save face when something far more embarrassing has happened e.g. someone else has already been hired or the position is no longer available for whatever reason.

This means you'll never find out the real reason even if you ask specifically for it. What does the company suggest you do now? Have they given any reason why it was not obtained?

NeutralPath

The company haven't filled the position as I know the other three who are going and I also have spoken to the President of the company (after firing away random emails I actually got a reply).

The company have told me that sometimes this happens, and that visas issued for multiple people at the same time have varying issue dates.

I suspected the reason very early on for the delay was/is down to my name. I knew the Middle East was rife with discrimination but this to me is a whole new level.

I have called the Bahrain ministry of foreign affairs-they don't want to know(fair tbh).

Apparently the issue is with my NOC (No Objection Certificate) however I can't get hold of any person in charge of visas and immigration.

I would say at this point I'm pretty screwed.

sicklyman

your name? I know a guy called Mr Bacon who managed to get a job working in Saudi. If he can do it, anything's possible!

Joking aside, if you've got a NOC issue then yeah, you might well be on a hiding to nothing with this one.

OleJanx

I knew a Rosenthal in Doha. Apparently he knew something pretty specialised and Royal Dutch Shell got him in....

NeutralPath

Well my company I thought was responsible for getting me in.To be honest I have given up on this, and will now look into other opportunities.
But after all that work this is a pretty big kick in the balls.

laithalhindawi

Bahrain is extremely sensitive to potential security issues and names / origins / connections all play a part. This is even more so since the 2011 disturbances which are lingering on 'til today. Other countries in the region are the same in truth but in varying degrees. Trigger names include Iranian, Iraqi, Lebanese, some Pakistani/Afghani origin ones particularly with certain religion/sect references (e.g.; Syed/Sayyid, Redha/Reza, Abdul Hussain/Hassan/Abbas etc.). Nothing you can do about it I'm afraid so good decision to move on.