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Bahrain work permit and residence

Bahrain work permit and residence

Old Jun 26th 2012, 12:31 pm
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Default Bahrain work permit and residence

Hello,

Could someone please clarify the process to get a Bahrain work permit and residence including dependants (wife and children)? Should one follow the following steps:
1- Apply for a business (commercial) visa before coming to Bahrain.
2- Travel to Bahrain and apply for work permit.
3- Apply for CPR.
4- Apply for visa for family members.
5- Once the dependents are in Bahrain, apply for CPRs for them.
Is this right? How long this process make take for British passport holders?

I'm asking these questions because I'll be a contractor in Bahrain and I'm going through a European agency that has a local partner who will be my "employer" in order to be able to get the work permit.

Here is what I got from this agency:
"All foreigners (except nationals of the GCC countries) will require a commercial (business) visa to enter Bahrain and can then apply for the work and residence permits in country. However once the contractor is in possession of the Commercial visa it can be extended until finalisation of the Work Permit application. The work permit process starts immediately after the contractor’s arrival in Bahrain, at the LMRA (Labour Market Regulatory Authority) office. The application is made by our local partner. The contractor will need to provide a copy of his/her passport and any degree/diplomas and education certificates to support the work permit application. Two to five weeks time is required to complete the whole process of conversion of the commercial visa to Work and Residence permit, if no objection arise from the LMRA and all documents are in place".

Thanks!
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Old Jun 26th 2012, 1:31 pm
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

No British passport holder needs to do that

Come in on visit visa (anything from 2 weeks to the normal 3 months)

Company applies for work visa and residence visa.

Mine was done within a week

No idea if you are on a Johnny Foreigner visa
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Old Jun 26th 2012, 1:40 pm
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Originally Posted by Tockalosh
No British passport holder needs to do that

Come in on visit visa (anything from 2 weeks to the normal 3 months)

Company applies for work visa and residence visa.

Mine was done within a week

No idea if you are on a Johnny Foreigner visa
Thanks! And what about the CPR (especially for family members)? I'm trying to understand how long the whole process would take to see if the kids can start school in September in Bahrain.
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Old Jun 26th 2012, 1:53 pm
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Once your permit is done your families should be processed within one week (max. 2 weeks - remember you will be coming in Ramadan!!). Have you got places for the kiddies yet at schools?
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Old Jun 26th 2012, 2:22 pm
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Originally Posted by camel jockey
Once your permit is done your families should be processed within one week (max. 2 weeks - remember you will be coming in Ramadan!!). Have you got places for the kiddies yet at schools?

Thanks. We applied to BSB (kids will have an assessment end of August) and St Christ (they sent a test to my daughter's school in London) and we're waiting for their decision. But, we got already an offer from Riffa Views int school. Do you know if I have to be in Bahrain while the work permit is being processed? The project will start in Bahrain in September and till then I need to be in Paris/London.
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Old Jun 27th 2012, 5:18 am
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Originally Posted by ME08
Thanks. We applied to BSB (kids will have an assessment end of August) and St Christ (they sent a test to my daughter's school in London) and we're waiting for their decision. But, we got already an offer from Riffa Views int school. Do you know if I have to be in Bahrain while the work permit is being processed? The project will start in Bahrain in September and till then I need to be in Paris/London.
Depends on what you are after in schools. Remember that RVIS is American and St Chris & BSB are both British.

You will have to be in the country for the actual permit to go through but it honestly shouldn't take long if you have a good PRO (Public Relations Officer - they do all the governmental cr*p). You won't be able to go until you have that little sticker in your passport.
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Old Jun 27th 2012, 7:32 am
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Originally Posted by camel jockey
Depends on what you are after in schools. Remember that RVIS is American and St Chris & BSB are both British.

You will have to be in the country for the actual permit to go through but it honestly shouldn't take long if you have a good PRO (Public Relations Officer - they do all the governmental cr*p). You won't be able to go until you have that little sticker in your passport.
Thanks. Ideally, we would like to have either BSB or St Chr. Form your experience, is it hard to get a place in these schools? Do you know if it's possible to apply for residence for me + my dependants at the same time? Or should I have the residence first and then apply for a family visa for my them?
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Old Jun 27th 2012, 7:40 am
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Originally Posted by ME08
Thanks. Ideally, we would like to have either BSB or St Chr. Form your experience, is it hard to get a place in these schools? Do you know if it's possible to apply for residence for me + my dependants at the same time? Or should I have the residence first and then apply for a family visa for my them?
If your rip through some old threads you will pick up information on both schools. St Chris like old fashioned grammar school, BSB like well performing comprehensive. Ya pays ya money etc etc

Places are dependent upon of age of kids.

If you have brit passport then dont worry. Your visa is processed first closely followed by family. You should get 3 months on arrival anyway as the locals havent fallen out with the British recently
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Old Jun 27th 2012, 7:56 am
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

And certainly BSB will take them in on your passports - you dont need CPR (if they are British) - we are in on that basis.

Just a note though - they will need lots more jabs than we get in the UK as the norm. Ask the school to send you a list of "exactly" what is needed and get them done before you get here. The school told us we didnt need anything and now 7 months down the line we have 2 weeks to get about 8 jabs or we are out - the administration in the schools (run by expats) is absolutely flamin hopeless!!
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Old Jun 27th 2012, 8:37 am
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Originally Posted by scottrace
And certainly BSB will take them in on your passports - you dont need CPR (if they are British) - we are in on that basis.

Just a note though - they will need lots more jabs than we get in the UK as the norm. Ask the school to send you a list of "exactly" what is needed and get them done before you get here. The school told us we didnt need anything and now 7 months down the line we have 2 weeks to get about 8 jabs or we are out - the administration in the schools (run by expats) is absolutely flamin hopeless!!
I told you all along to go to St Chris but you wouldnt have it. Now your kids poor arms are going to look like Pin Cushions

I didnt need 8 to go to India so not sure what they are nuking them with. Are you sure the school administrator doesnt have an uncle on commission at the AMH ?

**** I am becoming sceptical in my old age
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Old Jun 27th 2012, 8:41 am
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

There will definitely be a place for a 3.5 year old at St Chris as we wont now be taking Master Tock in September but we havent told St Chris yet, another job for this week

Had bought him his first leather briefcase as well ready for his first day of proper school; hand made in Engerland of course.
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Old Jun 27th 2012, 8:51 am
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Originally Posted by scottrace
And certainly BSB will take them in on your passports - you dont need CPR (if they are British) - we are in on that basis.

Just a note though - they will need lots more jabs than we get in the UK as the norm. Ask the school to send you a list of "exactly" what is needed and get them done before you get here. The school told us we didnt need anything and now 7 months down the line we have 2 weeks to get about 8 jabs or we are out - the administration in the schools (run by expats) is absolutely flamin hopeless!!
Hiya Trace,

I found the jabs here less expensive than at home, 11BD compared to £50 that I paid in the UK. Apart from petrol about the only thing cheaper I think!
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Old Jun 27th 2012, 9:00 am
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Originally Posted by Tockalosh
There will definitely be a place for a 3.5 year old at St Chris as we wont now be taking Master Tock in September but we havent told St Chris yet, another job for this week

Had bought him his first leather briefcase as well ready for his first day of proper school; hand made in Engerland of course.
actually my son is 3.5 years old!
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Old Jun 27th 2012, 9:47 am
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Originally Posted by Tockalosh
If your rip through some old threads you will pick up information on both schools. St Chris like old fashioned grammar school, BSB like well performing comprehensive. Ya pays ya money etc etc

Places are dependent upon of age of kids.

If you have brit passport then dont worry. Your visa is processed first closely followed by family. You should get 3 months on arrival anyway as the locals havent fallen out with the British recently
to make sure I understood you right: I can have a 3 months visa for me and my family members on arrival to Bahrain. id this right? if not, should we apply for an e-visa before coming? Can we convert this visit visa into a work permit/residence/CPR once in Bahrain or should we enter the country with a business visa instead?
once again, thanks for your help
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Old Jun 27th 2012, 9:54 am
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Default Re: Bahrain work permit and residence

Are you off to pastures new Tock???

I think I am right in saying an evisa will only give you 2 weeks so you dont really want one of those as you will then have the headache of trying to get it extended or having to leave and come back in again. I would think its unlikely you will get everything done for full residency in 2 weeks - its the Middle East!! Unless your company are going to get it all sorted for you before your family arrive?

I understand you are still getting 3 months on arrival although we are now on multi entry/exit for 5 years so its not an issue for us anymore.
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