mark2465

Hi

I may be moving to Riyadh in the new year to start a new position. I know that all of the compunds are full (Iv'e emailed 20+) so am thinking of trying to get a place to live in Bahrain.

The company I will be working for does not have an office in Bahrain so cannot help with visa's etc. I have been told that this is not a problem and I should still be able to get a place in Bahrain. Is this correct and if so what do I need to do.

Also can anyone give advice on getting the dogs from the UK to Bahrain i.e. moving agents and also a contact in Bahrain to help with the paperwork etc.

Thanks

Blue Cat

someone is telling porkies, you have to have a visa sponsored by your employer to reside in Bahrain. Your new employer should provide you with accomodation, if they don't, don't bother taking the job

Alexa

You want to live in Bahrain and work in Riyadh? Are you aware of the distance between Riyadh and Bahrain? It is doable of you live in Khobar...but Riyadh?? I think not.

weasel central

well it only used to take me about 1.5 hours in my private helicopter

Alexa

Still a long time to commute. Take the jet next time

mark2465

Hi all

Thanks for the comments. I should have said that I would be working from home for 2 - 3 days a week and would look at the option of flying to Riyadh

Blue Cat

answer is still a no

norsk

Anyone can live in Bahrain! If you have money you can sign a rental agreement. No need for work to do anything in terms of visas etc, but of course they should agree to you living there.

Depending on your nationality you get a 1-3 month visa on arrival at the airport (at a nominal charge). Causeway is different, I believe everyone gets 2 weeks (and it is free as you would be a Saudi resident).

It is a long way to Riyadh from Bahrain though. Think 4-5 hours drive...

norsk

I work in Saudi and live in Bahrain. Work have not sponsored me in Bahrain and I only have a standard 2 week visit visa I get for free on the causeway on the way back from work...

Blue Cat

I stand corrected then, as I have friends in Bahrain who say they need their visas sponsored by their company. Out of interest how much do these 1 - 3 month visa's cost?

norsk

BD5 (so about 50 dirhams) from what I can remember. The main drawback is that you have to leave the country every now and then, although most people who have lived in Bahrain for a while recommend this as the only way to avoid island fever anyway..

Blue Cat

I paid that last time I visited, I didn't realise it meant you could permanently reside there though, get driving licence etc, bank accounts.

norsk

Well you can rent a house, drive on your UK license indefinitely (there is probably some limitation but not aware of it), get a bank account with Citibank (as it is an offshore bank it does not require you to have residential status).

You can even get a CPR number (although not a card) which allows you to get your kids into schools, have a postpaid mobile phone, and so on. However I cannot remember if I had to show something about working in Saudi when I got my CPR. I don't think so, I certainly didn't involve my company in anything.

I think the only special requirement my wife and son had to fulfill to get the CPR was that they needed to have a multi-entry visa, this was really simple to get. Basically my wife went down to the ministry of immigration, asked a few questions and walked out with a 5 year multi-entry visa. This cost about BD20 I think. On this visa she needs to leave the country every 28 days, so we either do a quick trip to no man's land on the causeway or a quick flight to dubai/doha/abu dhabi. The trip to no mans land on the causeway is only possible if your car has the export papers allowing you to take it out of bahrain. you don't actually need a saudi visa as you turn around before the saudi passport control.

Blue Cat

so is it full of rich retired expat Brits? lol

norsk

there are a few, especially as you the law related to owning property here is better regulated than dubai. if you're a property owner you even get to vote in the municipal elections apparently..