Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

Hi all.

I am undergoing the process of qualification attestation to obtain the IQUAMA residency in Saudi. I am a Chartered Surveyor gained from other Chartered status that did not involve a degree. I seek the Chartered Surveying professional Membership attesting and have hit a brick wall (so far) as the bureau will only attest a degree. I have lived Australia and UAE without this problem as there they see the Chartered status as degree equivalent which is attested/endorsed by the appropriate body ... not so in Saudi ... Any ideas ? :confused:

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

Which bureau? Saudi government official attestation people? Does your employer have any wasta?

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

Hi.. It is the Saudi Cultural Bureau in London ... i am seeking to get the Institution's name included ... no wasta unfortunatly

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

And how many bricks are within the wall you hit? :lol:

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

first of its IQAMA not Iquama

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

if you want to be that pedantic it's actually إقامة‎‎ which you can transliterate any way you want in English as there's no equivalent spelling.

Ironically, recommending writing it in all caps seems unreasonable as Arabic doesn't have uppercase.

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

"Like" buttons exist for posts like this.

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

Some of our Saudi residents would have to weigh in - I can't offer anything on this but I guess like all "rules" in this part of the world, there's usually some way around it. No idea what to suggest.

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

I don't have any experience in this so someone else may be able to advise you better. It is a difficult one as the answer you get may be different response depending on who you see and who the company representative is and knowing which boxes need ticking. If you can, you are best to speak to your sponsor rather than try and sort this out yourself. If your sponsor wants you to work for them then they can deal with the society for you. Sometimes all it takes is the right people speaking to the right people and filing paperwork with the right process that is based on information that is not readily available to everyone. KSA is very different to Australia and the UAE in these situations and is something you will get used to.

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

best advice yet.

If your sponsor is not willing to do the necessary, they honestly aren't worth working for. It may be very disappointing to discover that they will not, but in the long run, you may have just saved yourself from being hung out to dry while you are in Kingdom and, in the long-term, that might be a narrow escape.

Saudi is not the place for voicing your concerns about bureaucracy being unfair nor for encouraging open-mindedness. If the SCB demands a degree to attest, then it will be very unlikely they'll consider anything else even if it is a professional equivalent. Yours is not the first case I've heard to fail at this hurdle.

Put it to your sponsor, as globalgeek suggests. Take their action as an indication of their support for you and act accordingly. The world's a big place with many more job opportunities.

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

Go and talk to an agent in London like Brittania and pay them to manage the attestation for you. Should be approx 189 pounds.

Also, due to your limited writing skills in English the visa agent route may be more advisable.

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

If your employer messes you about BEFORE you get there, imagine what he will be like when you are in-kingdom !

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

Or even Muqeem these days....

Re: Saudi and the IQUAMA
 

Experience letters, training certificates, membership and fellowship certificates will not be attested by Saudi cultural Attche.

If you have an academic certificate related to your job title in your Saudi job offer / employment contract you will be able to do so, otherwise they won't attest your membership. They used to attest in the past, but not anymore.