How to Get A Permanent Family Visa For Saudi Arabia?

Every expatriate staying in Saudi Arabia cherished bringing his family either for a visit or for a permanent one. It’s no secret getting a permanent family visa is a time-consuming task. Also, most residents don’t know how to get a permanent family visa for Saudi Arabia.

In actuality, there is no rocket science in getting a permanent visa. It can be getting by following some easy peasy steps. For this, you must fill out the Istiqdam form, pay the fee and submit some crucial requirements.

This ultimate guide will thoroughly debate how to get a permanent family visa for Saudi Arabia, the requirements, eligibility criteria, and the step-by-step process. Come and dive with us to get detailed information.

Eligibility Criteria For Family Visa

Before further processing, the candidate must meet the eligibility criteria.

The criteria include the following points:

• Before applying for a family visa, the candidate must check the iqama validity. It shouldn’t be less than 3 months.
• Your profession should match the eligible iqama professions.
• A family visa is allowed for your wife and children only. 
• You cannot apply visa for your parents.
• You cannot apply visa for sons over the age of 18 years.
• You can apply visa for one wife at a time.
• You need to apply for the GOSI salary certificate. According to it, the salary must be higher than SR 35,000.
• The candidate must pay the initial fee for every individual in your family. The outlay is SR 2000 per head.

Expats with the following iqama professions can apply online for the visa:

•    Registered doctors of SCHS.
•    Registered engineers of SCE.
•    Registered accountants and auditors of SOCPA. 

Online Registration for Permanent Family Visa

For online registration, visit https://www.absher.sa.

Sign in and hover over the services tab.

The services fragment will provide a list of options, you can choose ‘Expatriates Services’.

In the next step, click ‘New Family Visa Application’. 

(Note: Carefully read the instructions before applying for the visa.)

A new page will load that holds your details. You need to cross-check all the MOI information before moving any further. Click on the ‘Apply for Family Visa’ tab to move any further. 

If you match the eligibility criteria, the form (as shown below) will appear on the computer display. It holds the following information.

• Your estimated salary is SAR.
• Your level of qualification.
• The date of receiving the highest education.
• Major subjects you have studied.

Besides this mentioned info, you may also need to add the information regarding the name of dependents, passport number, age, religion, next of kin, and port of boarding. 

• The port of boarding asks for the city in which the candidate’s family will stamp their visa. 
• The name should be accordingly to the passport.
• The candidate can add ‘-‘ over any unknown data.

Click on ‘Submit Family Visa’.

Post Application Process

Now comes the post-application process.

After submission of the application, the Absher system will allow you to print the application form. You must sign and hand the copy to your HR to get it stamped.

The company will get an attestation from the Chamber of Chance online within 30 days of submission for SR 30.

You need to visit the Chamber of Chance to prompt the application within 30 days of submission. It requires another initial installment of SR 30.

The status will be updated to ‘Approved’, and the visa number is available to you. You will receive an SMS providing information regarding approving your Istiqdam Family Visa application and visa.

You can use the visa number for further application processing in your home country.

(Note: Your application may not process due to a lack of eligibility of Istiqdam e-service business rules.)

Issues Regarding Permanent Family Visa in Saudi Arabia

During the application processing, if your profession contradicts the pre-define Istiqdam professions, the system will prompt an alert, as attached below.

Note: If your COC or Maktab Amal account has expired, the system will prompt you with the stated message:

‘Your sponsor is not added for the visa application. Kindly visit Istiqdam for more information.’

In-office Permanent Family Visa for Saudi Arabia

You can also apply for a visa in Saudi Arabia through Istiqdam. If you want a step-by-step guide, read how to book istiqdam appointment for a family visa.

The initial step is to book an appointment in the same city as your issued iqama.

Document Required For Permanent Family Visa for Saudi Arabia

You need the following documents submitted to Istiqdam to apply for a Family visa in Saudi Arabia.

• Istiqdam Form for a permanent visa with the company’s seal and authorized signatures.
• A copy of Iqama.
• A stamped copy of your Saudi Visa on your passport.
• Passport copies of all applicants.
• Attested Degree Certificates from the embassy and MOFA are eligible with the iqama profession and Arabic Translation. Read more about All Iqama Professions Eligible for Family Visas in Saudi Arabia.
• Attested Marriage Certificate from Saudi Embassy and MOFA & Arabic translation.
• Attested copies of children’s birth certificates from the Saudi Embassy and MOFA & Arabic Translation.
• A stamped Salary Certificate by the Chamber of Commerce.
• A GOSI Certificate with salary in GOSI returns.
• Professional Certification for the Doctors, Engineers, Technicians, Accountants, and Auditors. 
• Commercial Registration Certificate of your current company.

Arrange the above documents in a file and visit the Istiqdam office on your booked appointment.

•  For Jeddah residents, you must visit Istiqdam Jawazat Office in Rehab District.

After cross-checking your documents, the attendant will give a yellow slip to you.

•  Make sure the name on the slip is correct.
•  In case of any query, you can return to Istiqdam within 3 days to make any changes.
• The validity of the Yellow Slip or the permanent family visa is 1 Hijri Year (356 days). It means that the visa needs further processing within a year.

Once the visa is displayed on the EnjazIT platform, one can forward it for stamping. An agent can assist your family regarding this concern. In some countries like Pakistan, the government has authorized Etimad to stamp your visa.

Note: If a baby is born after the permanent residency visa, the candidate doesn’t have to modify it. In this case, the candidate needs to submit the documents of the newborn along with the mother’s passport to get it stamped by the Saudi Embassy.

Resident Permit Saudi Arabia Cancelation

In case of a change of mind, you can easily cancel your permanent family visa before it is stamped on your passport. You’ll get a refund of SR 2000.

For this, you need the following documents. 

•  A letter mentioning why you need to cancel your family visa. The letter needs authentication by the Chamber of Commerce. 
• The Original Iqama and a copy.
• The Original passport and a copy.
• The original yellow slip or a copy of the visa by Istiqdam.

Visit the Istiqdam office for further information on the cancellation of a permanent family visa. 

 With an initial fee of SR 15, you can fill out the form given to you by the office. 

Submit the form with the attached documents to the visa officer to cancel your family visa.

The visa fee is refundable within 2/3 months.

Above is the whole procedure for online and in-office permanent family visa applications. For more queries, you can contact Saudi Embassy. 

If u want to know information about the final exit visa for the family, then check it out:

FAQs

Conclusion

Obtaining a Permanent Family Visa for Saudi Arabia involves meeting specific eligibility criteria, providing the required documents, and applying through the Ministry of Interior’s online portal or visiting the General Directorate of Passports office. It is important to note that the processing time for a Permanent Family Visa can vary, and a fee is involved. However, once approved, this visa allows expatriate residents to sponsor their immediate family members to come and reside with them in the country. It is recommended to carefully review the requirements and process for obtaining a Permanent Family Visa in Saudi Arabia before beginning the application process.

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