Moving to Saudi

every country has its ups and downs, good and bad. one persons experience may be quite different to anothers.
it depends on what each person wants. and a lot of people tend to point out the badness and corruption of saudi, but not the good points.
foreigners from the west (especially white reverts) are given pretty good treatment.
yes there is abuse to maids and stuff like that but not to all maids.
theres a lot of segregation in the country.
general racism- its not like it is in the UK. some people do give a few comments or make fun of a certain race.
corruption- theres corrupt people everywhere so it depends.
things to do- although there arent cinemas there are bowling alleys, gyms, swimming facilities and skating etc.
oh this isnt from me, this is from someone who lives there and used to live in England.

Can you ask them how they got to live there?

format_quote Originally Posted by Al Habeshi

Are you speaking then of a particular city in saudi i.e. where you have stayed or have you been loadsa places?

I've been to Makkah and Medina but I don't know much about things there other than the kaaba and al masjid al nabawi. Jeddah is a lot more relaxed and open than Riyadh is. Khobar and Dammam are likewise. As for the rest of Saudi, I don't know. What I'm mainly talking about is Riyadh.

And again, this is just my personal experience, other people may have the exact opposite experience and love it here. I guess you won't really be able to tell much unless you come here yourself and check it out. Maybe come for umrah and visit Jeddah/Riyadh?

Also, not sure if you're interested in the school scene, but most reverts home school their children here in Riyadh. The schools are either ones that don't have quality education, or ones that do have quality education but are not segregated, celebrate christmas, easter, valentines, and all that (the american and british schools). These are english language schools I'm talking about, I'm not sure about arabic schools.

It's that white reverts are given veryy special treatment,and I've noticed that there are a lot of western reverts that live here..

Ye frm reliable sources and it's not about Saudi itself it's also about the people there..the women and the underground corruption that goes on..and the way they use the laws...They use it more to their advantage then using it for the people's..Ofcourse this is everywhere but I think it's just a bit too much for me specially the fact that you can't even go out because the men start throwing numbers out and you can't drive for the same reason.

I have heard things are changing so lets try keep with the most update status, from what I understand Jeddah is more diverse than Riyadh?

I'm afraid I don't know much about Jeddah other than it's more laid back than here..

format_quote Originally Posted by crayon

I'm afraid I don't know much about Jeddah other than it's more laid back than here..

So you are living in riyadh right now? Like typing thisfrom there?

ive heard that saudi arabia, are really tight in givin nationality, like i know people who have been born their but because their parents were not arab citizens they didnt get citizenship, also my uncle has been workin in riyadh, for over 40 years and he still aint got nationality lol, so i think just moving to saudi is quite hard...

life there is woo hoo though

format_quote Originally Posted by Al Habeshi

So you are living in riyadh right now? Like typing thisfrom there?

Yeah, I moved here in 2005, so it's been 3 years. Before that I also lived here for a year in 2000, and it was way stricter back then.

format_quote Originally Posted by crayon

Yeah, I moved here in 2005, so it's been 3 years. Before that I also lived here for a year in 2000, and it was way stricter back then.

So for example, you now, could you go outside with your father or husband if you wished? Or with a hired driver?

If so, then is it likely that the police will just stop you for 'fun' or harras you randomly?

format_quote Originally Posted by chacha_jalebi

ive heard that saudi arabia, are really tight in givin nationality, like i know people who have been born their but because their parents were not arab citizens they didnt get citizenship, also my uncle has been workin in riyadh, for over 40 years and he still aint got nationality lol, so i think just moving to saudi is quite hard...

life there is woo hoo though

That's true, they rarely give citizenships, unless you've done something outstanding, or have "connections". You can get a work visa, but you have to have a Saudi host who will sponsor you. I'm not sure about study visas, whether they have them or not.

Oh, and I thought of 2 more good things about living here! We get the last 10 days of ramadan off so we can do lots of ibada. By "we" I mean schools and public companies, private companies are different. And also, the internet is censored quite well, unless you're determined, then you can get around it, but it's quite safe for kids to be online alone inshallah.

format_quote Originally Posted by Al Habeshi

So for example, you now, could you go outside with your father or husband if you wished? Or with a hired driver?

If so, then is it likely that the police will just stop you for 'fun' or harras you randomly?

Yes, you could. Strictly speaking, most restaurants aren't supposed to let women in without a mahram, but they do anyway these days, not like before. Women are allowed into malls by themselves. Single men aren't allowed into malls on the weekend, only during the week, especially if they are teenagers.

The police won't harass you randomly most of the time, but if they see a suspicious looking couple, like they are not related or something, they will talk to them. If they are not related, they will get trouble. Once friends of ours got into trouble because a man was out with his wife and sister. They asked where the sister's husband was, and they gave them a bit of trouble. But things like that happening are quite rare.

format_quote Originally Posted by crayon

That's true, they rarely give citizenships, unless you've done something outstanding, or have "connections". You can get a work visa, but you have to have a Saudi host who will sponsor you. I'm not sure about study visas, whether they have them or not.

But can you work there and keep working there as long as you get the sponsor from a company? And the host has to be arab, so any arab business can sponser you?? Am confused, so if I know someone with an arab business i can get sponsored and keep renewing it??

format_quote Originally Posted by crayon

Yes, you could. Strictly speaking, most restaurants aren't supposed to let women in without a mahram, but they do anyway these days, not like before. Women are allowed into malls by themselves. Single men aren't allowed into malls on the weekend, only during the week, especially if they are teenagers.

So if you go out is it common to get robbed or mugged or have that sort of trouble?

format_quote Originally Posted by crayon

The police won't harass you randomly most of the time, but if they see a suspicious looking couple, like they are not related or something, they will talk to them. If they are not related, they will get trouble. Once friends of ours got into trouble because a man was out with his wife and sister. They asked where the sister's husband was, and they gave them a bit of trouble. But things like that happening are quite rare.

Ok, so if you are married you have to have the paper with you when you are out with your wife right, to like prove that you are married?

Is the law system fair in the sense that, do people get accused of things alot?

format_quote Originally Posted by Al Habeshi

But can you work there and keep working there as long as you get the sponsor from a company? And the host has to be arab, so any arab business can sponser you?? Am confused, so if I know someone with an arab business i can get sponsored and keep renewing it??

It's either a company that sponsors you (which is sponsored by a saudi, i think), or a Saudi. For example, my dad works for nokia. Instead of having nokia sponsor him, he is sponsored by a saudi friend. This is because if he, for any reason, stops working at nokia, he will have to leave the country immediately, had that company been sponsoring him. But if it's an individual sponsor, he can stay here so long as he is sponsored by that guy. As for whether it can be just a saudi or whether it has to be a saudi business, I don't know unfortunately.



So if you go out is it common to get robbed or mugged or have that sort of trouble?

It's not common per se, but it's better to be on the safe side and don't go out late at night alone, for women to always be with a man, that sort of thing.



Ok, so if you are married you have to have the paper with you when you are out with your wife right, to like prove that you are married?

Yeah, there's a thing called an iqama, which you have to carry with you at all times. It basically says that you are a legal resident here, who your sponsor is, who your family is, etc.

Is the law system fair in the sense that, do people get accused of things alot?

In that sense it is fair, yes. But if you ever get into any sort of trouble with a saudi, don't be too hopeful on getting a 100% fair trial.

Inshallah everything I'm telling you is correct, I apologize for any mistakes I make.

It's either a company that sponsors you (which is sponsored by a saudi, i think), or a Saudi. For example, my dad works for nokia. Instead of having nokia sponsor him, he is sponsored by a saudi friend. This is because if he, for any reason, stops working at nokia, he will have to leave the country immediately, had that company been sponsoring him. But if it's an individual sponsor, he can stay here so long as he is sponsored by that guy. As for whether it can be just a saudi or whether it has to be a saudi business, I don't know unfortunately.

So your dad is sponsored by his friend on what basis? That his friend is his employer?

Also do you each have individual iqamas like id cards or what?