What is Iqama/ Muqeem in Saudi Arabia ? Procedure to get your Iqama in Saudi Arabia

Iqama/ Muqeem in Saudi Arabia

What is Iqama/ Muqeem?

If a person is living or working in Saudi Arabia he must have a personal identity card that is known as Iqama. Your id is required everywhere that is a number written on Iqama. Your sponsor arrange this Iqama for you when you come to Saudi Arabia on a working visa of 90 days.

It is basically permission from government for residence of expatriates after expiry of 90 days working visa. It is valid for one year in a Hijri date. This is very important thing for Expatriates .It is a requirement of law that needed by every expatriates for the legality of stay.

 It is required from appointment to doctor to visiting government department. It is not legal to stay in Saudi Arabia without it. You are not able to do anything without Iqama. At the beginning of Muharram 1437H, Muqeem card was launched. 

The appearance of Iqama is changed and now it is called as Muqeem card. It is valid for five years but have to renew it every year online. It is an identification card.

Benefits:

· Expatriates can take their family for visit for period of 6 months.

· It is temporary legal permission for living in Saudi Arabia.

· They can go for Umrah if they are Muslim expatriates.

· They can easily open a bank account.

· They can travel to different cities in kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

· They can get driving license if they have Iqama.

Details:

1. Name in English

2. Name in Arabic

3. Iqama number

4. Serial number

5. Place of issue

6. Date of issue

7. Date of birth

8. Profession

9. Nationality

10. Religion

11. Name of employee

12. Iqama number in English

Documents required for applying Iqama:

– Visa Application form
– Medical Report
– 4 passport size Photographs
– Employment Letter
– Visa Reference Letter
– Educational Certificates with attestation
– Agreement or Contract Copy
– Authorization or Power of Attorney

Final Exit in Saudi Arabia

Final Exit in Saudi Arabia

In the end emigrants have to leave Saudia Arabia, as it is temporary. Your employer has to process final exit, therefore, be in good terms with them keeping in mind your contract period notice. If you are unfamiliar with your contract period notice then at least 30 days must be given for processing your final exit.
 It is very important to make sure you completed certain things before organizing your final exit visa in Saudia. You need your sponsor if you want to cancel your final exit visa. -send your family to your home country before you, if they are living with you in Saudia.
-To avoid getting your bank accounts frozen, you should withdraw all money beforehand. -Inform the landlord before 30 days if you are living in a rental house. Find someone for your house if the contract with your landlord is not completed.
 -To avoid getting in troubles at airport departure, you must clear all your bills and deactivate your credit cards and hand over them to their respective companies. -
 All your important articles should be sent to your home country through cargo, and sell your car before leaving.
- Electricity bills should be paid. Landlines and postpaid sim cars under your name and Iqama should be deactivated.
 -If you are planning to go to either European or western countries, you must get a police clearance certificate. End of service benefits: When your final exit visa is processed, you can appeal your employer to give you end of service benefits amount as cash as your bank account has been frozen. That amount can be sent to your home through any of your friends’ help, as you do not have iqama.
Final exit visa: Final exit visa should be kept safely, even when you are in your home country, as it will be required when you are employed on another job in Saudia Arabia. Some companies do not facilitate you with final exit paper as it is not stamped by immigration facilities. However your passport has a final exit stamp on it.

FAMILY IQAMA PROCEDURE IN SAUDI ARABIA

If your family is in Saudi Arabia on permanent visa then you should apply for issuing iqama to your family members or dependents, This article will explain you what is the procedure to follow and what are the required documents for applying family iqama, before you apply for iqama to your dependent you need to pay dependent fee.Required documents for issuing family iqama : 1. Two photographs (Each Family Member) 2. Passport copy ( First Page & Visa Page) 3. Two Iqama copies 4. Family Iqama Filled Form You can fill the form with the help of agent (he will charge), who are sitting near to Saudi Jawazat office Or you may fill it online through MOI website...Go to Jawazat office of your city with filled form (family iqama form) and above documents. Find the counter where new iqama is issuing (you can ask at reception for counter) collect the token. On your turn, submit all documents, You also need to show your original iqama at counter. If everything goes perfect, Your family iqama will be printed and handle to you. If your baby or child born when you are already on permanent visa then you should read this article

HOW TO CHECK THE STATUS OF PROFESSION CHANGE OF YOUR IQAMA

As technology improving day by day all over the world, Saudi Arabia attracted many expatriates by providing the updating technology to government offices. Expatriates and nationals can access the updating technology benefits from online Ministry of Interior website, No need to go to your sponsor again and again for little little information.Many expatriates unaware of the online benefits provided by Saudi government officials for them. As we already seen, Requirements for Changing your profession on iqama and Reason for rejecting professions change in this article To check the status of your iqama profession follow the below steps. 1. To access to this service you need to register account in Ministry of Interior, To do this follow this article. If you already registered you can continue. 2. Login in MOI website with the user name and password you registered and Click on MY DASHBOARD (see the below picture) from the available tabs. 3. Now you can see your current Profession (See below Image) which is left side and exact below your photograph.

HOW TO CHANGE IQAMA OR VISA PROFESSION IN SAUDI ARABIA

Changing of Visa profession or MOL KSA Iqama profession is necessary for those whose Iqama profession or muqeem card profession is different from their work. It is illegal to work different from your Iqama profession in Saudi Arabia. Jawazat people can raid any time at any company in case you caught you can be detained. While requesting for changing MOL KSA Iqama profession you can check the benefited professions in Saudi Arabia and choose the best which matches your work. Benefited in the sense inviting your family either in visit or permanent etc. Requirements for change of Muqeem profession in Saudi Arabia 1. Attestation of higher degree certificates from Saudi embassy and Saudi culture in your home country. Refer this article "Saudi Embassy Attestation procedure". 2. Your attestation degree certificate should match with the Iqama profession you are applying for. Recommended article "How to Check your muqeem Profession". 3. Request for change of profession in HRD department of your working company, required a deposited amount of 1000 Saudi Riyal for change of profession. 4. Change of profession may rejected if your Iqama profession is at lower side for example labor, driver, helper etc., Instead of this "benefited muqeem professions" list. Reasons for Rejecting profession change on your Iqama / Visa. 1. If your Iqama profession is at lower profile side (Labor, Helper etc,.). 2. If any Traffic violations against your sponsor or employee. You can always check your "traffic violations on Muqeem card" through MOI website. 3. No sufficient funds (Fees) are present for change of profession. 4. If your request did not approve from the ministry of labor. 5. If you are Driver, Housemaid, Helper, Labor etc. for home on individual or domestic visa. 6. If your Iqama is already expired, Check your "Muqeem Validity" through MOI.

IQAMA RENEWAL IN SAUDI ARABIA (MUQEEM CARD)

As technology improving day by day, Saudi Arabia government is adapting all the services from manual work to online. Now sponsors or employers can renew employees resident card through online, If you already have new iqama, It does not have expiry date, If you have Iqama which is expired, Then your new iqama will be delivered to your employer through courier or Saudi post. - Iqama renewal in Saudi Arabia must be renewed at least 3 days before of its expiry date. - Iqama/Muqeem renewal for employee or workers is fee SR 650/- - Iqama/Muqeem renewal fee of family members or dependents above 18 years is SR 500/- - If your company has less than 50% of Saudi's, there will be a fee of SR 2400/- for labor office. However, This fee will be exempt for 4 expatriates, if your company (small business) has less than 10 employees. - Few of Residents from countries (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, Thailand, Vietnam) have to provide medical test report while renewing muqeem. Once this process is finished, Your sponsor will collect your old iqama and get print of new muqeem card within two working days. Do not forget to collect a letter from your employer that your iqama is in under renewing. Attach your old iqama copy to that letter, this will be your temporary iqama.

CHECK IQAMA EXPIRY DATE OR VALIDITY

CHECK IQAMA EXPIRY DATE OR VALIDITY To check Iqama validity or expiry date, you need Saudi iqama number only. Follow the below steps to inquire about your iqama validity. Visit the official website of MOI ( Ministry of Interior ), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Click on the above link, Enter IQAMA NUMBER and Image catchpa code, Click on VIEW. Now you can see your validity of iqama just above that box as shown in below image. You can also follow the below method to check your Iqama Expiry date or Validity. You can also inquire in the below mentioned way. 1. Select ENGLISH as language from the MOI website (www.moi.gov.sa) and find Electronic Inquiries (top Menu) just beside Eservices. 2. Click on Electronic Inquiries, Select PASSPORTS (left side tab) and it will extend, find "Query Iqama Expiry Service". 3. Click on "QUERY IQAMA EXPIRY SERVICE", Now you can see a webpage with two input boxes. 4. Type IQAMA NUMBER you want to enquire in first box which is "Iqama Number". 5. Enter the catchpa IMAGE CODE in second box, you can find it in below image. 6. Click on VIEW, To submit the enquiry of your iqama expiry date. Now you can see your iqama validity or expiry date above the form. The form will not change, Just check the top of form. It should be like this Iqama is valid till :YYYY/MM/DD ( Expiry date is in Hijri Date ).