Getting a residency visa for my wife

Also, does anyone know which translation office here in Riyadh is officially approved and recognized by MOFA and MOI?

Can I also confirm that MOFA here in Riyadh is where we go to get my degree, application form, and marriage certificate attested? Does anyone know if there is a fourth document that also needs to be attested, for instance a copy of our passports, my iqama, or the company letter?

And am I correct that ONLY my degree and marriage certificate need to be notarized and apostillized from the country they were issued in? My wife's passport, for instance, doesn't require this step?

Finally, I've been up and down the MOI website trying to find the application form. Can anyone please give me the link to where I can find this form, or can someone share a copy of this form with me? It looks like the forms are mostly in Arabic anyways?

Hi,

http://life-in-saudiarabia.blogspot.com … EOGQLeKDZw

check above given link and i hope it will answer all of your below asked questions.

Regards
Syed Khalid

In fact I saw this website, but it does not answer queries such as the location of an official translation office or with which link I can find the application form on the MOI website.

HI,

I am also in the same process
I recently came to Jeddah, I will get iqama in few days
then I need to go for family visa taking the following
company letter, my spouse and child ( passport copies)
my offer letter, my attested education certificate.
marriage certificate and child birth certificate ( both were translated and attested in my home country)

if you do attestations in your home, it will save your time.

regards,
SNM

There are many official translation center and i hope one of many you can find in Al Wizarat Area, Riyadh. And translation office already have the forms with them, As the form is in Arabic Its better to ask them to fill the form and they would ask for some riyals (10/20 or 30 riyals max) and will definitely help you. A copy of family visa application form i will try to post it here as soon as possible if expat-blog allows.

Syed Khalid

Thank you so much, Syed. This is really useful information!!

Your Welcome!

and here is the link of MOI for residence visa application form for non-Saudi individuals:

http://www.moi.gov.sa/wps/portal/expatr … airs/forms

Fantastic.

My University degree is about to be notarized, certified, authenticated, and legalized. Do I need to have all the stamps done on the original, or will it be okay to have everything done on a notarized and certified copy?

Hi,
As per my knowledge it is only allowed on your original degree and marriage certificates along with certified Arabic translation. 

Regards
Syed

Hello there,

I am going through the same procedures too! (although still in the early stages)

Only the marriage certificate and your degree which need to be attested. and like syedstar said, it has to be the original.

Thank you everyone for your help!! Another question!! As for my wife's copy of her passport, does it need to be stamped by any Embassy or MOFA or Chamber of Commerce?

http://life-in-saudiarabia.blogspot.com … EkbXDnfpkQ

No, While applying for residence visa, just copy of your wife's passport is enough.

And how about when my wife actually comes here? Do I have to personally accompany her into the country? So we should be on the same flight? And will she be expected to wear an abaya as we go through customs?

If she is comfortable, she can come alone or if you wish you can accompany her(its totally up to you), In case she is coming alone then you can just receive her at the airport and at that time give her the abaya to wear after she meet you in the arrival. 

At the time she leaves airport with you she has to be in abaya. There are lots of shops in Riyadh, one you can purchase it anywhere in Riyadh before her arrival.

By the way coming alone is quite easy. (recently my wife has come alone for the first time and she didn't faced any problem at all)

Thank you syedstar!!

Your Welcome!!! 

Word of warning, be very careful of submitting original documents, i jumped through the hoops to get everything notarised etc, submitted them to the UK embassy who promptly shredded them once they issued the visa!! I only go the visa back, not one single document.

hi guys i am in the same boat as you guys are. i need help with marriage certificate attestation which needs to be done in my home country. our agent is in the process of getting my degrees attested by saudi culture and consulate should i send him my marriage certificate now to save time or marriage certificate needs to be attested once i received my iqama. incase it ll get attested after iqama how  long ll it take to get my marriage certificate attested in paksitan.
your help will be much appreciated