Expats on final exit from Saudi must surrender their iqama

Following the refusal to leave the country imposed on a number of expats returning home after their contracts had ended, Saudi’s immigration department are urging corporations to surrender residential certificates on time.

Private companies and residents in Saudi Arabia generally prefer to use the immigration authority’s online visa services for re-entry and final exit visas. According to the immigration office at Riyadh’s international airport, a final exit visa does not authorise its holder to leave the Kingdom permanently.

An immigration spokesperson confirmed that the iqama residency permit must be handed to the regional passport office in order for the authority to allow the person to leave the country. The system, he said, must show that this has been done.

Last week, a teacher from one of the Kingdom’s prestigious international schools was prevented from leaving as his iqama had not been handed in. The unfortunate traveller had passed check-in, his baggage was already in the hold and took a long time to trace, and his departure was delayed for a week.

In addition, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently stated that large amounts of cash should not be carried by those travelling abroad. It has warned citizens that only the amount allowed to be brought into destination countries should be carried and should be declared at customs on arrival overseas.

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