As Saudi Arabia gets more and more digitized, issuing a final exit visa for your workers under the Saudi labor law has become much easier, requiring less time and effort to complete the entire process. Yet it also became tangled with a number of platforms on the scene that can get you distracted. So, if you’re about to issue multiple final exit visas for your workers, let us save your day and guide you through the requirements. We’ll also tell you which situations can interrupt you.
First of all, consider these 7 situations that interrupt the issuance process under the new rules in Saudi Arabia for final exit visas:
- Owning an automobile or vehicle registered with the worker’s name. This is an important update added recently.
- The worker doesn’t have a valid Iqama.
- His or her passport validity is under 60 days.
- The worker is out of Saudi Arabia while requesting a final exit visa.
- The worker is committed to any unpaid violations or any payment installment for a purchased product.
- The worker’s working permit is still valid.
- If the final exit visa fee isn’t paid within 60 days of submitting the request.
Second, use the right platform for your business
According to the updates on the Saudi labor law, governmental platforms are considered mandatory, a necessary step for completing the legal procedures, and main access for issuing visas, meaning that if you try to finish the procedures at the governmental office, you’ll still have to create your account on the service platform and transact on it.
1- Use Absher Business if your workforce doesn’t exceed 100 workers
Absher Business is a platform that provides services to individual’ establishments in which the workforce does not exceed 100 workers.
It’s good to know that Absher has a business channel for business owners and a phone app for business accounts. So, make sure you’ve created a business account for your company to use the Absher platform, and when you download the Absher app, download the blue one for business owners, not the green one for individuals.
2- Use the Muqeem platform, if your workforce exceeds 100 workers
For establishments with a workforce that exceeds 100 workers, use the Muqeem platform to issue multiple visas. Knowing that muqeem.sa also has a phone app, available on both the Google store, and Apple store.
Third, use the right service according to the worker’s status
To issue a final exit visa, the Saudi government platforms offer several services:
1- Final exit visa for Muqeem.
2- Final exit visa for a non-Muqeem.
3- Alternative Visas for Final Exit (Compensatory Visas).
1- Issuing a final exit visa for Muqeem
A service that allows issuing a final exit visa for residents inside the Kingdom.
2- Issuing a final exit visa for non-Iqama
A service that allows issuing a final exit visa during the trial period (90 days) for those who have not been issued a residence permit.
3- Obtaining an alternative visa for final exit (Compensatory Visa)
It is a service that allows establishments to request an alternative visa for expatriate workers who have been permanently exited during the past six months.
Is it possible to return the same worker back to Saudi Arabia after issuing the final exit visa?
Yes, it’s possible under the Saudi labor law for a worker to return after exiting the kingdom with a final exit visa, but with a new working visa, and on one condition, that the worker didn’t exit the country deported.
When can it be considered deportation for a worker under Saudi labor law?
The worker shall exit the kingdom either by having the sponsor issue the final exit visa for him or by having the worker issue the final exit visa for himself. If the worker exits the kingdom in any other way, it’ll be considered deportation, and he or she will be suspended for 5 years and can’t return to the kingdom in this duration.
Count on SMASCO instead
Whether your establishment has less than 100 workers or more, you can always count on SMASCO to take the lead from A to Z, providing you with a qualified workforce, and complying with the Saudi labor law, with zero complications. Contact SMASCO for more.
Source
- New Rules for Final Exit Visa Saudi Arabia in 2024 – Fees & Requirements, Jagmohan Krishan, November 28, 2023, Thetalentpoint.com.
- Issuing of Final Exit Visa for Non Iqama – Absher, my.gov.sa.
- Issue Final Exit Visa – Muqeem, my.gov.sa.
- Muqeem.sa