Hello,
I'm looking into Oman as a future location to teach in a couple years. I am a female teacher and I'd need a resident visa for my husband (who is not a teacher, but would accompany me). I read some things that lead me to wonder if it is only men that obtain work in Oman who can bring their accompanying wives and that women who obtain a position cannot obtain visas for their husbands. Anyone know for sure? Obviously if the school hired me and I couldn't get a visa for my husband, it's not worth me looking here. Thanks in advance.
Oman- Visas
Re: Oman- Visas
A couple of years ago, a lady friend of mine was in a similar situation. She couldn't get a dependent visa for her husband so, she negotiated with the school and got him a coaching/tech support job. I'd contact the local Omani embassy if there are any recent changes.
Response
From a technical position this is true, women are in general not able to support dependent visas for a dependent male spouse. In practice an IS thats really interested in you (and since you are aware) can if motivated, make a peripheral offer to your male spouse as a consultant or professional staff appointment that would then allow your male spouse to enter Oman on a work visa, and no longer require a dependent visa. Its important to bring this up early, as some ISs simply do not realize this type of assistance would be required. This process is not uncommon, nor is it challenging its a modern way around a very culturally ingrained law. As long as an IS is aware and willing its hardly any effort.
Re: Oman- Visas
Is this true for Saudi as well? My husband and I signed contracts in Saudi, but he can't get a work visa because he obtained his degree online. Saudi does not recognize online degrees.
The workaround is for me to fly to Saudi this summer and apply for a dependent visa for my husband. The school and the visa processing office in D.C. told me that my husband can work on a dependent visa. Which seems strange considering he can't get a working visa.
Anyone have experience with this?
The workaround is for me to fly to Saudi this summer and apply for a dependent visa for my husband. The school and the visa processing office in D.C. told me that my husband can work on a dependent visa. Which seems strange considering he can't get a working visa.
Anyone have experience with this?
Re: Oman- Visas
We lived in Saudi and the visa process was very capricious...and both years we were there American visas were denied and then reprocessed...my first year we all were delayed until October, the next year some were delayed until Christmas. Some were approved for couples but not their children, others for the man and the children, but not the wife. My husband was recovering from cancer treatment and wasn't scheduled to arrive until November anyway--when my visa was approved, my kids were denied and they had to stay in the States, when my husband's visa was approved, the kids were denied again the first time and then approved.
I would be very wary of any school's promise that something can happen because the visa process is probably way out of their hands. We know of an Aramcon family where this has happened, too.
The years I was there a woman who already had a visa and iqama as a single got married and she was able to bring her husband in as a dependent, but it took most of the school year. You should be prepared for the worst case scenario of being apart.
I would be very wary of any school's promise that something can happen because the visa process is probably way out of their hands. We know of an Aramcon family where this has happened, too.
The years I was there a woman who already had a visa and iqama as a single got married and she was able to bring her husband in as a dependent, but it took most of the school year. You should be prepared for the worst case scenario of being apart.
Re: Oman- Visas
Thank you for the responses about the Oman visas. That is good news, as like you said, if I know upfront I can negotiate with the school for a part-time or support position for my husband. He is highly qualified (he has a masters) to do plenty of things at a school (he's just not interested in being a full-time teacher). He is also going to start looking for positions (non-teaching) as well, as if he obtains one then it's not a problem. Knowing that, I'll still apply to a few places in Oman when I start looking for a new position a couple years down the road. Thanks for the help!
Re: Oman- Visas
I never understood why some people hijack posts on this forum. Just create a separate thread to get your questions answered. It's as simple as that.
Reply
@AmberG
I would advise your spouse rely on your IS for sponsorship, there would otherwise be a lot of power in an employer over your spouse, the IS is likely to be more stable and dependable.
@austin
Yes its generally true in the Kingdom as well. The online degree is not the issue. There are ITs in the Kingdom who got their degree by distance education/online but from brick and mortar universities, neither their degrees nor transcripts show that courses were completed online or by distance education. There have been issues with degrees earned from universities that are solely online.
How far in advance are you relocating to the Kingdom? The visa process can be either very fsst or very slow, it depends on your IS and their relationships.
Its common that a dependent will be allowed some amount of work authorization on a dependent visa. The issue is one of sponsorship and guarantee.
I would advise your spouse rely on your IS for sponsorship, there would otherwise be a lot of power in an employer over your spouse, the IS is likely to be more stable and dependable.
@austin
Yes its generally true in the Kingdom as well. The online degree is not the issue. There are ITs in the Kingdom who got their degree by distance education/online but from brick and mortar universities, neither their degrees nor transcripts show that courses were completed online or by distance education. There have been issues with degrees earned from universities that are solely online.
How far in advance are you relocating to the Kingdom? The visa process can be either very fsst or very slow, it depends on your IS and their relationships.
Its common that a dependent will be allowed some amount of work authorization on a dependent visa. The issue is one of sponsorship and guarantee.
Re: Oman- Visas
Actually, my husband did get his online degree from a brick and mortar school. Saudi now requires colleges to submit a distance education form which states how many classes were completed online. If a good amount are completed online, they don't accept the degree regardless of where it is from. This is from the embassy in DC. The visa processing rep can't make it happen.
I would fly to Saudi in July and the school said it would take two weeks to get the residence permit and sponsor my husband. They said this happens a lot now because of this new online deal.
I would fly to Saudi in July and the school said it would take two weeks to get the residence permit and sponsor my husband. They said this happens a lot now because of this new online deal.
Reply
@austin
I can see your position, two issues:
1) Foreign embassies are not the most helpful they tend to quote and follow the script of whatever their immigration ministry tells them. Its a case of this is what they say is done, vs. this is how it actually is. I would contact a visa processor and talk with your husbands university about getting the right documents that will make the right statements.
2) I dont know where your spouses degree is from, and dont want to make any judgements but I assure you if your spouses degree was from Harvard or OxBridge no one would bat an eyelash whether it was done by distance education or F2F. The universities this commonly happens with are UoP, Capella, Walden, etc. that are primarily online universities.
I can see your position, two issues:
1) Foreign embassies are not the most helpful they tend to quote and follow the script of whatever their immigration ministry tells them. Its a case of this is what they say is done, vs. this is how it actually is. I would contact a visa processor and talk with your husbands university about getting the right documents that will make the right statements.
2) I dont know where your spouses degree is from, and dont want to make any judgements but I assure you if your spouses degree was from Harvard or OxBridge no one would bat an eyelash whether it was done by distance education or F2F. The universities this commonly happens with are UoP, Capella, Walden, etc. that are primarily online universities.
Re: Oman- Visas
Anyone have any knowledge as to whether or not TAISM has sponsored female teachers with non-teaching spouses? Is being employed by a school the only way around Oman's sponsorship regulations? The spouse in question would either be working remotely or back in his home country for a portion of the year. And no intent to hijack the post - I just thought that any responses received will benefit the original poster as well.
Apologies in advance to the moderating team - hoping this isn't considered evaluative in nature!
Apologies in advance to the moderating team - hoping this isn't considered evaluative in nature!
Reply
@MissMe
They have, but they would prefer to just offer the male spouse a consulting job, it just makes the paperwork easier and less hassle.
No, they could be employed elsewhere in another industry, though youd have to make those contacts yourself. Its possible for a male spouse to self sponsor a business visa but the length of stay is typically only 30 days at most and the traveler would have to leave and reenter. An investors visa is available if you have $650KUSD to invest, otherwise the other forms of business visas require some form of sponsorship.
I understand your rational and your position but the ME is not one of the places where trying to get it your way is going to pay off. You have to work the system on their terms.
They have, but they would prefer to just offer the male spouse a consulting job, it just makes the paperwork easier and less hassle.
No, they could be employed elsewhere in another industry, though youd have to make those contacts yourself. Its possible for a male spouse to self sponsor a business visa but the length of stay is typically only 30 days at most and the traveler would have to leave and reenter. An investors visa is available if you have $650KUSD to invest, otherwise the other forms of business visas require some form of sponsorship.
I understand your rational and your position but the ME is not one of the places where trying to get it your way is going to pay off. You have to work the system on their terms.
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musafirevisa
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Re: Oman- Visas
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