What advice would you give to someone who is moving to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia?

 

·         Always carry your iqama in your wallet.

·         Don’t hangout with the opposite sex if you’re not related. If you are then make sure both of you are carrying IDs.

·         If you’re not Muslim know the 5 prayer times because all business would be closed during. It’ll save you a lot of time if you plan your errands around them.

·         The heat wont affect you much since there’s air conditioning everywhere but the dryness will. Especially in winter. Be prepared for sinus infections. Get a humidifier (I don’t think they’re all that, but others I know swear by them).

·         DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES take photos or videos of a Police Officer (Shurta). It’ll land you 5 days or more in jail.

·         Have some shawarma.

·         Get an SUV if you can. Fuel is cheap, (comparatively. It is expected to increase in the not so distant future) you’ll be driving a lot, and there are plenty of nice off road locations near Riyadh. But seriously, do get a car. You can’t do much without one here. Walking is out of the question. The roads aren’t really designed for pedestrians. Cars are fairly cheap though and there are also some decent leasing companies. You can lease used cars too. Follow traffic rules. Penalties are heavy nowadays.

·         If you have a family, find out about the new dependent fees and how much you’d be paying. It’s going to increase every year until 2020 so do check that out too. DO NOT IGNORE THIS.

·         Have more shawarma. It’s really good!

·         Watch your weight. There’s something about this country that makes it really difficult to stay in shape. Maybe it’s all the mandi.

·         Go to Bahrain for the weekend. Or don’t, we’ve got cinemas now!

·         If you like wearing shorts make sure they reach your knees. It’s usually not a problem but it’s better to avoid any altercations with the religious police. (Assuming you’re a man. If not then you can start searching for abayas on souq. com haha)

·         There’s a huge metro project underway. It’s best if you get a place in an area that isn’t affected by road closures. The Northern side of Riyadh is the place to be nowadays.

·         Learn basic Arabic. You can easily get by without it. But it helps a lot to know the language. This ones a no brainer.

·         Your sponsor can’t hold your passport. If they do they’re violating the labor law.

·         But you can’t leave the country without an exit re-entry visa. Which only your sponsor can issue for you. You can however issue it for your family from the Ministry of Interior, Absher portal.

·         Speaking of the Absher portal, this will be the go to place for nearly all of your government related stuff. Register for it from the MOI kiosks present at many locations across the city. There’s a list of locations on the ministry’s website.

·         You won’t be able to switch jobs once you’re here. It’ll be very difficult since you’re probably coming here on your employer’s visa. You’ll need a ‘release letter’ from your employer which they probably won’t give to you.

·         You can drive to Dubai. It only takes 10–11 hours. Pretty good drive.

·         If you have kids the schools here aren’t that great. The more expensive ones are better though.