For those looking for something new and exciting, living in Saudi Arabia is the perfect choice. With delicious food scenes and a diverse culture that welcomes all newcomers, you can be sure that your move here will be nothing short of an enriching experience.
Sitting in the heart of the Middle East on the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia has a healthy population of 35 million residents. Major cities include Jeddah, Dammam and Mecca, with Riyadh being the capital. Jeddah and Riyadh come with all the modern amenities you expect from a Western city. Saudi Arabia is mostly desert, with the population distributed in the eastern and western coastal towns. There is a small population in the interior oases, however, much of the country remains an empty desert due to the hot climate. Expect extremely hot summers and mild winters, with very little rainfall.
Life in Saudi Arabia is surprisingly social. Immigrants often form strong bonds, and weekends are centred on compound gatherings, trips into the desert and diving excursions.
Sharia Law and Islam are closely interwoven in daily life. Foreigners are permitted to practice their religion of choice in private, however preaching is strictly forbidden. Bear in mind that you are a guest in their Kingdom, so it is advised to respect Islamic laws and customs. For women living in Saudi Arabia, you are not required to wear an abaya (a long and flowing black rope) but it is advised to blend in when out in public. This can be worn over your everyday clothing. To comply with public decency laws, women should cover their knees and shoulders in any public setting.
Although Arabic is the official language spoken, English is widely spoken and understood in businesses. The SAR (Saudi Arabian Riyal) is the currency of the Kingdom, and they appreciate a 10 percent tipping rate. Affordability in Saudi Arabia is for foreigners varies depending on your lifestyle and chosen city to reside in. Housing and food are reasonable, whereas luxury items and imported goods can be pricey. Accommodation such as simple apartments to lavish villas for all budgets are available. Electricity, water and gas is relatively low in cost; however, transport costs can vary depending on mode and distance travelled. The minimal expense of petrol and purchasing a car makes driving and taxis affordable. You may choose to either drive yourself or have a personal driver.
At OSS World Wide Movers, our network of FIDI / FAIM-accredited partners covers the whole of Saudi Arabia.
Our partners in Saudi Arabia are well-versed in all aspects of the requirements for the importation of personal and household goods.
This guarantees you a seamless, tailor-made move to Scotland, right through to your new home, not only your personal effects and vehicles, but also for your much-loved pets as well.
Contact the Consulate general of Saudi Arabia by visiting :
Level 2/89 York St, Sydney NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9169 5000
or Embassy in Canberra : 38 Guilfoyle Street, Yarralumla ACT 2600, Australia
General visa information can be found here: https://embassies.mofa.gov.sa/sites/australia/EN/Pages/default.aspx
General passport information can be found here: https://embassies.mofa.gov.sa/sites/australia/EN/Pages/default.aspx
Follow this link for immigration information and related services: https://embassies.mofa.gov.sa/sites/australia/EN/Pages/default.aspx
A guide to citizenship: https://embassies.mofa.gov.sa/sites/australia/EN/Pages/default.aspx
When moving your household goods to Saudi Arabia by sea freight, this will typically take 10-12 weeks for an FCL service. For services such as LCL and shared container services (i.e. groupage), these will take longer to reach your destination as your goods will need to be consolidated with other consignments heading to the same destination. Please discuss these options & shipping times with your removal consultant, as shipping times will vary greatly for each destination when using this type of service over an FCL service.
It is recommended that you do not ship items to Saudi Arabia which have been “owner packed” as they will attract stringent inspection by Customs on arrival. It is advisable to have your goods packed by your moving company to ensure the clearance process can be conducted with a minimum of fuss.
It is advisable to have your goods packed by OSS if you are looking at sending larger consignments, to ensure the clearance process can be conducted with a minimum of fuss.
Moving motor vehicles and motor bikes to Saudi Arabia is possible provided Customs criteria are met.
This service is usually depot to depot, meaning the motor vehicle will be collected by you from our partners depot in Saudi Arabia following customs clearance.
Customs may require evidence that the owner of the vehicle has lived abroad for 12 months or longer, so a copy of your passport with date stamp showing arrival in Saudi Arabia, or copy of lease or rental agreement on in Saudi Arabia would be sufficient.
Please note that right-hand drive vehicles are not permitted, and vehicles older than five years are also not allowed.
OSS offers a full range of moving insurance options depending on your needs.
Although your shipment to the Saudi Arabia will be packed to export standards (designed to withstand the longest journey), the small cost of insurance gives you complete peace of mind with regard to the exposure and rigours that are always inherent when moving from one side of the world to the other.
Ask us about Movecover, our Marine Transit Insurance product.
It is recommended to send your pet through a registered pet transportation agent who will be able to contact all the relevant agencies in Saudi Arabia.
It is vital that you understand and obtain specific accounting and taxation advice suitable to your individual circumstances prior to your arrival.
When looking to relocate to Saudi Arabia you will need to consider the extensive list of restricted and prohibited items. The following PDF has an extensive list of prohibited and restricted items when moving to Saudi Arabia: Moving to Saudi Arabia – FIDI Guide
In Saudi Arabia, the electrical plugs and sockets used are Type G plugs, which have three rectangular prongs in a triangular pattern. The voltage used in Saudi Arabia is 220-240 volts, with a frequency of 60 Hz.
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