Moving To Saudi Arabia From The UK

If you are moving to Saudi Arabia, whether to Riyadh, Jeddah, or Mecca, Britannia Movers International has the experience and the local knowledge to tailor the move to your individual needs.

	Importing Personal Effects to Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia has many restrictions on importing effects and your local Britannia Member will be able to provide you with up-to-date details of these. If the consignment is valued over US$3000, all effects are subject to duty at varying rates, excluding books and used clothing. Electronic items are subject to customs duty at 12% and furniture at 20% of the landed value and invoices should be provided. All printed goods, videos/DVDs, photos, and personal computers are subject to censorship and will be held for inspection and later delivery, and there are heavy fines for items that are confiscated. All shipments are subject to a 100% customs inspection, and the owner must be in the country prior to arrival of the effects.
	Saudi Arabia Customs Prohibitions and Restrictions In general, it is in your interest not to import the following items: Firearms & ammunition Inflammable goods & substances Plants & plant material Foodstuffs, perishables or otherwise Narcotics and dangerous goods Offensive materials Alcohol & tobacco
	Saudi Arabia Transit Times Sole use containers take on average 5-6 weeks door to door. Groupage container loads will take around 6-8 weeks.
	Protecting Your Items for Transport to Saudi Arabia All Groupage consignments will be barcoded before they are loaded into the shipping container. This will ensure that no items are left at origin.
	Taking Pets to Saudi Arabia Britannia can recommend a specialised shipper of animals to assist you in sending your family pet(s) from home to home. They will coordinate all documentation and necessary veterinary procedures. Find out more about pet transport.
	Importing Vehicles to Saudi Arabia It is prohibited to import right-hand motor vehicles into Saudi Arabia.
	Saudi Arabia Currency Transfer When you are making international payments for individuals you can benefit from IFX expertise in seeking the best possible rate, whether you are sending or receiving foreign currency. IFX can help to protect you from exchange rate fluctuations and save you time and money on international payments. IFX offers: International payments Regular overseas transfers Prepaid currency card Forward contracts More info on the IFX website.

Moving to Saudi Arabia with Britannia

Your Move to Saudi Arabia with Britannia – Britannia can offer you a door to door shipping service to Saudi Arabia and can either ship your effects in a crate or by full container load. In addition, we can undertake airfreight consignments to Riyadh. Our agents in Saudi Arabia will arrange customs clearance, and deliver and unpack the effects, including removal of debris on the day of delivery. A copy of the passport, valued inventory, insurance certificate, and residence permit are needed to clear the goods.

Additional Removal Services – Britannia can provide a variety of additional removal services when moving to Saudi Arabia. We are authorised to provide comprehensive insurance, can arrange storage prior to delivery, and can also take care of your pet transport.

If you are interested in moving to Saudi Arabia, you can request a removals quote and read more about our international removals.

Living in Saudi Arabia

Most expats move to Saudi Arabia for better professional opportunities, and to earn tax-free salaries, but the country could also be an exciting destination if you are open-minded to different cultures and are looking for new challenges. Saudi Arabia is an extremely conservative country, so expats should expect a very different lifestyle to what they are used to, especially for women. However, your life in Saudi Arabia will most probably be very different from the traditional Saudi lifestyle. Most expats in Saudi Arabia live in villa compounds maintained for Western expats. These villa compounds do offer some amenities, and a relatively comfortable lifestyle, but you might find them artificial and limited after a while.

Saudi Arabia is a country located in the Middle East, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and is bordered by Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Yemen and Bahrain. Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy governed on the basis of Islamic Law. The country has the world’s largest oil reserves, and oil accounts for over 90% of exports, and more than 70% of government revenues. Saudi Arabia can boast a relatively high per capita income, but unemployment rates are relatively high, and corruption abounds.

Saudi Arabia is also a very conservative country, where women have limited social and legal rights. For example, all women are required to have a male guardian, and need the guardian’s permission to travel, open a bank account, get married, or work.

If you are open minded and are looking for a different and challenging experience, Saudi Arabia could be an exciting expat destination, and you’ll have the chance to explore the country’s historical sites, deserts, and enjoy sports, such as scuba diving, windsurfing or sailing. However, before moving to the country permanently, make sure to do your research and be aware of the vast cultural differences and restrictions that you’ll experience in the country, even if you are planning to live in one of the Western villa compounds.

Saudi Arabia Visas

UK citizens entering Saudi Arabia will need a visa. One of the most common visa for UK citizens is the Employment Visa, which will be given to those who have secured a job in Saudi Arabia. This visa will need to be sponsored by the employer, which will apply on your behalf. You’ll need to have the relevant qualifications and/or experience, and also need to undertake a medical examination.

Once you have entered Saudi Arabia on an Employment Visa, you will need to obtain an Iqama, or Residence Permit, from the Saudi Ministry of Interior. This will allow you to live and work in Saudi Arabia, as well as open a bank account and rent accommodation. Again, your employer will be responsible for applying for your Iqama. If you change jobs, your new employer will need to take on sponsorship of you.

There is also the Saudi Green Card, known as the Premium Residency Program. This allows expats to live and work in Saudi Arabia without needing a Saudi sponsor. There are two types of Premium Residency which both require sizeable fees, with either a one-time fee of SAR 800,000 (around £170,000) or an annual fee of SAR 100,000 (around £21,000).

Working in Saudi Arabia

There are a number of professional and business opportunities for those planning to move to Saudi Arabia permanently. This includes industries that are especially aligned with the country’s economic diversification goals, such as in oil, engineering, IT, healthcare, and telecommunication.

The official work week in Saudi Arabia is from Sunday to Thursday, with Friday and Saturday as the weekend. As an Islamic country, daily prayer times are observed, and business will often pause during these times. Whilst mixed-gender offices are becoming more common, there are still many workplaces that run in gender-segregated environments, especially in government offices.

Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia

Living and housing costs in Saudi Arabia will be substantially lower than in the UK. According to Numbeo, the cost of living in Saudi Arabia is 31% lower than in the UK, not counting rent, and rent costs alone are 65% lower than in the UK. Salaries are marginally lower in Saudi Arabia, at nearly 30% less.

You can check out some of the items you are likely to purchase regularly whilst living in Saudi Arabia below. Prices are shown in Saudi Riyal and converted to UK pounds alongside the price in the UK so you can see how costs match up.

Education in Saudi Arabia

If you are moving to Saudi Arabia with your children, you will also have to consider education opportunities. Saudi public schools are taught in Arabic and do accept expat children, but only if they are Muslim. The schools are also segregated by gender.

Typically, expats will choose to send their children to one of the many international schools in Saudi Arabia. These will teach a curriculum from the nation of the institution – i.e. the UK, America, or another county, with lessons spoken in the official language. Students will also typically get an internationally recognised certification, such as an International Baccalaureate, which can be beneficial if they are planning on going to higher education elsewhere.

Interesting Facts About Saudi Arabia

• ARAMCO, a Saudi company is the world’s largest producer of oil.
• Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s driest countries, and more than half the area of Saudi Arabia is desert.
• Saudi Arabia provides extensive welfare benefits compared to some other Arab countries, including free public education, free public health care, and 2 years of paid maternal leave for women working in the government sector.
• Saudi Arabia is the only country which bans women from driving.
• Mecca and Medina, located in Saudi Arabia are the two holiest places in Islam.
• Islam is the dominant religion in Saudi Arabia.

Choose Britannia for Your Saudi Arabia Relocation

If you are thinking about moving to Saudi Arabia and want to find out more about our international removal services or request a removals quote, you can call us on 0845 6006661 or email sales@britannia-movers.co.uk. Our team will be happy to discuss how we can help you with your international relocation.