Visa concerns
This is my first post so please bear with me. I’m currently residing in the UK and have been offered a great employment contract with a medical corporation over in Qatar (compared to what I earn etc over here in the UK) which I want to accept but have a few niggles I would like to find out about before I do. As I am female I know I can’t sponsor my husband under my contract, which is fine as he hopes to get work when he comes out there and get himself a sponsor (he is an experienced and coded welder (in the petroleum industry and hopes there will be work for him what with there being many petroleum companies and new infrastructure being built etc). However, if by any chance he doesn’t find work I understand he can get a six month Visa but after this time has to leave Qatar for a certain amount of time before he can come back. This is where I am confused as some say a few days, some a 3-6 months etc and it all depends on who is working the Visa office that morning. I was hoping somebody may have had experience of this and be able to provide any guidance. Also I have to come out to Qatar before my children to sign a contract etc and then apply for my residency permit and then theirs which I have been told takes about 3-6 weeks (which I am again fine with). However, on looking at previous post and reading some horror stories I am now really concerned. Some of the threads stated that they were refused a family visa and were told to re-apply again months later. Others that it’s over 6 months and still no family visa. As I will be a lone white female I obviously want my husband and family with me ASAP. Has anybody (preferably female in same situation) had any experience (good and bad) of this and any advice they could provide. Sorry for the long post I just have many questions to ask and can’t seem to get a straight answer
Hamad certainly has women sponsoring their husbands. They may limit this to only certain professional categories, I don't know why is going on there. They tend to be a little hit-or-miss in terms of HR. I know they can be good but I've heard the opposite as well. You don't want to get caught in the middle or have an HR person who has his/her head up his butt. This IS an important issue, for heaven's sake. If they can't firmly promise you the moon before you come and show evidence of this, think how they will treat you later, for instance when it comes to vacation, children's sickness, etc.
Mandi
Thank you all for you comments. Mandi you are right, i need to do a little digging and have a discussion with HR before I progress any further. The information they have sent me very clearly states that a female cannot sponsor her husband, which doesn't appear to be the case based on the comments abovve. Also I did think it was a bit strange that they would expect a young western women to jump on a plane out there without her children, but I thought if it was guranteed only for a few weeks this would be fine. Now there is no set date I am not so convinced. I don't care were in the world I am as long as the children are there with me and as you say, if the company has any real credit surely they would want to make things as easy as possible (by the way it's HMC, have you or anyone you know had any personal experience with these). Thank you
You must talk to your HR. These days the good companies - and I mean the only ones worth considering - will bring you in with your family and sort out the RPs for you. It's NOT a job for an amateur. Who would come without their family on a vague promise, anyway? Because you are British it's easier. Your husband can come with you on a tourist visa which is renewable essentially indefinitely with visa runs to Bahrain or Dubai every two months. But his and your RPs should take no longer than a month. A problem is that your kids can't enroll in school without their RPs being completed. Not that there are any good schools accepting kids except on a waiting list at this point anyway. If I were you I would not take the coming out to Qatar while your employer takes their sweet time sorting out your personal life, it's too important. If they can't give you firm commitments on hubby and kids tell them "no thanks." And yes, this is what all the US employers do. As I say, who would come without these guarantees? If your company does not do these things because it cannot or will not do them then say sayonara. You also need to do some more research on hubby's job. If he is hired he can no longer be on your sponsorship which means if he is fired, he can't get another job in Qatar for two years. Also, as a local hire he will be drastically low-balled in terms of salary. Oh, well, all I can say is that this job better be worth both your salaries and your kids' educations!
Mandi
Now a days women are allowed to sponsor their Husbands, if they are able to satisfy the requirements set by the Immigration dept. Try to discuss the family visa issue with your employer prior to signing the contract. If you are talking about Hamad Medical Corporation, then HMC employees are given special consideration.
Regarding the visiting visa,after a period of 6 months, you husband will have to stay out of Doha for 3 months and then he can return back on a new visiting visa.
Hope this helps.
Laws are indeed strange in this country. Good luck with finding someone to give you good advise. You are not the first or last bringing the husband under her sponsorship but as far as I know it is quite frowned up. All best wishes.
if your salary is 10000 or higher, you may sponsor him. ;)