GulfAir, spouse Visa/Work Permit
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GulfAir, spouse Visa/Work Permit
Hi all!
It seems I'm lucky enough to be attending the selection process for an F/O position with GulfAir later this month. Browsing their website I stumbled over this in the FAQs:
Q: Will my spouse be able to work in Bahrain?
A: Expatriates need a company to sponsor to them in order to work and live in Bahrain. As your employer, Gulf Air will apply for a work permit and residence visa on behalf of you, your spouse and children. Generally the residence permit for your spouse will not allow them to take up employment. It may be possible, on an exceptional basis, if your spouse is qualified in a specialist field and there is not a suitably qualified Bahraini National available. The medical and educational fields may be examples of this.
I have a couple of questions with regards to this.
Firstly I'm not married, but engaged with my fiance` since 6 years. How will this affect us, would she be considered my "spouse" with regards to housing allowance, and more importantly, Visa?
Secondly, what's this about "Generally the residence permit for your spouse will not allow them to take up employment"? Although she wouldn't mind doing something else, my fiance` is actually a language teacher which according to the above could work out just fine, provided she's regarded my "spouse" in terms of Visa. (Or does she actually have to get the job to get the Visa?) However, if not, what to do? For you guys with spouses not being "in a specialist field and there is not a suitably qualified Bahraini National available", what do they do unless they're just happy improving their tan?
But then again, these might just be one of the many thing you just "work around"?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
(Mods, please move if you feel this post fits better in an already existing thread...)
It seems I'm lucky enough to be attending the selection process for an F/O position with GulfAir later this month. Browsing their website I stumbled over this in the FAQs:
Q: Will my spouse be able to work in Bahrain?
A: Expatriates need a company to sponsor to them in order to work and live in Bahrain. As your employer, Gulf Air will apply for a work permit and residence visa on behalf of you, your spouse and children. Generally the residence permit for your spouse will not allow them to take up employment. It may be possible, on an exceptional basis, if your spouse is qualified in a specialist field and there is not a suitably qualified Bahraini National available. The medical and educational fields may be examples of this.
I have a couple of questions with regards to this.
Firstly I'm not married, but engaged with my fiance` since 6 years. How will this affect us, would she be considered my "spouse" with regards to housing allowance, and more importantly, Visa?
Secondly, what's this about "Generally the residence permit for your spouse will not allow them to take up employment"? Although she wouldn't mind doing something else, my fiance` is actually a language teacher which according to the above could work out just fine, provided she's regarded my "spouse" in terms of Visa. (Or does she actually have to get the job to get the Visa?) However, if not, what to do? For you guys with spouses not being "in a specialist field and there is not a suitably qualified Bahraini National available", what do they do unless they're just happy improving their tan?
But then again, these might just be one of the many thing you just "work around"?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
(Mods, please move if you feel this post fits better in an already existing thread...)
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Firstly I'm not married, but engaged with my fiance` since 6 years. How will this affect us, would she be considered my "spouse" with regards to housing allowance, and more importantly, Visa?
You will need to be legally married with supporting documents ie: marriage certificates and such.."common law" marriage is not acceptable either..
You will need to be legally married with supporting documents ie: marriage certificates and such.."common law" marriage is not acceptable either..
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Separate Visas?
Thanks for this ironbutt57,
So this means that currently, GulfAir would not help her out with Visa. I see three possible solutions to this, correct me if I'm wrong.
- We get married.
- She gets a separate Visa/Working Permit through another employer. Would you say this is a reosonable alternative?
- If she can't get a working permit anyway, could she stay on a visitors Visa? How long would one of those be valid?
Of course, there's also the cultural angle to this, living in sin and all. However being from Sweden and engaged, at least we both wear rings
So this means that currently, GulfAir would not help her out with Visa. I see three possible solutions to this, correct me if I'm wrong.
- We get married.
- She gets a separate Visa/Working Permit through another employer. Would you say this is a reosonable alternative?
- If she can't get a working permit anyway, could she stay on a visitors Visa? How long would one of those be valid?
Of course, there's also the cultural angle to this, living in sin and all. However being from Sweden and engaged, at least we both wear rings
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Visa
The official website you'll need is:
Bahrain Electronic Visa Service
Your best bet would be a tourist visa - once she's in the country, she can get it extended before it expires. They don't seem too bothered about western expats extending their stay once their in the country.
Eventually there will come a point when they wont allow you to extend it any further and all you'll need to do is the all too popular 'visa run' - fly to Dubai, then back to Bahrain and you'll be issued with a new tourist visa.
A bit long winded I know.
Bahrain Electronic Visa Service
Your best bet would be a tourist visa - once she's in the country, she can get it extended before it expires. They don't seem too bothered about western expats extending their stay once their in the country.
Eventually there will come a point when they wont allow you to extend it any further and all you'll need to do is the all too popular 'visa run' - fly to Dubai, then back to Bahrain and you'll be issued with a new tourist visa.
A bit long winded I know.
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If your partner is a TEFL teacher, the English language schools, specifcally the British Council, may sponsor her, but pay for "local contract" teachers isn't very good, about BD 10- an hour. The Bahrain University English department's another possibility. Good luck!
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Thanks
Thanks for the answers guys, we have something to work with now.
Captain Sensible, we'll look into that, it's not so much about the pay so that's fine.
Captain Sensible, we'll look into that, it's not so much about the pay so that's fine.
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Hey dude, if you have been "engaged" for 6 years, you have other issues to worry about. You might want to take a day or two away from work, maybe go to the beach and and and and try to clear your head and figure out what your going to do with the rest of your life. 
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you're right to a point tbalyx.
but if you're gonna treat marriage with that kinda disdain, you might as well just get that legal bit of paper to earn you the easy way in....plus dollar benefits for being 'married' in the form of better housing allowance etc. and if you just happen to really fall in love later, do it for real with friends. if not, split up. why make life hard for yourself?
but if you're gonna treat marriage with that kinda disdain, you might as well just get that legal bit of paper to earn you the easy way in....plus dollar benefits for being 'married' in the form of better housing allowance etc. and if you just happen to really fall in love later, do it for real with friends. if not, split up. why make life hard for yourself?
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You crack me up!
Guys, I sincerely thank you for your advice on my personal life but I think if I need someone else rather than me and my partner to tell us when and if to get married, I'll use another forum.
USAPAScabs, for the record we met 6 years ago, we haven't been engaged for 6 years. Sorry for not expressing myself clearly enough and getting you upset by letting you believe we're not sure about our love for eachother. I know how much it means to you.
I'll take you up on the beach walk though, that would be nice!
brassplate, I absolutely agree. If it's what it takes and it's practical, we'll get the papers we need. Hell, I'm not even religious but if that's the name of the game!
ironbutt57, are you american?
Everybody happy? Now, before we move on to the bedroom stuff...
Regards,
Instinct
USAPAScabs, for the record we met 6 years ago, we haven't been engaged for 6 years. Sorry for not expressing myself clearly enough and getting you upset by letting you believe we're not sure about our love for eachother. I know how much it means to you.
I'll take you up on the beach walk though, that would be nice!brassplate, I absolutely agree. If it's what it takes and it's practical, we'll get the papers we need. Hell, I'm not even religious but if that's the name of the game!
ironbutt57, are you american?
Everybody happy? Now, before we move on to the bedroom stuff...
Regards,
Instinct
