Visa office for FSW2014 - London or Amman?

[King_s]

Dear Experts,

I'm Jordanian, born in Saudi Arabia 3 decades ago, and I have been holding my residency since then. I work for an international company here in Saudi and my employment contract is endless. I do traveling quite often for training purposes. Everytime I travel, I obtain an Exit Re-Entry Visa which keeps my residency status in Saudi. My residency will expire in Sep-2014, however, it will be renewed since my employment contract is endless.

I'm applying under FSW2014, my lawyer keeps telling me that I shouly apply via Amman office. When looking at CIC website, processing times are still unknown for Amman office. I suspect that Amman office is overwhelmed with the applications that were transfered from Damascus office (due to the conflict there), so you can imagine the amount of backlog.

I have a few questions, and would appreciate your help:
Q1- Do I qualify to apply via London office since I'm an eligble resident of Saudi Arabia?
Q2. From previous experience of other applicants, which office is faster?

Thanks.
King_S

 

[Moe2010]

I can help you with the first question. If you have been living in Saudi Arabia for the last one year or more, then you can send your application to London.

As for the second question, i have a similar question that remained unanswered. Most likely i will end up sending my application to London office.

 

[King_s]

I applied through Amman visa office on 26-May. Haven't heard back from CIC since.
What about you?

 

[King_s]

The longer answer below sorry I was sleepy when I wriote the reply above

Yes I stated Amman as the visa office for my "final" application. My lawyer (in Canada) strictly recommended I should with Amman office as VO. He quoted something from the R12 Immigration Law, that I shouldnt have left Saudi for one continuous year regardless of the exit re entry status!!! We exchanged several occasions of debates but I ended up stating Amman as the VO.

Sometimes I think the reason behind my lawyer pushing on Amman office is that he is lazy and wanted the short route in order to avoid extra paper work and updates if I would go with London office. Remember you have to update the visa office everytime you renew Iqama, exit re entry, etc which is more work for the lawyer.

One of my colleagues at work, from Pakistan working currently in Saudi, submitted his application to CIC stating London as VO. He sent it on 19-May, if you want you can wait until he gets an answer, then you can make your mind.

I sent an email to Amman office but they never replied.

What is your professional designation in the Iqama (Work Permit)? This could be an issue..
What status have you mentioned in the application? Temporary worker or permenant resident? There is no such thing as permenant resident in Saudi, as per the the Saudi labour law, be careful.

The safe option is always Amman. I read somewhere on the web that CIC will return the application if VO is wrong (not justified) which is a risk, although minor in your case, but it might delay your plan/dream to move to Canada.

Hope this helps. Good luck and let me know if you need any help. I can share with you my lawyer comments on filling the application forms, if in doubt about any specific questiion, send to my inbox.

Regards,

 

[Ahmed Badawi]

Hi King_S, I wanted to ask about the Iqama issue. what if the occupation written in my Iqama is different than the occupation I am nominating for FSW and from any occupation I help before. What did you do about that.

I am applying under NOC 1123, but in my Iqama the occupation is translator. You know how is the case in Saudi in which you get a visa based on your education, then you work on something else once you're inside the country.

Please Advise

 

[King_s]

Salam Ahmed,

That should not be a problem, what matters to CIC are:
1- Experience letters demonstraing your capabilities (matching with NOC 1123)
2- Payslips or job offers/contracts proving that you worked in such company/profession.

Hope this helps.
Regards,

 

[King_s]

These are the requirements as listed by CIC.
Payslips and work contracts/offers "might" be requested later, all depend on the CIC officer judgement.

Up-to-date letters of reference from your past and current employers for the past 10 years.
Letters must be:
• written on company letterhead,
• signed by the responsible officer/supervisor,
• have the printed name and title of the responsible officer/supervisor beneath the signature,
• show the company's full address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and website addresses,
• stamped with the company's official seal (if applicable).

Letters must include all of the following information:
• the specific period of your employment with the company,
• the positions you have held during the period of employment and the time spent in each position,
• your main responsibilities and duties in each position,
• your total annual salary plus benefits,
• the number of hours worked per week.

Additional supporting documents may include:
• copies of work contracts,
• copies of pay stubs

 

[cooldoc80]

GLAD I FOUND YOU GUYS !!

I WAS SEARCHING FOR PEOPLE WHO APPLIED FOR THE FSW 2014 IN AMMAN , FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD AFTER READING ALOT OF PAGES IS THAT MOST AMMAN APPLICANTS ARE SENT TO BUCHAREST , I GUESS IT BECAUSE IT WAS A NEWLY VISA OFFICE THAT COULDNT DEAL WITH THE HUGE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS OF DAMASCUS .

BUT THE QUESTION IS WILL WE BE PROCESS IN AMMAN FOR 2014 OR ALSO SENT TO BUCHAREST , HAS CIC APPOINTED A HUGE STAFF IN AMMAN TO PROCESS FSW APPLICATIONS FROM JORDAN , IRAQ , SYRIA , PALESTINE , CYPRUS AND IRAN !

FINGERS CROSSED AND LETS STAY CONNECTED AND UPDATE EACHOTHER ,


BY THE WAY I APPLIED FOR FSW UNDER 4111 AND MY APPLICATIONS WAS DELIVERED TO CIC AT 14TH OF JULY


REGARDS

 

[Ahmed Badawi]

Thanks King_S

So in this case, should i write a cover letter explaining that usually the case in Saudi that you have a different job on your Iqama, or should I just leave it like this. What do you suggest

 

[pointer]

I applied through Amman as well. I believe London is overwhelmed.

 

[King_s]

I applied through Amman as well. I believe London is overwhelmed.

Hi Pointer,
I believe all Amman VO applications will be redirected to Bucharest VO. Abu Obaid's file has been transferred to Bucharest VO.
London VO is crazy.

Regards,
Sultan

 

[King_s]

Thanks King_S

So in this case, should i write a cover letter explaining that usually the case in Saudi that you have a different job on your Iqama, or should I just leave it like this. What do you suggest

Hi Ahmed,
Cover letter is always a good idea, although I believe it is not an issue.
I suggest you drop a Question to the Saudi applicants thread. Senior fellows might add more insights.

I urge you to hurry up and send your application asap.
Good luck.

Bests,
King_s

 

[Ahmed Badawi]

Hi Ahmed,
Cover letter is always a good idea, although I believe it is not an issue.
I suggest you drop a Question to the Saudi applicants thread. Senior fellows might add more insights.

I urge you to hurry up and send your application asap.
Good luck.

Bests,
King_s

Thanks. I was reading the document checklist and I found on the line of "proof of admission" it was mentioned that this document is provided if applicable. And they are putting a condition there saying you need to provide a proof of admission if you are choosing a visa office other than the one assigned to your country of nationality. So for my case if I choose Cairo as visa office, I don't need to provide proof if admission. Can you help me if my understanding is right or wrong

Regarding the thread of Saudi applicants, can you provide a link to that. I found one but the last post there was more than 2 years ago

As for submitting the application, I am still in preparation process, still getting my certificate from Egypt to send it to WES. So my application won't be sent before September I guess

 

[King_s]

Hi Ahmed,

Please provide more details so I can help:
Are you Egyptian?
Do you live anywhere within London VO area responsibility?

 

[Ahmed Badawi]

Hi Ahmed,

Please provide more details so I can help:
Are you Egyptian?
Do you live anywhere within London VO area responsibility?

Hi King_s sorry for the late reply. Yes I am Egyptian living in KSA. So I am thinking of applying through Cairo Visa Office. This is mainly for two reasons:

1. I heard it is faster than London VO
2. If I apply through London I have to provide proof of my admission in KSA, my Iqama in this case. In my Iqama, the profession is "Translator" while I am applying under 1123. So I don't want to have unnecessary confusion with the officer.

So what do you think?