Is there a way to speed up the Residency Visa process? | ExpatWoman.com
 

Is there a way to speed up the Residency Visa process?

202
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 July 2011 - 23:08
Hey puppylove2 we used someone out of Dubai, but their partner here is called Tokyo movers. Just to clarify, DH was actually in the country when the shipment arrived, they wouldn't have been able to bring it in if he hadn't of been. Hope this helps :-)
697
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 20 July 2011 - 13:54
thanks sissy for all the info, I figured as much about the blood typing because they didn't ask for my paper either...
23
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 July 2011 - 13:42
Ccdoha, I never got my blood type checked, and noone wanted to see any such results. I just got a letter from the HR guy before the medical (in Arabic) and he simply asked me what blood type I was and put it in the letter (he had a standard letter where he filled in my details - name, blood type, birthday etc). I gave blood in the past so knew what type I was, but didn't have my certificate or anything, so I just told him what it was and he just put it in the letter. He did say that they might ask to see proof of it at the medical, but often they don't, so I just took my chances and went along with the letter only. Noone asked me for any blood type evidence at all. Also, at your medical you get a paper slip with a number on it. Use this number to check on the government website online everyday/a few times a day to see whether medical results have come through yet (it'll tell you whether you passed the medical or not online). Once the results are online, you can go on to the next stage and do the fingerprinting. I just had to go back to the HR guy and get another letter (in Arabic) to take along to that. I did my medical on a Monday night and had the results through I think by either Tuesday evening or Wednesday. Went along to the fingerprinting on Wednesday straight away and again you can check it all online. Thursday I just got my RP at the post office. I should mention that as my husband was off that week he came along to everywhere with me, including his HR dept at work. Basically I think the Arabic letters were just saying that my husband approves to sponsor me, but his work just did the letters to help out as we don't speak Arabic. Yes, I had to attach photos to one or two of the letters (I think just one) but I just took it along to the medicals, fingerprinting etc, the HR guy didn't keep anything as far as I remember. <em>edited by Sissy on 20/07/2011</em>
697
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 20 July 2011 - 10:46
PPL2 This is the guy we worked with and we did not need RP Jasper Baluyut Imports Coordinator Gulf Agency Co. Qatar (W.L.L.) P.O. Box: 6534 Doha State of Qatar Tel : +974 4420 5600 Dir : +974 44205796 Fax : +974 44205601 Email : [email protected]
789
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 20 July 2011 - 01:55
Update: DH had medical for RP done today at Doha Clinic...so everything is moving along quite quickly...
331
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 19 July 2011 - 13:40
Thanks Phokoje, I've asked our movers to look into it. All the companies that quoted us had told us we had to have RP before shipping, so am very excited to hear that our furniture may possibly (inshallah!) arrive at the same time or even before us! What removals company did you use?
697
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 19 July 2011 - 13:15
Thanks SISSY for clarifying this process, is good to know as our company PRO is on holiday for the entire summer as of Thursday! Question...at what point did you give the blood type results and to who. And did you get the letter from DH's work, the one that you attach your photo? I am just curious as I know the normal way to do it having your PRO do everything but I am hoping that us wives can be a little more self sufficient from now on. <em>edited by ccdoha on 20/07/2011</em>
789
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 19 July 2011 - 11:54
Thanks Baffled and everyone else for the replies and info....
202
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 July 2011 - 11:52
Puppylove2, we just needed a letter from DH employer and a copy of his passport showing his entry visa.
374
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 19 July 2011 - 08:47
Pleased for you, Chizz .. ah, it rhymes! ;)
23
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 July 2011 - 08:45
Ccdoha, I got the actual Family Residence Permit, the proper full page sticker in the passport plus plastic ID card, in other words, the RP. Following my arrival late on Sunday, the medical on Monday evening (I waited to make sure the system has me registered as being in the country), the finger printing on Wednesday, I had all the paperwork and was on the system in time to just go to the post office on Thursday and pick up my RP. The sticker and plastic card were done in less than 10 mins at the post office and handed to me over the counter after paying something like 100QR. No need to part with my passport at all. All I'm saying is that it can be done really quickly if your husband already has his RP. Incidentally, I also got my driving licence on the same Thursday, no need to hire one of those guys that want money to take you around, it's very easy and very quick. As soon as I got my RP at the post office, my husband and I drove straight to the traffic department where I got my driving licence. Took me less than half an hour (including eye test and finding a photocopier to photocopy my RP for their paperwork). <em>edited by Sissy on 19/07/2011</em>
697
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 23:02
After waiting 2 hours only to be sent away due to 1 xray machine down, I would happily pay the 610 qr if you're in a hurry to get anything done. Also - we did not need rp to take shipment. Dh has someone new at work and his appt is aug 8 also and we are semi govt so I think they are just backed up. Sissy - do you mean the family visit visa or the family resident visa? Did you get a stamp in your passport or a full page sticker with your photo? And did you get the plastic ID card? <em>edited by ccdoha on 18/07/2011</em>
789
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 21:30
Yes - good news - so they are not really backed up as suggested!
789
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 21:20
Update: DH went to Doha Clinic tonight and the receptionist told him that he could do the medical for the RP tomorrow if he liked. So tomorrow he will ask the company if he can go ahead and pay for it himself - 610 riyals - will take 3 days to get the results....
514
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 18:01
By the way, I arrived on a Sunday very late at night, did the medical the next day, fingerprinting a couple of days later and I had my visa by Thursday! I just had to go back for two letters in Arabic from the HR department a couple of times following different stages, but it can be done very quickly! For a family visa you can just go to the medical commission at any time for your medical (once your spouse has his/hers obviously) but unfortunately for a company sponsored visa you have to book in for medicals now which is what is causing the hold up - it was actually faster (if you had a good PRO in your company) before they started the booking system! :(
374
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 16:08
Some fairly large companies with regular arrivals tend to send staff for medical in groups at certain interval, i.e. they might have opted for the appointment on 8 Aug because they are expecting more staff to arrive between now and then. So for those who have already arrived, it would feel like it takes a long time but those arriving nearer the date would not have to wait too long. That was the case when my DH arrived and he came towards the end of the set deadline for the new group and was lucky. Chizz, I will be interested to see what your DH is told at those hospitals, whether they too are fully booked until August.
23
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 16:03
Hi. I just got a family visa based on my husband as well, but I never had to hand in my passport to anywhere. After all the paperwork is done, I just went to the big post office and had it done in about 10 mins. By the way, I arrived on a Sunday very late at night, did the medical the next day, fingerprinting a couple of days later and I had my visa by Thursday! I just had to go back for two letters in Arabic from the HR department a couple of times following different stages, but it can be done very quickly!
331
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 15:44
Phokoje, how did you manage to get your shipment in without a RP for your DH? We've been categorically told that the shipment will not be admitted to Doha without the RP.
697
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 15:40
BTW I was at the med comm today and 1 of the ladies xray machines was down so they eventually told us to go home and come back tomorrow for that but so - if you are planning to go tomorrow--I would reschedule because it is going to be busier than normal!
697
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 15:39
This is the routine for the spouses so I am not sure if the time frame is the same... Go and get his blood typing done now so when he has the medical you can turn in the sheet from the medical and the blood typing to his company at once. It should only take about 3-5 days to get in the system, then the company will give you the paper to sign, attach photo and get finger prints. You cannot get the finger prints until they tell you everything is in the system and they give you the paper. Once you get the finger prints you turn in the paper that is signed and photo attached and hand in passport and it should be back 1-2 days.
789
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 15:03
Hi all Thanks for your replies - seems DH has got his medical appointment for 8th August, so not too bad! I assume after doing the medical, the process is not too long? Anyone know the time frame? He does work for quite a large company in Doha. I did ask him to go to these hospitals after work and check their waiting times for the medicals, so hopefully he will do that and see if he can get the medical done sooner! I asked our shipping company, GAC, if they could ship the goods without the RP and they said no - they used to be able to do it with the work permit, but no longer apparently. Great info - thanks Baffled for the article - it's the one I found on the forum - I e-mailed it straight away to DH! Thanks
676
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 14:10
Hi Chizz, Ramadan issue aside, one thing I've found makes all the difference is the company's HR department. Does your DH work for a fairly large company with a number of employees already in Doha? If so, they will probably have a (relatively) efficient process for getting RPs. My DH on the other hand, was his company's the first sponsored employee in Doha and it took 14 months to get his RP, purely because HR in Abu Dhabi didn't have a clue what they were doing...
202
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 14:04
My DH just got his done at one of the private hospitals. And we got our shipment in, and rented a house all before his residency was through. From start to finish it took 2 weeks, but it's taking a bit o Longer for the family visas to be sorted. So far as I know, he got in for the medicals without waiting at all, just called for an appointment. Hope this helps :-)
374
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 12:57
Chizz, I've been goog-ling endlessly to try and find the most recent article which had some telephone numbers but without success. It might be a good idea for your DH (I am assuming he is already here) to physically go to one of these hospitals and check for himself - far less frustrating than by phone (which is rarely answered) and I think I am right in saying that they are open until 9pm. Good luck!
374
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 18 July 2011 - 09:43
Chizz, here is an article giving details about these hospitals : http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/154811-private-hospitals-begin-fitness-tests-for-employment-seekers.html There was another one recently giving contact numbers which I will try to find and post later. :cool:
789
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 17 July 2011 - 23:28
Hi all Just read an article supplied by a poster here on the forum, that you can now get your residency visa medical done at 3 private hospitals (for an extra fee) - Al Ahli, Doha Clinic and Al Emadi, as well as going through the Gov hospitals. Has anyone done it this way to speed up the process or are we at the mercy of DH's company HR Dept/PRO or whoever? As Ramadan is coming up, I fear DH won't get his appointment for the medical for months...and as we know without the residency visa, we can't ship our furniture over (which will have to stay in storage in Dubai until DH gets the RP) and in turn rent an apartment, etc, etc...DH has offered to pay the extra to have his medical done privately, but HR are saying that these hospitals are just as backed up as the gov hospitals....anyone know if this is true? We have lived in the M. East for quite a few years, so know that most processes are slow, but at least when we went to Dubai, DH's company gave him authorization letters to allow our shipping to be sent over/rent an apartment, etc....have heard you can rent an apartment in Doha without the RP....but no point without our furniture.... TIA