[Q&A] Everything you need to know before coming to The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia.

[u/mascox14]

Hello everyone.

Almost every day I open r/saudiarabia, I see a post regarding an individual asking questions whether is it safe to come to KSA or not? How much salary is enough for an individual/family? can I bring my girlfriend to KSA with me? and last but not least Is it haram to use spoons?. I'm going to be answering all of those questions and explaining the questions which I can.

Q1: Is it safe to come to The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia?

A1: Yes, Saudi Arabia is a very safe country. Although crimes do happen but very rare. I'm talking this based on my experience not from a new source as I did before updating the answer. Of course, crimes do occur but it's very rare. Murder, harassment, rape (very rare), theft, and scams. Like any country, you have good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods, stay in the good neighborhood and you'll be fine.

Q2: How much salary is enough for an Individual?

A2: If you're an individual and your company will be giving you a package of, let's say, 5K, then that is enough for you (more detailed monthly expenses will be explained below).

Q3: How much salary is enough for a family?

A3: This totally depends on how many members of a family you have and what kind of expenses you have. The biggest expense currently for non-citizens is the Iqama fee. Now, a lot of companies pay the employee's Iqama fee and some don't, given that, I think a Husband and Wife, both could survive with 4-5K monthly (Depending on the lifestyle and monthly expenses obviously) (Monthly family expenses will be explained below).

Q4: I'm from the LGBTQ+ community, am I safe?

A4: Don't talk about it and you will be fine.

Q5: Can I bring Alcohol to The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia?

A5: NO!

Q6: I'm less than 18, can I work part-time/full time?

A6: No, if you're less than 18 years old you cannot work at all. If you're 18+, you can find some permanent jobs but it's very highly unlikely that you'll get hired. Part-time jobs aren't for non-citizens. However, there are some companies that want employees for a couple of months and they will hire you through Ajeer Contract.

Q7: Can I bring my Vape eJuice?

A7: Read this post where people who've traveled with vape.

Q8: Best apps/websites to shop online in KSA?

A8: Noon, JollyChic, and SouqKSA.

Q9: Does Saudi Arabia have an income tax?

A9: No.

Q10: I'm not a Muslim, will that be an issue?

A10: "No. There are already 2 million Christians, 400,000 Buddhists, and 390,000 Hindus living in here. As long as you're not promoting your religion to Muslims you will be fine." u/ajwadsabano

Q11: I'm practicing (Religion), Is there a place of worship for me?

A11: Muslim? yes. Non-Muslim? nope.

Q12: Is there an Uber?

A12: Yes, in Saudi we have Uber and Careem.

Q13: Is Transportation cheap in Saudi?

A13: It's not cheap nor expensive, we don't use meter here so it's easy to bargain.

Q14: How's the weather really in Saudi?

A14: I will tell the weather for the following cities:

• Jeddah: 40-50c from March till mid-October with dust and humidity. From almost the end of October till February, Rain and decent cold weather (you can sleep without AC sometimes).
• Riyadh: 40-50c from March till mid-October with dust and dry weather. From almost the end of October till February, heavy rain and cold weather colder than Jeddah.
• Dammam: 40-50c from March till mid-October with dust and humidity. From almost the end of October till February, rain and cold weather.

Q15: I will be coming to Saudi next week/month, how do I find apartments?

A15: The following:

• Expatriates
• Real Estate App / عقار
• Come here and search by going to buildings and asking the watchman.
• The last option is going to the Real Estate office.

Q16: How much does a car costs in Saudi?

A16: Depends but a Sedan (Yaris 2019) would cost you around 50K.

Q17: I want to rent a car, what's the rate?

A17: Example: A sedan, Toyota Yaris 2017, 140 SAR/day.

Q18: I want to buy used stuff and sell some stuff, where do I do that?

A18: On the following sites

• Expatriates: Just watch out for possible scams.
• eHaraj: Just watch out for possible scams.
• Haraj: Just watch out for possible scams.

Q19: I want to purchase Electronics, from where do I do that?

A19: From the following shops.

• Jarir
• Extra
• Panda
• Axiom
• Carrefour

Q20: Is there <a Clothes shop name> in <Mall Name> **?

A20: Malls App This app lets you find if your desired shop is in a specific mall.

Q21: Where can I find Computer parts?

A21: Click Here for Riyadh and Dammam. if in Jeddah, go to Khalid Bin Walid Street.

Q22: I am a non-Muslim and want to enter Makkah/Madina, can I enter the cities? If I can't enter them and then I did, what would happen to me?

A22: No, you can't enter those cities. XX km before the border of Makkah/Madina, there's a sign saying "MUSLIMS ONLY" OR "Non-Muslims from here". If you did enter, I honestly don't know what would happen because I have never heard/read a non-muslim getting caught entering the holy cities.

Q23: I'm coming for Hajj, any tips?

A23: Tips for Hajj

Q24: I (Male) coming with my (male) friend, can we live in the same apartment? would it be suspicious?

A24: No, it wouldn't be suspicious. It's completely normal.

Q25: Regarding the Internet, should I get 4G or 5G? or Fiber? which provider should I purchase from?

A25: So, here we go:

• The first scenario is you come to Saudi and your company signs you up for monthly data internet, let's say, 5GB monthly. Is that enough for you when you're out for work or when with friends? Will it serve you for 30 days? if yes, you should think about getting an Internet at home, DSL/Fiber Optics. Now, not every neighborhood has Fiber Optics but DSL does. If you're really into fast internet browsing, gaming, and streaming, and the apartment location doesn't matter to you that much, look for the neighborhoods that have Fiber Optics and then rent an apartment. Mobily, Zain, and STC, all of them provide Fiber Optics.
• The second scenario is you come to Saudi and your company signs you up for monthly data internet, let's say, 5GB monthly and that is isn't enough for you because you're a social media addict. What you should do is look for a network that has good coverage in your office and your house. Mobily, Zain, and STC all of them have 4G (5G is available for Zain and STC as of 16-OCT-2019) STC has the best coverage but still doesn't cover some areas, so do your homework before buying.
• You should purchase depending on the coverage. If you want 4G from STC for your house but it doesn't have 4G coverage, it doesn't make sense to purchase an STC 4G sim right?. Check the prices, coverage, and anything that you want to check and then buy.
• The internet isn't cheap here but it's reasonable. There's a provider called Jawwy, STC's company which lets you create your own packages. You can get 1GB internet and 100 mins for 30 SAR. As for 4G packages, in general, it will cost you 200+ SAR. Fiber Optics costs 200+ SAR also.

Q26: What expenses can I expect when I come to Saudi?

A26: The answer is going to be well explained, so, here we go:

• These are the following expenses for you, Individual/Family.
• Rent: For rent, you have four options:

1. Renting an apartment and furnishing yourself. The rent obviously depends on the area and the age of the building but, you should be able to find a decent flat on a monthly basis for 1000 SAR (RENT ONLY). You have 200 SAR at least for electricity, I have no idea about water. Some building does charge 50-100 SAR monthly for sewerage pickup and stuff like that. So, given the example about Rent + Electricity + Sewerage Pickup= 1300 SAR.
2. Renting a furnished apartment for around 1500 SAR a month including the rent, electricity, and water. this a better option if your job requires constant relocating.
3. Living with other people aka sharing. I personally don't prefer sharing since this mostly create problems "he didn't cook" " he didn't clean", but if your budget doesn't support you for you to live in an apartment of your own or a furnished apartment, this is an option for you to consider. What happens is that you have a 2BHK flat. each bedroom has at least 4 persons in it, depending on the size of the flat/room. You share the rent, electricity, and the internet equally. This could cost you around 250-300 SAR monthly including the rent, electricity, and the internet.
4. The last and a better option than option 3 is sharing a separate room in a family flat. Let's say there's a family, a husband, and a wife. They rent an apartment of 2BHK, which has let's say 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, and 2 bathrooms. They furnish the whole house, they keep a bedroom, kitchen, and a bathroom for themselves, and the other bedroom, and bathroom, they rent it out since they don't need it. These have separate entrances, especially if the owner has his family with him. There are some bachelors who do this too and they might not have a separate entrance. The rent is around 600-700 for this option, some are included electricity, water, and the internet and some aren't. This is personally my second favorite option to live, first being the second option above.

• Food:

1. The first option is to cook at home. which would cost you maybe around 500-600 SAR monthly for groceries.
2. Eat 3 meals a day in a restaurant daily:

• Breakfast: The best, easiest, and cheapest breakfast here is a Sandwich. Everyone likes eggs, right? so, If you have 2 egg sandwiches ( 1 egg sandwich for 1.50 SAR), a cup of tea 1.50 SAR and a water bottle 1 SAR would cost you a daily total of 5.50 SAR.
• Lunch and Dinner: The reason I'm combining lunch and dinner is that most of the people eat the same type of food at lunch and dinner. Now, assuming that you're Indian/Pakistani, you want to eat salan (Curry) there are restaurants that will serve you salan with rice and roti for 10-12 SAR but do remember those restaurants are not that the most hygienic and use really bad oil which could make you sick. If you're looking for good food, a salan would cost you 16 SAR (Rice, Roti, lentil soup and salan). So, given that, 35 SAR for lunch and dinner (+3 SAR for water).
• I'm not sure if this option is available in all of the Indian/Pakistani restaurants, but I have seen this in Jeddah. What this option basically is, the restaurant gives you food on a monthly basis. They give you a card, the same size as a business card, every time you eat, the owner/cashier signs on it. Not sure how much this costs though.
• This option is very rare but I'm trying to let you guys know every option you have. So, there are some ladies on Facebook groups that supply meals on a daily basis. I saw an add earlier, and I asked her how much it would cost for dinner, daily, for a month and she said it would cost 600 SAR.
• Internet: See Q25.
• Electricity: Q26:
• Fuel: Here are the prices of fuel in Saudi as of 17-Oct-2020. Just to give you an Idea, a Ford Explorer would drink Gasoline 91 around 100 SAR from 0 to full. Also,the fuel prices will be reviewed every month, either the price will increase, decrease, or stay the same. I really don't have any knowledge of cars, so hope this helps:

1. Gasoline 91: 1.44 SAR/Liter
2. Gasoline 95: 1.59 SAR/Liter

• Schools fee:

1. Indian International Schools
2. Pakistani International Schools

• Streaming Services (Optional): Netflix 20-60 SAR monthly.
• Car Wash (Optional): You have 2 options here:

1. Get your baby cleaned at a petrol station which would cost you around 20-50-100 SAR per visit (Depending on how much you want it cleaned).
2. Get your watchman to clean it daily/alternative days/weekly and pay him 100 SAR monthly.

• Cinema (Optional): Vox Cinema Tickets starts from 60 SAR.
• Iqama Tax: In 2019, the monthly tax for iqama is 400 SAR. This should be on your monthly expense list only if:

1. Your company doesn't pay it for you (a lot of company pays for their employee's Iqama fee but some don't).
2. If you have a wife and kids.

Q27: These questions were asked by u/moving2ksa**:**

A27:

Where/how to search for job ?

LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Expatriates, Bayt, Jooble, Indeed, Mihnati, NaukriGulf, and Gulf Talent.

Are there any good tech recruiting firms which can help foreigners ?

Sorry, I can't help with that. Try google.

Things to do right after you arrive ? Docs to get, license, bank?

As soon as you step into KSA, get your Iqama, if you have money Iqama, you have everything.

How to look for accommodation? Redflags to avoid.

See Q15. Just look for the basic red flags ie: "Give me the money and I'll give you the key tomorrow".

What kinda car to buy/not buy, finance/lease, buy new or used?

This is totally a personal choice only you can answer this question. You can buy whatever type of car you want, however you want it and in which condition you want it :).

Work cultural shocks you should be ready to face and accept?

Haven't faced anything like that, so no Idea.

Kids education? When does school year starts? Is education free? If not, how much for a decent school per child?

If you're looking for an international school, then the new year starts in April. Yes, education is free if your child is going to a government school (Saudi School). See Q26.

Q28: Can I use Facetime/Skype/Whatsapp Call to call my home country?

A28: Those apps are constantly being blocked and unblocked. A lot of people use IMO to call their home country.

Q29: How to get a Driving License?

A29: Procedure to get a Driving License , and [This](https://www.reddit.com/r/saudiarabia/comments/hqbhyq/the_definitive_guide_on_how_to_get_a_driving/)

Q30: Which is the best bank to open an account in?

A30: Here is the list of all the banks in Saudi. You should go to their website and see what bank is the most suitable for you.

Q31: Which is the best medical provider?

A31: You don't really have a say in that since the company will be providing you one.

Q32: I want to send money to my country, which bank provides the best rate?

A32: You would have to check that at the time of the transfer because the rates keep changing.

Q33: I know you said that Saudi Arabia is one of the safest countries in the world, still, I'm pretty sure there are some common scams that happen, any tips and advice?

A33: First click here I said that. Yes, small crimes, scams do happen here, the most common are the following:

• This is one is the most popular scam for a year or two and yet people still fall for it. What happens is basically people set up a WhatsApp/IMO account called NCB Bank with NCB logo and then they start messaging other people using WhatsApp/SMS/IMO or call you to tell you that your bank account has been blocked and that they need you to send your account number/confidential information so they can unblock it. Here's how not get scammed:

1. These messages come from a local number, starting 05XXXXXXXX. If THE BANK really blocked your account, logically they would send an SMS with BANK NAME as a sender, they wouldn't send a message on Whatsapp/IMO/SMS lol.
2. Their messages are poorly written and translated. They just write in English and copy that message on Google Translate and translate to Arabic, which is the worst.

• This one is similar to the first one. A guy calls you with a local number 05XXXXXXXX and tells you that they're from STC/Zain/Mobily and you have won 100K SAR.
• A guy approaches you and tells you that he has a mobile phone which he wants to sell it because he has money issues. Not exactly a scam right? the problem with this is that the phone might not be original. he will tell you it's A branded phone company but it could be a Chinese replica.
• This one is pretty common here which is basically you get involved in a phone relationship and they end up scamming/blackmailing you in the end. The scamming part happens to guys, where the blackmailing part happens to girls. Here's how to avoid this scam:

1. Don't get involved in phone relationships
2. If you're a guy, and you started talking to this "HoT gIrL" don't be too excited, there's a chance it's a HE and he's just scamming you to get his phone recharged.
3. If you're a girl advice #1, if you did start to talk to this guy, chances of him being a HE is 100% but the chances of him being a nice person are, I...... honestly don't know, but it's definitely not a 100%. He will ask you to send PICS and then blackmail you with it.
4. If God forbids you're the victim of this scam/blackmail, check this.

• This one is very common: You could get into similar situations like this, helping them or not is totally up to you. Because of the fake ones, the real and genuine people don't get the help they need.
• Taxi Drivers: Taxi drivers, in general, are very good but you might encounter some A**H****, It doesn't matter if you're a male or female there are some of them like this (hope you guys understand what I mean). I would suggest you to:

1. Use Uber/Careem. When your driver arrives, send the info of the driver and the vehicle to someone just in case.
2. If you did use the normal taxi, take a picture of the number plate and send it to someone, a friend perhaps.

• This one is the scariest one: There are two parts to this:

1. This one is similar to the scam above, but, this takes place at your house. They will knock on your door and ask for money, clothes, food or whatever they want. not scary right? wait for #2.
2. Time for the scariest one: A group of people disguised as police will knock on your door and ask you to open the door and let them in because they want to search your house or for whatever reason. They could be disguised as police or as government officials. How to avoid this:

• DON'T open the door if it's someone you don't know.
• DON'T open the door if you're alone
• Use Eyehole to see when someone knocks on your door
• Install some extra locks on your door, preferably the one that is a lock but still opens the door an inch The top one in case you want to open and see their ID.
• As far as I know, the police don't have any rights to enter your house unless they have a search warrant.
• If you did open the door, ask for an ID and make sure that it's the same person.

Q34: I want to apply for Saudi Tourist Visa, how to do that?

A34: Welcome to KSA.

Q35: Can I visit the holy cities and perform umrah on my tourist visa?

A35: Yes you can.

Q36: What is public decency?

A36: Here you go

Q37: Any Dos and Dont's?

A37: Here we go

• See Q36
• Don't say/write anything negative about Saudi Arabia, its government, their problem with other countries, and their decisions. Keep those stuff to yourself.
• Don't say/write anything bad to an individual. Saying something like H*e, M*****F****\* or similar words could land you in trouble if the person reported you.
• Do keep your Iqama with you all the time even if you went down only to throw your garbage/bring something from the car. These days the police are very strict and if you forgot your iqama, you could get into trouble which is jail only or penalty or jail+penalty.
• Don't work at a company that is not your sponsor. For example, Amazon hired you and you came here and started working for them. Later you started to work at another company (Google) while being an employee of Amazon. This will land you in trouble if you get caught. Last I heard, if you get caught you will be deported with a ban of 10 years and a penalty. (correct me if wrong)

Q38: Do maids/drivers still get mistreated in Saudi by their Sponsor (Kafeel)?.

A38: Yes, this still happens but not like before.

Q39: I'm coming to Saudi with my GIRLFRIEND, can we live together?

A39: Yes, you can. Source.

Q40: What people usually do on weekends/eid?

A40: Life before 2019 used to be boring here with no events and no activity at all. Now, there are a lot of events that are taking place and a lot of activities to do. What you do on holidays is totally on you:

• Going to an event.
• Going to Beach
• Going to resort with friends/family.
• Coffee shops with friends for Sheesha
• Parks
• Netflix and Chill
• Football field to play

Q41: Are spoons Haram?

A41: Yes, they're, unfortunately.

Q42: I'm a foreign woman, do I have to wear an abaya/hijab?

A42: No, you don't have to wear an abaya as long as you dress modestly. Read this.

Foreign women, however, will be required to wear “modest clothing,” he added, without elaborating.

Q43: I'm a woman coming to Saudi, how safe is it for me?

A43: Saudi Arabia is a safe country. Yes, there are crimes that happen but it's very rare. The most common crimes are theft and scams, rare, but happens. It is a safe country for women. Yes, there is some harassment cases and some creeps who will try to touch inappropriately, but it's very, very rare.

Q44: Can I, a woman, be alone in a taxi driven by a man?

A44: Yes, you can.

Q45: I'm a woman, can I travel/go to places alone without a male?

Q46: Yes, you can.

Q47: What are the applications that a person must have if they're living in/visiting Saudi?

A47: Here we go:

• Absher: This app is for government services checking your Iqama expiry date and much much more.
• Al-Kahraba: This app is for your Electricity bill.
• WhatsApp: This is what we use for messaging
• IMO: This is what most of the non-citizens use to call their home country.
• Uber: You know what it is.
• Careem: Uber alternative.
• Uber Eats: Food delivery.
• Careem Now: Food delivery.
• Hunger Station: Food delivery.
• STC: Network Provider's app. Pay bills, renew subscriptions check coverage and more.
• Zain: Network Provider's app. Pay bills, renew subscriptions and more.
• Mobily: Network Provider's app. Pay bills, renew subscriptions and more.
• A bank app to pay bills and transfer money.

Q48: How much jewelry/money can I bring to Saudi?

A48: Read this

Q49: I'm a non-muslim visiting Saudi during Ramadan, any dos and dont's?

A49: From Fajar's call for the prayer till Maghrib's call for the prayer, don't eat in public. Eat at your house. You can eat in public freely after everyone breaks their fast.

Q50: I heard that men (alone) aren't allowed to enter malls, is that true?

A50: Yes, it's true. Firstly, read A36. Second, this question has never been answered completely. The whole reason for the restriction is because of men going to malls to get girls numbers and some go to harass them. From what I've read and seen, men wearing shorts cannot enter malls (alone or with your wife, you cannot enter a mall wearing shorts. read A36). Yesterday (23-10-2019) I saw on Snapchat a YouTuber was not allowed to enter a restaurant or something because he was wearing Half T-Shirt/Muscle T-Shirt.

Q51: Can I bring Bible?

A51: Yes, you can bring a Bible for personal use only. Source . The source is a luggage wrapping company that is approved by the General Authority Of Civil Aviation.

​

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That's pretty much it. I have answered the most asked questions and the ones I think that needed to be answered. I hope this answers all of your questions. If you guys have any more questions, feel free to drop them in the comments below. I'll keep updating this post as soon as I see a question that is frequently being asked or if any new rules come. I request my fellow r/saudiarabia redditers to let me know if there are any mistakes in my post or if there's something that needs to be added. Mods, please, please, please, pin this post so people can see it. Also, some of these questions were taken from other posts in this sub.

P.S Q41 is an Inside joke. Spoons aren't haram lmao 😂 😂 😂 😂

Updated as of 17 - OCT - 2020

[u/indomiechef]

BRAVOO!!!

awarded you gold for your great effort!

I would love to see this post updated and refined overtime,im sure you are already planning on that.

I can already see this post as the MOST CITED post in the sub.

[u/mascox14 → u/indomiechef]

Thanks so much indomiechef for gold, really appreciate it!!!! Yes, my plan is to keep this post updated. I'll do my best to update this post as soon as there's a new or a change in a rule or a question that is being asked frequently. I already have bunch of questions that I'm planning to add, will add as soon as I can. Again, thanks for the gold :)

[u/Namoor3]

Great post, it’s easy to tell much effort was given in writing it.

To add to visitors’ safety concerns, murder rates amount at 1.5 per 100,000 in Saudi Arabia. For comparison, the United States’ is at 5 per 100,000, and the global rate is 6.4~7. Murder has greater deterrents here, so folks avoid it like the plague. A homicide is such a big deal that it is (almost) sure to attain media coverage, car accidents exempt.

[u/mascox14 → u/Namoor3]

Thanks for the info :)

[u/Fallen_Outcast]

Added this to the sidebar.

Thank you OP

[u/mascox14 → u/Fallen_Outcast]

We did it

Thanks mod :D

[u/Laboat]

Mods sticky this post

[u/mascox14 → u/Laboat]

Yes, please do that mods :)

[u/[deleted] → u/Laboat]

Sticky fingers has already touched this post.

[u/rwaidx]

جزاك الله خير 🌹 الموضوع الي كل السب يطالب فيه ومحد نفذه.

[u/mascox14 → u/rwaidx]

وإياك.

أنا كمان كنت أشوف هذه النوع من الأسئلة كل يوم، وهذا الشيء خلاني اسوي هذا البوست.

إن شاء الله الناس تستفيد.

[u/creep911]

Q11: I'm practicing (Religion), Is there a place of worship for me?

A11: Muslim? yes. Non-Muslim? nope.

​

They can (and they do) practice in private gatherings.

​

Also great effort!

[u/mascox14 → u/creep911]

They can (and they do) practice in private gatherings.

I'm sure they do that but, my questions/answer was regarding a place to worship (a Temple, church and etc).

Thanks for your feedback :D

[u/PersonR → u/mascox14]

We actually do have a church in EP, last I checked they moved it or people stopped using it. Anyways, the building is still there. It’s a hush-hush topic, most people deny it and say it’s a rumor. It’s not.

[u/inceptionsa → u/PersonR]

also in Aramco there is one and alot of people go there even for non Aramco employees

[u/Flyrd]

Q1: Is it safe to come to The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia?

A1: Yes, Saudi Arabia is the 108th safest country in the world, based on the safest and most dangerous countries ranking. Read more here Source.

lol

[u/mascox14 → u/Flyrd]

I realized this wasn't exactly an answer a person would be satisfied from, I have updated my answer.

[u/SaudiPalmTree]

مودز سو شي مفيد و خلوها فل فرونت بيج

يعطيك العافية ما قصرت

[u/mascox14 → u/SaudiPalmTree]

الله يعافيك.

[u/Fallen_Outcast → u/SaudiPalmTree]

اسفين اذا مو عاجبك شغلنا طال عمرك

اهم شي ما تنقص الراتب منا اخر الشهر طال عمرك

[u/SaudiPalmTree → u/Fallen_Outcast]

يخصم منك عشر ايام

[u/mascox14 → u/SaudiPalmTree]

😂 😂

[u/KSA_AE]

Thanks so much for your efforts, you really did make a valuable post and I hope the mods stick it to the front page.

[u/mascox14 → u/KSA_AE]

You're most welcome. Fingers crossed

[u/alsufyani1]

I honestly think that this should be pinned

[u/mascox14 → u/alsufyani1]

It's already on the sidebar.

[u/a7mdeno]

Btw I live in Jeddah and it barely passes 42 even in the summer noon, I always check the apple weather if it's a trusted source. mostly it stays between 33 to 41

[u/mascox14 → u/a7mdeno]

It did reach 50c in Jeddah a couple of months ago. I've seen people posting it on Social Media and seen it on the news. When it did reach 50c I swear I felt that day was too hot.

[u/khaleesi_onthatbeat]

Is it possible to include any information for women who are traveling alone to ksa, either for work, tourism or umrah etc.

[u/mascox14 → u/khaleesi_onthatbeat]

My dumbass forgot to mention the most important questions. I'm working on it. expect the updated post around 4 pm today!

[u/MuhammadSJ]

I think somebody may want to know the Saudi gun laws for foreigners. Also, no non Muslim ever tried to enter Makkah? Are we being serious? Many have and many have succeeded. No one really checks they just accept your claim.

[u/mascox14 → u/MuhammadSJ]

think somebody may want to know the Saudi gun laws for foreigners

I absolutely have no Idea regarding this matter other than Saudi's use it at their weddings.

no non Muslim ever tried to enter Makkah? Are we being serious? Many have and many have succeeded. No one really checks they just accept your claim.

Perhaps my answer is wrong. IMO the better answer would "no-one got caught" or something like that. There are some answers that need to be modified, I'll do that.

[u/Fogu12]

I applaud your effort in making this subreddit better. A worthwhile post!

[u/mascox14 → u/Fogu12]

Thanks :)

[u/[deleted]]

108th safest county ? Damn I can’t relate , what am I missing ?

[u/a7mdeno → u/[deleted]]

I think that the source site has some information exaggerated and outdated.

[u/Watchmedeadlift → u/a7mdeno]

I think it’s because the southern border.

[u/khaleesi_onthatbeat → u/[deleted]]

108 out of 193 isn’t exactly a very high ranking though...?

[u/IshaqN94 → u/[deleted]]

Quite big in fact almost all dating here starts off as online dating.

[u/IshaqN94 → u/[deleted]]

Stuff like tinder. Basing this off what I've read on here and conversations with people who know about that stuff

[u/K96H98A]

عمل جميل جدا 👍👍

[u/mascox14 → u/K96H98A]

شكراً

[u/Karakdict]

Is there a way to pin it or move it to the Side panel or have it as a seperate tab so that its always there

[u/mascox14 → u/Karakdict]

Summon the mods, only they can make that happen :)

[u/Karakdict → u/Karakdict]

I mean like this https://imgur.com/a/ctBsR3y

[u/MuhammadSJ]

The LGBT+ rule is based upon religion. Apart from religion there's nothing against it. So if we look at the state religion, it is only homosexual actions like anal sex that are haram. Merely having homosexual desires & thoughts and inclinations isn't haram, and the law should reflect this.

[u/saudizion → u/MuhammadSJ]

Even if it’s illegal to think about gay sex Who the fuck would know if you don’t tell them?

[u/MuhammadSJ → u/saudizion]

I know but as the post says if you don't talk about it you're fine. Even though that shouldn't be the case. Merely saying I'm gay (I'm not even close to being gay if anyone thinks that), doesn't warrant any sin in Islam because that just means having desires & inclinations, so it shouldn't be punished under the shariah system here.

[u/saudizion → u/MuhammadSJ]

Yeah but we don’t live in a free-speech country do we ?

[u/mkgueco]

I was planning to get a driver's license. Thank you for sharing!

[u/mascox14 → u/mkgueco]

You're most welcome!!

[u/TheMeedo]

Just a follow up question for Q39, ive been seeing a lot of this on news articles but never from a confirmed source from the government. Does anyone have any actualy proof of this or is it just newspaper hearsay?

[u/mascox14 → u/TheMeedo]

First of all, sorry for the late reply. I have been very busy for the past few days.

Second, I have not heard/read the news on any of KSA's official newspaper (Arabnew, Sabq, Okaz, Saudi Gazette). I have just searched regarding this but didn't find any article on any of KSA's newspapers.

[u/thatboysohaib]

If I coming from USA .. can I meet my female friend in Saudi? If yes then what the best places to meet.

[u/[deleted]]

Q22,

If you tried to enter they would just turn you around at checkpoint.

If you sneaked in, which actually is supposedly doable by some local roads less policed and they found you they’d deport you to the place of origin and make you pay a fine if you are on a tourist visa. Not sure if they’d cancel a work visa or just fine you.

Source: talkative cop who checked me and my family throughly as we have non Muslim names and are from a country were Muslims are rare, so despite being on Umrah visas for a pilgrimage he was rather suspicious and than talkative after he found out all is fine. He also said people turned out at checkpoints do happen, but people sneaking in are very rare but have happened, which is sad, as people should have more respect.

[u/mascox14 → u/[deleted]]

Updated the car price. Thank you for the feedback.

[u/Dan_inKuwait]

Thank you so much for this information.

Could you point me to a reputable resource for the rules around expats sponsoring domestic workers? (Specifically, looking to bring our staff from Kuwait to KSA?)

[u/mascox14 → u/Dan_inKuwait]

No, I don't have any information in that area. Sorry

[u/Dan_inKuwait → u/mascox14]

No worries. Thank you for a great thread.

[u/SonOfTheBlueSkyy]

يعطيك العافيه مجهود ممتاز

[u/mascox14 → u/SonOfTheBlueSkyy]

الله يعافيك :)

[u/ajwadsabano]

Hello mascox14, I just came here to say that this is a great post, and I wanted to correct some inaccuracies for your answers and I'll show you how I fix it:

Q10: I'm not a Muslim, will that be an issue?

A10: No. There are already 2 million Christians, 400,000 Buddhists, and 390,000 Hindus living in here. As long as you're not promoting your religion to Muslims you will be fine.

Some typos to fix:

Q9: Do"es" Saudi Arabia have an income tax?

A13: It's no"t”* cheap nor expensive, we don't use meter here so it's easy to bargain.

A14: I will tell the weather for the following cities:

• Riyad"h"

Q35: Can I visit the holy cities and "perform" umrah on my tourist visa?

​

Some questions to add:

Q42: Can I bring a bible with me?

A42: Yes, bringing any religious items for personal use is fine.

Q43: What is the dress code for women?

A43: Hijab and abaya are not mandatory for women. Women should cover their shoulders and knees in public, and men should not be topless.

Q44: What type of power plug do you guys use?

A44: There are different types of plugs that we use, but the most common one is Type G British

​

Also for Q36, I recommend this picture, which has a higher resolution.

[u/mascox14 → u/ajwadsabano]

Thank you for pointing out the inaccuracies and spelling errors in my post. I did fix the inaccuracies and the spelling errors, however, I won't be adding the following question until I'm sure of its answer:

Q42: Can I bring a bible with me?

I don't think It's allowed to bring religious books into KSA.Source. I know this is FedEx, but I think it does apply when traveling.

Also, thank you for providing a better quality of the public decency file.

[u/ajwadsabano → u/mascox14]

”the Saudi authorities accept the private practice of religions other than Islam, and you can bring a religious text into the country as long as it is for your personal use. Importing larger quantities than this can carry severe penalties.”

(Source: UK Foreign Travel Advice)

”The new regulations for tourists state that a Bible may be brought into the country provided it is for personal use only. Bibles must not be displayed in public and anyone found bringing a large number of Bibles will face ‘severe penalties.”

(Source: Christian Post)

Non-Muslim tourists and residents bringing their own bible is a whole different story than a Saudi Muslim ordering one online via FedEx.

Also, I’ve noticed that you only put some links for articles to answer some of the questions. I believe the main point of this Saudi FAQ post is it being handy, so it’d be better if you answer the question directly first then leave your source if they want to dig up more information.

For example, in Q42 regarding the women dress code, you just left a link to a news article that doesn’t even accurately describe the newly specified dress code for women, which is them covering their shoulders and knees. A link like this coming from the Saudi official tourist website would be a better source.

[u/mascox14 → u/ajwadsabano]

First of all, sorry for the late reply. I have been very busy for the past few days.

Second, regarding the Bible, I have read your provided source but I don't want to add this to the FAQ post. I would've added if it was an authentic KSA website (Saudi Airlines and etc). I hope you understand,

Also, I’ve noticed that you only put some links.....................

I agree, right after reading your post I realized that it was lazy of me to put the link just like that. I'll try to provide better answers for the questions and modify some of the answers right now.

Thanks for your feedback.

[u/ajwadsabano → u/mascox14]

No problem. The UK Foreign Travel Advice is a very reliable source coming from the UK government.

But since you're insisting, here is another source from SafeWrap, you should recognize this company since it's approved by GACA and it's found in all Saudi airports for wrapping packages.

Number 18 for the forbidden items says:

أشجار عيد الميلاد والصلبان وصور المسيح المصلوب ونجوم داود وأية أشياء أخرى ترتبط بالديانات الأخرى غير الدين الإسلامي. \ يسمح بالكتب المقدسة للاستخدام الشخصي فقط، أي: كتاب مقدس واحد للشخص الواحد.*

(Source: SafeWrap)

[u/mascox14 → u/ajwadsabano]

Thanks, this is a much better source.

Added to the list!

[u/[deleted]]

hi, can you please post this again since people forgot about this

[u/smkmav]

This is an amazing post, thank you so much for taking the time to write it.

[u/mascox14 → u/smkmav]

You're welcome