Family Visit Visa

I’ve been thinking about bringing my mother to Riyadh for quite some time now, I stared to work on the needed papers almost 10 days ago, I filled the online application, my mother’s details, mine and my sponsor, I also asked my mother to send me a photocopy of her passport which she happily did, I photocopied my iqama, KSA’s residence permit, signed and stamped the online application from my sponsor, paid SAR 25 in the chamber of commerce and got the receipt for it, as said all what’s left now is a short trip to the ministry of foreign affairs to submit the papers.

I have a good friend who I knew is doing the same for his mother, we agreed to go together, we had to do it no later than two weeks from the date I filled the application online, 10 days ago, the decision was taken , the faster the better, and the date was selected, Today, May 11th 2010

Both of us knew we had to be there early, we knew they open at 8:00 am, and we also knew we won’t be alone, the earlier we arrive the earlier we finish, and we both can report to work on time.

We arrived there at almost 6:45 am, about 20 guys were already ahead of us, we stood in the queue and waited, we knew about that of course, I mean the act of having to wait in a queue, but the surprise to us was, that we had to wait outside, the sun was hot, early thirties and rising, I was fully prepared to head directly to work after that, I was there wearing my black suit, the only one with a suit if I remember correctly, I felt odd, I couldn’t set on the ground not to ruin it, I could feel the formation of sweat on my forehead which I continued to wipe it off regularly for the course of that hour, not to mention the other type of sweat that runs from your nick down along your back, and defarts to the unknown.

I didn’t allow this to bother me much, I was telling myself we’re almost there, and 20 guys ahead of us is nothing.

Of course, while waiting there would always be those assholes that surpass the line and jump in front, we counted about 10 of that kind, and each one of them got a silent but honest F word, the trick is known, they start a conversation with someone and they stay there, but again I didn’t allow that to bother me, I thought 30 guys ahead of us is nothing, and we should be finished on time.

The clock is ticking, and it’s 7:45am, 15 more minutes, the gate opens, and over a sudden what used to be a group of people standing in queue turned to be another group struggling to go inside, the queue was destroyed in a minute, and all that waiting went with the wind, we ran with the runners, trying to catch an early entrance, being the person I’m, and my friend being the person he’s, we weren’t competent to do that, and we ended up surpassed by what I assumed like 100 guys.
We go in, we take a number, mine was 89, I stayed optimistic, people were saying the queue walks fast, at the same time; I stepped from heat to an air-conditioned room, big change, good change, so I sat and waited.

My friend was one number before me, 88, and having seeing he was done in two minutes, I was glad it’s almost over and it’s not even 9:00 am yet, I could even make it to work on time.

It’s my turn, I step in, give the guy my papers, by just looking at him, I felt this negative vibes all around, he’s a different guy than the one who served my friend, an old Saudi guy, thick beard, eye glasses, wearing the Saudi national dress, the thoub, and the red ghotra.

He took a look at the papers; he held my slip number in his hand, pointed it at me and asked:

Him : Where is your slip!

Me : What!

Him, pointing my slip and looking at my face: your number, your slip, like this one

Me : you’re holding it

Him : What!

Me: you’re holding it, number 89

Him, looking at the papers, checking his system, he looked back from under his glasses and said : the receipt you paid at the chamber of commerce is not showing on our system, you need to go back to chamber of commerce and let them send us an email confirming your payment!

Me, the little I know about IT, but this is an obvious lie: How is that possible! This receipt was printed off the system, how on earth it can’t be there.

Him, giving me back my papers: go to the chamber of commerce, let them email the confirmation, and oh yes bring your wife’s iqama with you!

Me: What wife!

Him : Bring your wife’s Iqama

Me, thinking, did you even bothered to read idiot!, I said : I don’t have a wife! I’m bringing my mother, not my mother in law, I’m single.

Him: raising his voice up, as if I didn’t hear him, take your papers! Get the confirmation and your wife’s iqama and come back, go yalla next!

I took my papers, I knew by heart, this guy was faking it, he just didn’t like me, maybe he doesn’t like people with suits, maybe he doesn’t like Christians, maybe doesn’t like Jordanians, or maybe someone with my looks at this or maybe at another life, fucked the shit out of him, and now he wants to get even, or even maybe he enjoys putting people generally in more hassle for a simple thing like a family visit visa, else he would be bored!

or maybe I’m just totally wrong, maybe for some reason it wasn’t entered to the system, it might happen, no need to assume bad stuff from now, I’m going to play along.

I called my HR manager, he told it never happened with him, but that I should go and check either way.

I had some thoughts going through my mind at the time, I thought to just forget the whole idea, no need to bring my mother here, there’s nothing to see or to do, nothing else but sweat, but then I thought again, it’s still nice to have her around wherever that was, and apart from the sweat part, she would like to see my uncle and aunti, how her son been living the past 6 years, and to experience life in KSA, wearing abayya for the first time, and enjoy Riyadh shopping malls.

Not to forget also, that in case I decided to forget about it, he’ll have got what he wanted, I’m certainly not going to give him the satisfaction he seeks, so we went back to chamber of commerce to check.

Both of us are late for work now, my friend was kind enough to stay with me, we went back to the chamber of commerce, I knew I’m going to hear what I was expecting to hear, I stood in queue again, it’s much better over here, more spacious, better air conditioned, more professional outlook and people, the minute I told the guy at the help desk my story, he took my papers, he confirmed my doubts, he said : “the receipt is already in the system, this guy was just giving you hard time”, he stamped my receipt and signed it, he even printed another document off the ministry of foreign affairs’ system itself and stamped that too.

I left with my friend, back to the ministry of foreign affairs, I was angry, who wouldn’t be, I could, both of us could have reported to work on time, if it was in any other country, well not all, at least any other G20 countries, which Saudi happens to be one, I will not face this situation, and if it happened, the rarely it does, I can sue his ass and make him pay triple the trouble he put me through, it’s the concept at the end even if took five minutes delay, how come with two more hours and on a working day!

This made me think, I felt bad for myself, the fact that I actually survived 6 years dealing with this shit and the fact I’m still here, it’s the right time to find a better place, fresh air, fresh green, fresh water, true colors, and certainly lots and lots of babes.

Jumping from one thought to the other,I felt bad, however this time not for myself, but actually for that guy, I felt sorry for him, he's the kind that obtain happiness by making other people sweat, and he be proud of it.

I wish I owned a mental institution, or a rehabilitation center, I would have helped him for free, I promise.

Anyway, I go back inside, I take another slip, it says 345 now, still few people are standing in queue, I made sure to chose another guy for this, the guy took my papers, didn’t even look to the confirmation slip, in fact just gave it back saying no need for it, my application went through, I have to wait till the end of the day and check if the application was approved or not.

In 99% of the cases it would be , but knowing my luck for the day, do you think, I’ll join the 1% left, have to wait and find out.