Saudi Arabia offers family sponsorship visa for expats including Pakistanis to bring their family to the Kingdom. The country is home to a significant number of Pakistani expats, with estimates suggesting that at least 2.64 million Pakistanis live and work in Saudi Arabia. This includes 1.3 million workers in the private sector, making Saudi Arabia one of the biggest sources of remittances for Pakistan. Many Pakistani expats in Saudi Arabia wish to bring their families to the Kingdom to live with them. The Saudi government allows expats to bring their families, but certain conditions and requirements must be met under the family sponsorship visa.

To sponsor their families, expats must obtain a dependent or Iqama visa, which is valid for one year and must be renewed annually. The conditions for obtaining an Iqama visa cover various aspects, including the expat’s income and profession. According to reports, expats working in fields such as engineering, technical, marketing, and medicine are eligible for family sponsorship visas. The minimum salary required for family sponsorship in Saudi Arabia is 3,500 Riyals. Employers are typically responsible for renewing an expat’s Iqama, but employees must ensure their dependents’ Iqamas are renewed annually.

Failure to comply with Iqama regulations can result in fines, deportation, or even jail time. Meanwhile, Pakistani workers traveling to Saudi Arabia on a work visa must secure Saudi Arabia work visa protection from the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment by paying a prescribed fee. This process ensures several benefits, including legal protection and access to full assistance from Pakistan’s diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia. Workers holding a Saudi Arabia work visa can also seek legal aid from the Community Welfare Attaché at Pakistan’s embassy in Saudi Arabia.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)