[oman-l] Digest Number 178

[isa]

oman-l@yahoogroups.com wrote:

> (B) Transit Visa Saudi Arabia
> (1)     Has somedody lately got a tranist visa for Saudi-Arabia issued in the
> neighboring countries Oman,

Oman

>
> (2)     Was the handling easy, where the Saudis willing or hesitantto issue
> this transit?

Very easy and pleasant and helpful and friendly in Oman

>
> (3)     Which papers must be presented at the embassy/consulate
> (marriage-certificate / religion proof / recommendation of
> home-embassy....)?

Letter from employer requesting visa, passport, work visa from Oman, tourist visa
from other country to which one plans to travel, bank deposit reciept for fees

>
> (4)     Has somebody experiences with the saudi-arabian entry formalities,
> particularly with the temporary import of a car (easy handling / charges /
> carnet de passage necessary or desired or helpful or useless...)?

I had my passport and car registration once and carnet once. It didn't make any
difference. My car is registered and insured in Oman, and I had a Saudi insurance
rider on my policy. They emptied the car out and loaded it back again and opened
all the luggage twice. They waved me through with a smile twice. Once I was given a
cup of tea while waiting because the computer was down. That was with transit visa.

> (6)     Has anybody maybe stayed longer than 72 hours in Saudi-Arabia, did this
> cause problems?

If you travel the whole length of Saudi Arabia from Jordan to UAE, 72 hours is
pretty short unless you have more than one driver and don't stop. It is a long
boring drive, and facilities on the highway are the worst of any country I have
ever been in. Don't ever even think of staying in any hotel en route. Stop in a
regular off the highway city hotel. Roadside hotels are dirtier and ruder and more
unpleasant than you can imagine. I stopped once and found scorpions in my quarters.
Extremely beautiful bright blue and yellow scorpions. I got really sick once and
had to stop and the hotel had no water, no beds, no bathrooms, no windows, one 15
watt lightbulb in the room,  plastic mats on the floor, no linens, pillows I
wouldn't put my feet on, and they knocked on the door every hour to collect 100
Saudi Riyals per hour. After the second payment I took my stick and threatened the
boy. I walk with a cane. After I showed them I was totally insane, they let me
sleep. They wanted 1,000 Riyals in the morning and I told them to call the police
and drove away.

I visited friends in Dammam and staid several days, and also visted Mecca and
Medina and my embassy in Riyadh.

Isa