Services Provided By The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia

Staying in a country far away from India must be a hard piece of business for many Indians. But guess what? Our formidable Indian Embassy is always there to help them out of any trouble they get in. 

Even in the lands of “Al-Akhdar” - Saudi Arabia, the Indian Embassy provides a range of services! These services not only help Indian citizens in times of emergencies but also make their lives super easy there.

Well, if you are an Indian living in Saudi Arabia, this blog is an essential guide for you. 

In this blog, we'll be discussing the various essential services provided by the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia. So, without further ado, let's get started.

Visa Services

Let's explore the various visa services that the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia provides –

Types of Visas Offered

Whether you are an Indian citizen or a foreign nation wanting to visit or reside in India, the Indian Embassy can help you with all the visa-related services. 

The most common visa types that the majority of people seek include: 

• Tourist Visa: This visa is applicable for those who want to visit India for leisure, sightseeing, or visiting family and friends.

• Business Visa: This is for people who are travelling to India for business-related purposes such as conferences or meetings. 

• Employment Visa: For people who seek employment in India, getting an employment visa is necessary. 

Application process and required documents

The documents you are required to submit for the Visa application process depend on the type of visa you seek. However, the general documents that you will be asked to submit include:  

• Duly completed visa application form

• Two recent Passport size photographs

• Original Passport and a copy of the same

• Saudi ID /Iqama

• Confirm Ticket

• Contract copy and a letter from the company if you are going on an employee visa

Also, make sure you are present in person at the time of visa application. Visa fees and processing time

Once all the documents are submitted, you’ll be asked to pay a visa fee and then wait for the visa application to be processed. The fee and application processing time entirely depends on the type of visa you want from the embassy. 

As per the current information available on the Saudi Arabia Indian Embassy website, the application fee for: 

• Tourist Visa: SR 376 (for 1 year visa) and SR 751 (for more than 1 year and up to 5 years visa)

• Business Visa: SR 807 (for 1 year visa) and SR 1107 (for more than 1 year and up to 5 years visa)

• Employee Visa: SR 451 (for 6 month visa), SR 751 (for more than 6 months and up to 1 year visa) and SR 1127 (for more than 1 year and up to 5 years visa)

Want expert advice? Always submit your visa application before the intended travel dates in order to give ample time for the application processing.

Note: Keep checking the Indian embassy’s website in order to get updated with the latest visa fees. 

Passport Services

From passport renewal to seeking help for your lost passport, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia offers a number of passport services. They are always there to provide you necessary support in case of any passport emergency.

Passport Renewal and Issuance:

• Online Application: The process for passport renewal is quite simple. First, you have to submit an online application available on the Indian embassy’s Passport Seva portal. (1)

• Required Documents: For processing your application, you will be asked to submit your existing passport, recent photographs, proof of residence, and other supporting documents. 

• Processing Time: The Indian embassy is known for its efficiency when it comes to processing time. However, it is advised that you apply well in advance of your travel dates if you don’t want any panic at the last moment. 

Emergency Passport Services:

Life is uncertain! Oftentimes, we face situations that we can’t control and have to travel in an emergency. In such emergency situations (suppose an illness or death of a family member), you can apply for an Emergency Passport. Not to mention, you will have to provide sufficient proof of the emergency as well as necessary documents to avail of the Emergency Passport. 

Lost or Stolen Passport Procedures:

Losing your passport in a foreign country surely brings up a lot of stress. However, this situation should be tackled calmly. All you have to do is to immediately inform the local authority and the Indian embassy. Afterwards, the embassy will help you throughout the process of getting a replacement passport. Documents that you are required to submit include a police report, a copy of your passport, and other relevant documents. 

Consular Services

Another major service of the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia is Consular Services. The embassy provides a number of consular services to Indian citizens visiting or residing in Saudi Arabia. Here are some of the most common yet crucial services —

Birth Registration:

• The Indian Embassy facilitates providing birth registration for Indian children born in Saudi Arabia. It is quite crucial to get this registration done as it is an important document when applying for a passport for the kid or establishing his/her Indian citizenship. The registration process typically requires you to submit documents, such as birth certificates, parents' passports, and proof of Indian citizenship.

Marriage Registration:

• If you are considering getting married in Saudi Arabia, marriage registration is quite an important process. It is essential for the legal recognition of your marriage in India. Guess what? The embassy also provides Indian citizens with marriage registration services in Saudi Arabia.

• The registration process usually requires you to submit marriage certificates, passport copies, and other relevant documents.

Death Registration:

• If you get in any unfortunate event, such as the death of any family member living in Saudi Arabia with you, the Indian embassy provides death registration services. Remember, getting a death registration done in Saudi Arabia is crucial. It is needed if you seek to send the body home. 

• You’ll be asked to submit the death certification, passport copies, and other related documents. 

Notarisation of Documents:

• In certain cases, such as property transactions, educational qualifications, and employment, a notarised document issued in Saudi Arabia is vital. It makes the activity legal in India. The Indian Embassy can process the notarisation of such documents.

Attestation of Documents:

• In order to make essential documents issued in Saudi Arabia legal in India, you need the embassy attestation. It's essential for visa applications, employment, and educational purposes.

• For the attestation process, the embassy will verify the authenticity of the document. 

Labour Welfare Services

Safeguarding the rights of Indian citizens in Saudi Arabia is the priority job of the Indian Embassy. Consequently, there are a number of Labor Welfare services for the well-being of Indian citizens.   

Assistance to Indian Workers

• Grievance Redressal: The Indian Embassy works closely with the Saudi Government and addresses all the complaints and issues faced by Indian workers. Be it complaining about wages, working conditions, or any other labour-related disputes, the embassy is there to help you out.

• Welfare Checks: The embassy regularly checks the condition of Indian workers by visiting their workplaces and accommodation. In doing so, the embassy significantly helps Indian workers by implementing solutions to improve their well-being.

• Repatriation Support: Whenever there’s a situation of emergency, the Indian embassy takes full responsibility for providing repatriation services to Indian workers. They provide necessary documentation, financial support, and guidance for a safe return to home.

Information on Labour Laws

• Guidance and Counselling: The Indian Embassy is also responsible for providing guidance and counselling services to Indian workers. They help them understand the rights of Indian workers under Saudi labour laws. 

• Translation Services: For workers who find it hard to understand the legal documents of Saudi law, the embassy also facilitates translation services. This helps the workers with their legal documents and contracts.

• Legal Assistance: The Indian Embassy also provides legal support to Indian workers whenever they need any guidance or support over legal matters in Saudi Arabia. The embassy also provides the service to represent any Indian worker who’s in any legal trouble. 

Conclusion

There you have it – A complete guide to the essential services provided by the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia. We certainly hope that this guide will help you get an understanding of all the Indian Embassy services that you can avail of living in Saudi Arabia.

Remember, the Indian Embassy is always there to help out any Indian Citizen in Saudi Arabia. 

So, the next time you get in any trouble in the lands of Arabs, do not hesitate to reach out to the Indian Embassy. The Indian Government is there for you!