*❓❓❓How Can I, as a Student, Bring My Wife and Children to Saudi Arabia?* 🎬To start off, I created a 7-minute video on this topic. Feel free to check it out here: https://youtu.be/OvVPxGkn1LM *✏️Here is an explanation of that in text form:* As a student at a Saudi University, there are three main ways to bring your family to Saudi Arabia, two of which require permission from your university: 1. General Visas for Non-Students: This includes options like tourist visas, Umrah visas, specific visas for British citizens like an e-waiver visa that allows a six-month stay (costs around $30), a 10-year business visa for Americans etc. These are available for everyone whether you are a student or not. Now there are 2 more ways that are university related: 2. Family Visitor Visa from the University: At certain times, universities accept applications for family visitor visas. Once approved, you can use this permit at the Saudi embassy to obtain the visa. Here are some key points: — It's relatively easy to obtain and is available for students at any level (both ma’had and bachelor's). — The visa is only valid for one year, and every three months, your family will need to either leave the country and return, or pay a fee (note that this option of paying a fee may not be always available, especially during Ramadan and Hajj, so they will have to re-enter Saudi to stay for another 3 months). After a year you family has to leave Saudi and you can request another Visitor visa. — You can apply for this visa for not just your wife and kids, but also for parents and siblings. — Once the university grants permission, your family can get the visa at the nearest Saudi Arabian embassy and then enter the country. 3. Residency Status for the Family from the University (called “istiqdam program”): Features of istiqdam program FOR THE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF MADINAH: — The student must be in at least their third semester of the bachelor’s program and must maintain a certain GPA. — A deposit of 10,000 riyals is required (though it’s refunded upon graduation; I told a story in the video why they introduced the deposit measure… also it used to be 40,000 riyals). — This residency status lasts as long as the student is enrolled and it provides the family with benefits like free medical care and education for children in kindergartens and schools etc. — This program is only available for the wife and children of the student FOR OTHER UNIVERSITIES IN SAUDI ARABIA, it’s often easier to use the Istiqdam program since they typically have fewer foreign students and thus lower requirements (85% of Madinah university students are foreigners, as for other universities, usually foreigners do not exceed 10% of the number of students). For example, last year a new student at Umm Al Qura was able to bring their family under this program right after enrollment without waiting until the third semester or even paying a deposit (super easy). It’s best to check with your specific university for detailed conditions *❗️Note: in all cases you take responsibility for fully supporting your family. No additional benefits are given to married students (month allowances are not increased, etc.). One little exception: the Islamic University of Medina has dormitories for those who brought their family under the istiqdam program (i.e. they received Saudi residency), but as far as I know there is a very long waiting list for this housing.*