A potential employee deciding on a move for a foreign assignment can be both exciting and stressful. Adding a major move for a family itself can be a major deciding factor for a skilled employee considering an offer. Any issue that may arise or could cause an issue would reflect on the employee’s decision to accept the assignment. It is critical that the immigration procedure is outlined for not only the employee but the entire family.
Generally, a family member wanting to join the working husband/wife abroad may have little to no trouble considering they are from certain nationalities, others may find it complicated and not worth the hassle. For example in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, nationalities of third country foreigners require a visa and permits for entry as for the European citizen the process could be much simpler. Policies are dictated by nationalities, wages/salaries, job positions as well as other conditions for each individual situation.
With that said, it is possible to process a family move smoothly through proper procedure. Potential issues can be flagged before the arrival of the potential employee well in advance avoiding loss in both time and money.
Issues That May Arise
Each country has different laws that define who a family member could be. Close family typically falls under who an employee is permitted to sponsor such as spouse and children. If a child is adopted or a single mother needing to sponsor her children and the proper documentation is not available to support, it could cause a major drawback. Children are only eligible to join their family up to a certain age.
In some areas, a husband is permitted to sponsor a wife but vice versa is not a possibility without falling under certain salary categories or job titles. In the United Arab Emirates, if a marriage license is not correctly processed at origin of marriage and at destination, the employee sponsorship application would be rejected.
There are cases when a visa will not be completed within the allotted time of the visit visa due to issues with proper documentation not being in place, government delays, etc. In these cases the family member will have to exit the country and return causing major loss in money. In return the employee will find this moment to be stressful and turn to the employer requesting to cover the costs.
Having Female Support
Countries in the GCC area, such as the United Arab Emirates, have specific rules separating men and women in certain areas. It is important to have a female immigration specialist by your side. Examples such as going to the get a blood test or apply for an identification card in the Emirates separate the males and females. In the case that a male would like to accompany the wife, he will be forced to wait outside causing the wife to go into a stressed unknown area alone. Having a female immigration specialist is vital in these situations. With the female immigration specialist by the wife’s side, she would be left comforted and content.
When the time arrives for the female/wife to go complete the immigration first thing that comes to mind is transportation. Questions that come to mind are where do I go, how do I get there, and who will take me. Unknown to the expat, once arranging transportation, be it the husband or a friend taking her, the issue of parking comes up. Having an immigration specialist by her side who has had experience and coming from the same situation, being an expat herself can completely put the female expat at ease. Transportation will be arranged and the worry of location or where she would need to go completely disappears from her thoughts.
Coming to the Middle East, most expats have no idea what to expect. A country where Arabic is a first language and the culture is completely different, an expat can feel completely lost. Knowing you have someone by your side who can guide you and help you understand can completely change the outlook of arriving to an unknown place. Imagine, being alone, walking into an immigration office where the only English that is spoken is if it is a must. You walk up to the counter and ask for help, little did you know that the officer behind the desk just wants to get on to the next person. She/He flips through your documents and says there is a document missing and sends you on your way. When you ask for an explanation, the officer on the other side is not in the mood to assist or just cannot explain in your language and sends you on your way. This is just one of the examples that has happened time and time again. Now imagine having a female immigration specialist by your side. The documents needed are already in hand while the specialist is by your side. Going directly to the areas needed, saving tremendous amounts of time. An issue arises and the officer says something in Arabic to you, the specialist responds right away and is easily able to avoid any mix up.
Having a support system at both destination and origin is important for both the employee and family. Keeping the employee at ease and allowing them to focus on the assignment they have been appointed for. This also causes an effect on the family, allowing them to be supportive to the employee rather than negatively affecting the move. With this in mind, a family member being supported in a move could equally be as important as the employee, if not more. In the Middle East, it is vital to have a female support another female. Having a company that provides this support and has been providing it for years can be a huge supporting factor. A company such as Crown Relocations, who has been locally helping expats for many years and has the knowledge needed to make a tough move almost effortless.
Click here to download our flyer on immigration services for future female expats in the UAE.