Your wife and children live with you in Saudi Arabia, each with an iqama. A residence visa lasts as long as your own permit (my.gov.sa). Usually covers sons under 18 and unmarried daughters.
| Document | For | How to prepare | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your degree or diploma (and TOR) | Showing your profession | CHED CAV (OneTouch) plus DFA apostille, then Arabic translation if asked | The Saudi Interior Ministry asks for copies of qualifications with an Arabic translation. The profession on your iqama often decides eligibility. |
| PSA marriage certificate | Wife | PSA e-Apostille via PSA Helpline | The name must match the passport. See the Saudi box about extra stamps. |
| PSA birth certificates | Each child | PSA e-Apostille | Use the father’s and mother’s names exactly as in their passports. |
| Passports | Everyone | Valid passports for each family member | Renew early, before you start the visa. |
| Photos | Everyone | White background (my.gov.sa) | |
| Medical insurance | Everyone | Required for the MOFA residence visa (my.gov.sa) | Your employer’s policy may cover dependents, so ask HR. |
| Employer letter or request form | Sponsor | Stamped by your employer and authenticated by the Chamber of Commerce, when asked | Per the Interior Ministry’s directives for residents’ requests |
Swipe the table sideways on your phone. Order each Philippine document using our Apostille guide.
This is the usual order based on official service pages and OFWs’ experience. Your employer’s government relations officer may handle some of these steps.
The MOFA residence visa needs a passport, a white-background photo and medical insurance (SAR 379, 4 working days, per my.gov.sa). The Interior Ministry asks for qualifications with an Arabic translation, and for charges to be paid before you submit. A visit visa sponsor must hold a work iqama.
Some requests need Muqeem approval from the employer. The yellow slip can take weeks. Absher sometimes says “not eligible” for certain professions. VFS or the embassy sometimes ask for an extra stamp on PSA documents. No official minimum salary is published, so ignore figures from agents.
Last checked Oct 25, 2026. Some steps happen inside logged-in systems (Absher, Muqeem) that we can’t see, so follow what the system shows you.
Absher may refuse based on the profession on your iqama. Ask HR about updating your profession with your attested degree, or book an in-person Expatriates Affairs appointment.
Get the CHED CAV and DFA apostille first, then the Arabic translation if asked.
A middle name, maiden name or married surname that differs between the PSA record and the passport. Fix the PSA record or passport before you apply.
Pay any charges or traffic violations shown in Absher before you submit. Unpaid fees can block requests and renewals.
Renew your own iqama first, since your family’s residence depends on yours.
The DFA says an e-Apostille loses its validity if printed. Forward the PDF, or ask VFS how they want it.
A family visit visa is for a temporary stay. Your parents, spouse or kids visit you and then leave or extend. A family residence visa, also called a permanent family visa or istiqdam, is for your spouse and children to live with you in Saudi Arabia. Each dependent gets their own iqama, linked to yours. Parents usually come on a visit visa only.
The Saudi government portal (my.gov.sa) lists SAR 379 for the MOFA residence visa, with processing in 4 working days once your request reaches that stage. VFS TasHeel fees, medical tests, insurance, translation and the dependents’ iqama are extra. Expat dependents also pay a monthly dependent fee with the iqama. We didn’t publish an amount because we couldn’t confirm it on an official page today, so check the amount in Absher before you budget.
Legally, a DFA apostille is enough for Saudi Arabia since Dec 7, 2022. But some OFWs report that VFS TasHeel or the Saudi Embassy in Manila still asked for an extra stamp on family visa papers. Ask VFS TasHeel first, in writing if possible, before you pay an agent. See the Saudi box in our Apostille guide.
There’s no official minimum salary or profession list published for the family residence visa, but Absher may still refuse a request based on your profession or file. Many OFWs then book an in-person appointment with the Expatriates Affairs (Jawazat) office, or ask the employer’s government relations officer to follow up. Also check that your degree is attested and that the profession on your iqama matches it.
Plan to finish the dependents’ iqama within 90 days of their arrival. Do the fingerprints, medical insurance and iqama issuance early, and confirm the deadline in Absher, because delays can mean fines.
On Oct 6, 2026, Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry announced that highly skilled workers will be able to get family entry visas at the same time as their own work visa. It covers their spouse, sons under 25 and unmarried daughters. As of Oct 25, 2026, no start date has been announced and ‘highly skilled’ hasn’t been officially defined, so it’s not in effect yet. Follow the normal process for now.
TIEZA has a reduced travel tax for an OFW’s legitimate spouse, unmarried children under 21 and children with disabilities travelling to the OFW’s jobsite: ₱300 economy, ₱400 first class. Bring a copy of your OEC or OFW proof, the marriage or birth certificate and the ticket. A minor travelling without a parent also needs a DSWD travel clearance.
Flypinas is an independent travel information website. We’re not the Saudi Interior Ministry, Jawazat, MOFA, VFS TasHeel, the DFA, PSA or any embassy or agency, and we can’t process visas for you. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules, fees and processing times change often, so always confirm in Absher, on the MOFA platform or with VFS before you apply or pay. Salamat at ingat, kabayan!
