Coming to Bahrain as a Foreigner? A Look at the Bureaucracy There

If you are hoping to be able to move abroad to the Gulf States area of Europe and enter in Bahrain it may not be as simple as booking a flight or applying for a visa to enter the country. Bahrain, which is bordered by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, does not take the issue of foreigners coming into the country lightly. In fact, the authorities tightly control the movement of foreigners in Bahrain. If you want to obtain a visa to come to Bahrain you should know that there are rather strict bureaucratic procedures and red tape involved when it comes to the issuing of permits and visas to Bahrain.

In you wish to submit an application for a visa, permit or other document for coming to Bahrain for any purpose then you will have to submit several documents for consideration. Typically to be considered for entry into Bahrain you will need to have a passport that is valid for a minimum of six months, but longer is definitely better. You should also have several copies of your passport with you as well. You will need to have four to six passport sized photographs of your self. You will need to have a marriage certificate if you are claiming to be married and both you and your spouse are applying for entry to Bahrain. You will need to have birth certificates for your self and any other members of your family that are wishing to come to Bahrain along with you. And if you will be taking up employment of any kind in Bahrain you are required to have a medical certificate that proves that you are in good health. It will also have to show that you do not have any sexually transmitted diseases including HIV or AIDS. Your medical exam will have to be done by an approved medical practioner and is usually done locally.

If you have any type of visible connection with Israel you will immediately be denied entry to Bahrain. This includes having an Israeli stamp in your passport.

If you are denied entry to Bahrain you are left with little recourse. If you are fortunate enough to be coming to Bahrain through a company for employment they will typically have someone on staff that handles all of the red tape for you and will assist you in the event you are denied entry to Bahrain.

If you are granted entry to Bahrain you will have to carry your identification documents with you at all times. Spot checks of passports and immigration paperwork are commonplace in Bahrain. This is especially the case at businesses where authorities are looking for people that are employed illegally.