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Virtually
everyone needs a visa to enter Bahrain, except for G.C.C. Nationals
but these are not usually difficult to obtain. Two-week visitors'
visas for Bahrain costing BD 5 are issued to most native-born nationals
from Europe, Canada, Australia or New Zealand without problems either
at Bahrain
International Airport or on the King Fahad Causeway from Saudi Arabia.
US citizens must pay either BD 1O for a Bahrain three-day visa or
BD 15 for Bahrain seven days. British Nationals will be issued an
automatic three month Visa, which costs BD 3 due to a reciprocal deal
for Bahraini Nationals in the UK. Visitors able to prove that they
are travelling on to Saudi Arabia pay only BD 2. It should not be
assumed that Bahrain visas will necessarily be issued for the spouse
and children of the worker. Some agreements with Middle-Eastern countries
to abolish visas have been affected by new European Union arrangements,
so check that your visas are in order for onward travel, including
those of your spouse and children.
Foreign nationals may enter Bahrain with a tourist visa (for individuals
or groups), 72-hour visa, 7-day visa, visit visa, business visa, family
visa, dependent visa or an employment visa. In addition, all visitors
who hold valid resident permits for Saudi Arabia can be issued a free
2-week visa. All applications for extension must be signed by a local
sponsor. In the case of tourist visas, the hotel may act as a sponsor.
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Have
you had trouble applying for a Bahrain visa?
If
yes then please tell us how you eventually received your visa
so that others can benefit.
Please
include in your e-mail :-
1)
Your Nationality.
2)
How long it took to get the visa.
3)
Contact details of Embassy / Agency that you used.
4)
Your comments on the process and time taken to obtain a Bahrain
Visa.
Then
send your e-mail to : Bahrain@newarabia.net
We
will publish all details on our New FEED BACK page for Bahrain
Visa that is coming soon.
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Tourist visa
This type of visa can be obtained at the Bahrain International Airport
or King Fahad causeway for citizens of the EU, Canada, Australia,
New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and the United States. Visitors must
have no criminal record or involvement in activities that could threaten
public order or national security. They are not permitted to seek
employment while in Bahrain.
Groups may obtain visas to Bahrain for a duration of up to 2 weeks,
renewable once for a similar period. Visas are obtained through hotels,
travel and tourist agencies and other firms licensed to conduct tourist
activities in Bahrain.
Nationalities that can apply for this type of visa on arrival
to Bahrain International Airport :-
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Brunei, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Japan,
Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA.
Employment visa
This is required for those who wish to work legally in Bahrain and
become residents of the country. A work permit from the Ministry of
Labour and Social Affairs and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from
the General Directorate of Immigration and Passports (GDIP) are required
before this visa can be issued. In addition, all American and Canadian
passport holders can be issued a 5-year multiple entry visa, valid
for one month's stay on each visit. British passport holders can be
issued a 3-month entry visa, valid for one month's stay on each visit.
This can be issued by the GDIP in Bahrain or by any Bahrain Embassy.
Visit visa
- This is issued to foreign nationals
who intend to visit relatives or friends in Bahrain. The application
for a visit visa must be signed by a local sponsor and presented
to the GDIP. The following documents must be presented with the
application:-
- a letter from the applicant's sponsor.
- a copy of the applicant's CPR card.
- a copy of the visitor's passport.
- The visit visa is normally valid for
one month's stay in Bahrain, but can sometimes be extended to a
maximum of three months. A longer stay may be granted in exceptional
circumstances. A person on a visit visa is not allowed to work or
engage in business activities during their stay in Bahrain.
Business visa
This type of visa is similar to a visit visa, but the purpose of
the visit is business.
Family visa
This visa is granted to a wife and children of a resident employee.
The visa holder may not take up employment in Bahrain but can stay
as long as the resident employee stays.
Note
:-
- If you do not
have a Bahrain Embassy in your country then the best way to obtain
a visa for Bahrain is through a hotel in Bahrain. Hotels can act
as your sponsor. In order to arrange this, send the hotel a fax
at least three weeks prior to the date you wish to arrive in Bahrain.
Include all your passport data as well as arrival and departure
times and the purpose of your visit (tourism is acceptable). You
should give exact information about the time and flight you will
arrive on. Include a telephone number and possibly a fax number
where you can be reached. Allways reconfirm everything by
phone a few days before your arrival. The hotel will charge a small
fee, usually under BD5 and this will be added to your bill. The
visa can then be collected at the airport, port or on the causeway
from Saudi Arabia upon arival.
- If you have
an Israeli stamp in your passport then you will not be admitted
to Bahrain.
- Bahrain does
not recognize the idea of naturalization. This means if you are
an Nigerian-born American or Briton who is a naturalized citizen
of either country, you remain, as far as Bahraini immigration officials
are concerned, a Nigerian, which means you cannot get a visa at
the airport. The safest way around this problem is to have your
visa arranged by one of the bigger hotels in Bahrain.
- Drivers arriving
from Saudi Arabia are required to sign a guarantee promising to
take the car out of Bahrain after a specified time. This paper is
very important and must be handed in to customs on the way out of
the country. A mandatory insurance fee of BD1.5 or SR15 is levied
upon each car crossing the causeway.
- Overstaying your Bahrain visa
will result in a fine of about BD 1O per day. Extensions to visas
are usually possible at the General Directorate of Immigration and
Passports in Manama (tel. +973 17535111).
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Certain nationalities will require a
sponsor for all forms of visa. These sponsors are
listed below, if you require more information then
please contact them.
-
Your airline.
-
The Hotel you intend to
stay in Bahrain.
-
A Bahrain travel agent.
-
A Bahrain company
willing to sponsor you.
-
A Bahrain citizen
willing to sponsor you.
Listed Sponsors
Hotels
Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel Tel: +973 1752 5251 - 5253 Fax: +973 1753
3870 Email: Reservations. Bahrain@RadissonSAS.com
Web: www.Manama.RadissonSAS.com
Regency Intercontinental
Hotel Tel: +973 1722 7777 Fax: +973 1722 9929 Email:
info@icbahrain.com
Web:
www.interconti.com/manama
Travel Agencies
Al Muhanna Travel Tel: +973
1724 6665 Fax: +973 1723 2772 Email: almuhana@batelco.com.bh
Web:
www.almuhannatravel.com
Galaxy Travel & Tourism Tel:
+973 1771 3003 Fax: +973 1771 3335 Email: galaxy3@batelco.com.bh
Web:
www.galaxybahrain.com
House Of Travel Tel: +973
1721 7070 / 1722 5335 Fax: +973 1721 6216 / 1721 1329
Email: info@hot.bh
Web:
www.hot.bh
Nationalities that will
require a Sponsor for all types of Visa :-
Afghanistan, Albania,
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman
Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Congo, Democratic Republic of
the, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia, Djibouti,
Dominica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Germany, Ghana,
India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
List of Bahraini
embassies/representative offices abroad:
|
Country |
Code
|
Telephone
|
Fax
|
|
Abu
Dhabi, UAE |
+9712 |
6657500 |
6674141 |
|
|
Algeria |
21321
|
691197-6991168 |
692449 |
|
Amman,
Jordan |
+9626
|
5683901 |
5664190 |
| Berlin,
Germany |
+4930 |
86 87 77 77 |
86 87 77 88 |
| Cairo,
Egypt |
+202
|
7350642 |
7366609 |
| Baghdad,
Iraq |
+9641
|
5429951
|
5435711 |
|
Damascus,
Syria |
+96311
|
6132314/5/6
|
6130502
|
| Doha,
Qatar |
+974 |
4839360 |
4831018 |
|
Kuwait
|
+965
|
5318530 |
5330882
|
|
London,
UK |
+44 |
(0)20 7201 9170 |
(0)20 7201 9183 |
| Moscow,
Russia |
+7095
|
2300097-2300013
|
2302401 |
|
Muscat,
Oman |
+968
|
605133
|
605072 |
|
Paris,
France |
+331 |
47.23.48.68 |
47.20.55.75
|
| Peking,
China |
+8610
|
64635574
|
64635504 |
|
Rabat,
Morocco |
+ 2123 |
7656024 |
7630732
|
| Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia |
+9661 |
4880044/19/13 |
4880208
|
|
Tehran,
Iran |
+9821
|
8773383 |
8779112 |
|
Tunisia |
+2161 |
47234868 |
47205575 |
|
Washington
D.C. USA |
+1202 |
342 1111 |
362 2192 |
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Consulates:
|
| Mumbai,
India |
+9122 |
2185858 2185971 |
2188817 |
|
Karachi,
Pakistan |
+9221 |
5848319-5845963 |
5843037
|
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Permanent missions to UN:
|
|
Geneva,
Switzerland |
+4122 |
758-2289/758- 9640 |
758-9651/758- 9650 |
|
New
York, USA |
1 212 |
223-6200 |
3190687 |
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Information
last up dated 02/03/2006 |
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