Bahrain draws many companies and workers thanks to its liberal business environment, low taxes and operating costs, and well-known shopping areas. However, planning an expansion to Bahrain also involves hiring the right...
Read MoreBahrain draws many companies and workers thanks to its liberal business environment, low taxes and operating costs, and well-known shopping areas. However, planning an expansion to Bahrain also involves hiring the right employees and ensuring they stay compliant with local regulations. If you don't know how to get a work visa in Bahrain or what type of visa your employees will need, you could delay operation or face fines.
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Bahrain draws many companies and workers thanks to its liberal business environment, low taxes and operating costs, and well-known shopping areas. However, planning an expansion to Bahrain also involves hiring the right employees and ensuring they stay compliant with local regulations. If you don’t know how to get a work visa in Bahrain or what type of visa your employees will need, you could delay operation or face fines.
If you wish to hire foreign employees to work in Bahrain, you must know whether they need a visa. All nationals of the six Gulf states, also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, and British citizens by birth can come to Bahrain without a visa. British citizens can stay for up to a month and get a short extension through the Directorate of Immigration and Passports.
All other individuals must apply for one of the following visas:
An employer or Bahraini national needs to sponsor anyone looking to obtain a Bahrain working visa. The number of visas your company can sponsor depends on the physical size of your company’s office and foreign quotas set by national regulations. You will handle most of the application process on behalf of the employee and must show a letter of employment, commercial registration number, the employee’s capacity, the contract duration, and more.
Other requirements include:
The Bahraini Labor Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) processes and issues all visas before expats arrive in the country. As you submit the necessary documents on your end, employees will also need to complete certain steps. In addition to providing a medical report, employees should show academic or professional qualifications for the position. Bahrain typically processes all work visa applications in around five business days, but delays could take up to two weeks.
After your employees get their work permit, they’re automatically entitled to live in Bahrain. All family members will need a family visa, but the visa does not apply to extended family members. When applying for a family visa, your employees will need to apostille their documents, including their birth certificate, marriage certificate, and educational degree certificate.
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At this moment, Globalization Partners does not offer support processing work visas or permits in this particular location.
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