Your First Two Weeks in Saudi Arabia as a Faculty Member — A Step-by-Step On-Ground Guide for University of Tabuk

May 12, 2026 · Academic Life & Relocation · 9 min read

You have survived the visa process, packed your life into suitcases, and landed in the Kingdom. Now the real marathon starts — and it has a specific sequence. Miss one step and the next one is blocked. This guide covers everything you need in your first two weeks as a new faculty member at the University of Tabuk, drawn entirely from what I did and what I wish I had known earlier.

After months of paperwork in Germany — Mosadaqa, QVP, Tasheer, apostilles — arriving in Tabuk felt like the finish line. It is not. It is the starting line of a different kind of marathon, one that involves hospitals, government kiosks, bank apps, and a very warm HR department serving Arabic coffee and dates. The good news: this part is significantly more enjoyable. The systems here are modern, the people are genuinely helpful, and with the right sequence, you can have your core bureaucracy sorted within two weeks.

This post picks up exactly where my earlier guide leaves off. If you are still working through the pre-arrival paperwork in Germany, read Moving from Germany to Saudi Arabia for an Academic Job first.

Arrival — Get Your SIM Card at the Airport

The moment you land in Saudi Arabia and clear immigration, before you collect your luggage, before anything else — buy an STC SIM card. STC stalls are present in the arrivals hall of all major Saudi airports. You only need your passport. The process takes around 15 minutes and costs approximately 100 SAR depending on the data package you choose.

The reason to choose STC specifically over Zain or Mobily is not about network quality — it is about what comes later. When you receive your Iqama number, you will need to transfer your SIM card registration from your visitor visa to your Iqama. With STC, you can do this entirely through their mobile app in five minutes from your hotel room. With other operators, you will need to visit a branch in person, which adds an unnecessary trip to an already packed schedule.

A Saudi phone number is not optional — it is infrastructure. Every government system, bank app, and hospital registration will ask for one. Having it from minute one removes a dependency that would otherwise block everything downstream.

University Accommodation — Garden View Hotel

The Garden View Hotel in Tabuk is where the University of Tabuk houses new incoming faculty for the first five days. The accommodation is arranged by the university and covers your immediate post-arrival period. It is comfortable and well-located, and the staff are accommodating.

The hotel gives you a stable base and removes the pressure of finding accommodation immediately. Use that window to execute the steps below in the correct order. Once you move out, you will be juggling accommodation alongside everything else.

One thing you will need to sort during these five days is your longer-term housing. Tabuk has a reasonable supply of furnished and unfurnished apartments at various price points, and your HR contact and colleagues are the best starting point — they know the neighbourhoods, the going rates, and the landlords worth dealing with. This is a detailed topic in its own right and we will cover it separately; for now, just know that you should start those conversations early, ideally on your first visit to HR.

1 Iqama Medical Examination at King Khalid Hospital

This is your first concrete task after arrival, and it is non-negotiable. The Iqama — your Saudi residency permit — cannot be issued until you pass a mandatory medical fitness examination. In Tabuk, this must be done at a government hospital, and there is only one facility that processes it: King Khalid Hospital.

Private clinics cannot issue the official Efada medical clearance. Go directly to King Khalid Hospital.

Upon arrival at the hospital, go to the reception and tell them you are there for the Iqama medical. They will guide you through the process in the following sequence:

1. Provide a urine sample at the designated collection point
2. Data entry — your information is registered into the system
3. Blood samples are taken (screening for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, and other communicable diseases)
4. You are done — leave and wait

Results arrive by SMS, typically within 72 hours. The message will carry a status of “FIT” if everything is clear. Once you receive that SMS, the medical clearance is recorded in the system and HR can proceed with your Iqama. The examination itself is free of charge.

2 University Contract — Visit the HR Department

Your next visit is to the University of Tabuk Administration Complex — جامعة تبوك - مجمع الإدارات. Head to the new faculty hiring department and ask for Mr. Fahad Aseeri. He handles international faculty contract preparation and is genuinely one of the most helpful people you will meet in this process.

Do not be nervous. You will be welcomed with qawa (Arabic coffee), dates, and the kind of warm, unhurried hospitality that Saudi Arabia does better than almost anywhere. You are in good hands.

The contract preparation itself takes some time. Do not expect to sign everything on the same day. This is normal — university HR departments across Saudi Arabia work methodically. What matters is that you submit your documents and get the process started. In the meantime, HR will initiate your Iqama application in parallel, and you will receive your Iqama number before the contract is fully finalised. That number is your key to everything that follows.

3 Register on Absher

Once you have your Iqama number, your next stop is an Absher self-service machine. These kiosks are installed in the major shopping malls of Tabuk — Al Nakheel Mall, Panorama Mall, and others. You will see them near the entrances or food courts.

Absher (أبشر) is the Saudi Ministry of Interior’s digital services platform. It handles over 330 government services, including Iqama issuance and renewal, dependent management, exit/re-entry visas, driving appointments, and government fee payments. You cannot function in Saudi Arabia without it.

At the kiosk, follow the on-screen instructions. You will complete a biometric registration (fingerprint scan), which activates your account. This step is mandatory — it cannot be done remotely.

After registration, everything lives on Absher: your Iqama details, your dependents, your government appointments. The Nafath app is a companion identity verification tool you will also need — download it alongside Absher, as many services (bank accounts, SIM transfers, app logins) use Nafath for biometric identity confirmation.

4 Transfer Your SIM Card from Visa to Iqama

With your Iqama number now active in the system, it is time to transfer your STC SIM registration from your visitor visa to your Iqama number. This is a five-minute process done entirely through the STC mobile app — no branch visit required.

1. Open the STC app
2. Navigate to mySTC Store → Menu → Transfer of Ownership
3. Select Iqama ID and enter your nationality and Iqama number
4. Validate the transfer using the Nafath app
5. Done — your number is now registered under your Iqama

5 Open a Bank Account — Al Rajhi

Saudi Arabia has several banks, but for new faculty the most practical choice is Al Rajhi Bank. Their mobile app allows you to open a current account entirely without visiting a branch — the entire process is done on your phone and approved within hours.

1. Download the Al Rajhi Mobile App
2. Select “Open New Account”
3. Follow the on-screen steps — you will verify your identity through the Nafath app
4. Submit the application
5. Account is approved, typically within a few hours

You will also need the Nafath app installed and your biometrics enrolled. Once your account is approved, you will receive your IBAN and account number. Write these down — you will need them immediately for the next step.

6 Share Your Bank Details with HR

Return to the HR department and give Mr. Fahad Aseeri your Al Rajhi account number and IBAN. The university needs this to link your bank account to your salary system. Your monthly salary will be paid directly to this account, so this step must be completed before your first pay date.

This is a short visit — you are simply handing over a number. But it is a step that is easy to forget until the first month passes without a salary deposit. Do it as soon as your account is active.

7 Getting a Driving Licence

Owning a car is practical in Tabuk and across Saudi Arabia — the city is spread out, public transport is limited, and ride-hailing apps, while available, add up quickly. If you plan to drive, the time to start the licence process is in your first two weeks, as it takes seven to fourteen days from start to finish.

7a. Get Your Licence Translated at the Chamber of Commerce

Your existing foreign driver’s licence must be translated into Arabic by a certified translator. The easiest place to get this done in Tabuk is the Tabuk Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Bring a copy of your driving licence. The translation costs approximately 100 SAR (verify the current fee at the counter) and is ready within one to two business days.

7b. Prepare Your Documents

Before your appointment at the driving school, gather the following:

• Your original foreign driving licence
• Arabic translation of the licence (from the Chamber of Commerce)
• Iqama
• Passport
• One printed passport-size biometric photo

7c. Visit Ezdan Najd Driving School

Take your documents to Ezdan Najd Driving School. Go to the reception, tell them you want to convert a foreign licence, and book an appointment. They will tell you the fee and the procedure that applies to your specific nationality and licence type. The medical examination required for the licence is conducted on-site — you do not need to go elsewhere for it.

8 Family Iqama — If You Arrived with Family

If you came with your spouse and children, their residency permits (dependent Iqamas) need to be processed separately. You are the primary sponsor; their Iqamas are linked to yours.

While you can initiate the application through Absher, I strongly recommend visiting the Tabuk Passports Department (Jawazat) in person. It is faster, clearer, and the process is well-supported there.

Prepare the following documents for each dependent:

• Passport copy of spouse / each child
• Birth certificates (for children)
• Marriage certificate (attested if possible)
• Your employment contract
• Your Iqama

At your appointment, the officer enters the data into their portal. Within a few days, your dependents will appear on your Absher account under “Family Members.” The Iqama cards are then processed and issued.

Timeline at a Glance

Key Resources & Map Pins

Final Thoughts

The first two weeks in Tabuk are busy, but they are not overwhelming if you follow the right sequence. The medical must come first because everything else depends on the Iqama, and the Iqama depends on the clearance. Once that is through, the remaining steps — Absher, SIM transfer, bank account — can be completed in a single productive day.

What surprised me most was how functional and modern the systems are. Al Rajhi Bank account in hours through an app. SIM transfer done from a hotel room. Absher giving full visibility into your government status in real time. Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in digital infrastructure, and it shows.

The HR team at the University of Tabuk, Mr. Fahad Aseeri in particular, made the bureaucratic side feel manageable. The warmth you receive — the coffee, the patience, the willingness to help — is not theatre. You are genuinely welcome.

What comes next — finding a house, buying a car, settling into university life, getting the family established — is a different story. I will cover those in a future post.

Have questions about the process or want to share your own experience arriving in Tabuk? Send me a message — every story helps the next person make a smoother landing.

Still weighing the move from Europe? Read: The Hidden Cost of Life in Europe — What Ambitious Immigrants Learn After the Honeymoon Ends for an honest look at what that comparison involves.