# I cannot Leave Saudi Arabia **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 9, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824 "2008-07-09T13:50:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/1 "2008-07-09T13:50:03Z")
So my house is a mess of packed boxes. I have a ticket to leave very early Saturday morning. What could go wrong? The Saudis refuse to issue me an exit-only visa. Although I sold my car almost two weeks ago, the transfer is not yet on their computers. Further, since we have a Thursday-Friday weekend, I cannot do much about it until Saturday. So I am stuck. How … what is the word? Awkward, yes how awkward. ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/2 "2008-07-09T13:52:00Z")
Why would you even want to leave such a Garden of Eden? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/3 "2008-07-09T13:55:54Z")
There is only one thing to do, contact the President of the United States. He will dispatch a Navy Seal team to extract you post haste. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/4 "2008-07-09T13:56:41Z")
My pay was cut by a quarter. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/5 "2008-07-09T13:58:14Z")
Wait, you need an “exit-only visa” to leave? I thought visas were for _entry_ into a country. Genuine question. I’m not trying to be a wiseass or nuthin’. I’ve never had to do that in my travels yet. . . Tripler But yeah, “awkward” is the word. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/6 "2008-07-09T14:00:37Z")
Insha Allah. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/7 "2008-07-09T14:02:05Z")
A passport is permission for you to leave your own country. A visa is permission to enter another country. Saudi Arabia requires a visa both to enter and leave. The old Soviet Union used to do this too. I know of no other country that still does this. Good solid Tory government. ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/8 "2008-07-09T14:09:07Z")
Just relax, go with the flow. Maybe Tom Hanks will make a movie out of this. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/9 "2008-07-09T14:18:13Z")
6,600 riyal down the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/10 "2008-07-09T14:20:15Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] My pay was cut by a quarter. [/QUOTE] How many gallons of gas does that quarter buy you in Saudi? (har, har, har) Seriously, that sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/11 "2008-07-09T14:27:57Z")
Gasoline here is US$ 0.65/gallon. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/12 "2008-07-09T14:54:16Z")
Uh… They don’t let you get out if you haven’t sold your car…? O.o That… Is bizarre to say the LEAST. What is the rationale for such a strange rule? ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/13 "2008-07-09T15:01:32Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] Gasoline here is US$ 0.65/gallon. [/QUOTE] Uh… huh… They did tell you what it’s going for over here right? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/14 "2008-07-09T15:05:12Z")
I have never heard of such a bizarre thing. How can they prevent you from leaving if you haven’t been accused of a crime? Can the US Embassy help? Trying to piece together your posts–you told me once that you expected to be there for a while yet; is this early departure due to your pay cut? And the most important question of all–are you going to change your username when you get back stateside? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/15 "2008-07-09T15:09:24Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] Gasoline here is US$ 0.65/gallon. [/QUOTE] :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/16 "2008-07-09T15:18:20Z")
[QUOTE=CookingWithGas] I have never heard of such a bizarre thing. How can they prevent you from leaving if you haven’t been accused of a crime? Can the US Embassy help? [/QUOTE] US embassy do not exist to help Americans abroad. They are here to promote US policies. If you want help from an embassy you have to be British or Israeli. Local law is a matter for the local authorities. American women married to Saudis who are held prisoner here can get no help. [QUOTE=CookingWithGas] Trying to piece together your posts–you told me once that you expected to be there for a while yet; is this early departure due to your pay cut? [/QUOTE] In a word, yep. [QUOTE=CookingWithGas] And the most important question of all–are you going to change your username when you get back stateside? 😃 [/QUOTE] Undecided as of yet. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/17 "2008-07-09T15:23:12Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] My pay was cut by a quarter. [/QUOTE] You’re leaving the country over a measly 25 cents? Seriously, good luck and hang in there. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/18 "2008-07-09T15:47:20Z")
That pretty well sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/19 "2008-07-09T15:53:07Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] A passport is permission for you to leave your own country. A visa is permission to enter another country. Saudi Arabia requires a visa both to enter and leave. The old Soviet Union used to do this too. I know of no other country that still does this. [/QUOTE] The Russian Federation still does this. [Cite.](http://moscow.usembassy.gov/russian-visas.html) ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/20 "2008-07-09T15:55:37Z")
No travel insurance? I normally do not use it, but when I had a critical trip coming up and there was even the remotest possibilities for a late cancellation, I got it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824.md?page=2)