# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/81 "2008-07-11T01:50:59Z")
What are the chances that some Saudi official is reading this thread? Just curious. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Charogne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@Charogne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charogne)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/82 "2008-07-11T02:28:08Z")
Considering he’s talking bad about our steadfast Saudi allies in the War on Terror, what are the odds that some American official is reading this? Sorry, dude, but did it really take you this long to realize you were working for/with a bunch of assholes? ---
**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 11, 2008, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/83 "2008-07-11T03:05:57Z")
No luck getting deported. A couple of months ago two of our contractor-techs (from Florida) overstayed their visas by a couple of days. So they went to the airport, tickets in hand to leave. They were there illegally, and so … the Saudis would not let them go! This makes no sense at all. In any case, I have changed my plane tickets. Since i was scheduled to fly late tonight, tomorrow counts as Day One of my hostage crisis. ---
**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 11, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/84 "2008-07-11T03:08:07Z")
[QUOTE=mangeorge] What are the chances that some Saudi official is reading this thread? Just curious. [/QUOTE] I’ve wondered that myself. ---
**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 11, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/85 "2008-07-11T03:33:11Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] They were there illegally, and so … the Saudis would not let them go! [/QUOTE] What’s the deal? Is it testosterone poisoning as I perhaps prejudicially find many Arabic actions to be? Perhaps it is paranoid security. I am quite annoyed that the US Embassy people won’t demand that you be allowed to leave. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/86 "2008-07-11T03:41:45Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] In any case, I have changed my plane tickets. Since i was scheduled to fly late tonight, tomorrow counts as Day One of my hostage crisis. [/QUOTE] OK, people, we need a _logo_ here, let’s hop to it! And a catchy title. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/87 "2008-07-11T03:51:14Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] Really? When I was _this_ close of being deported in Kuala Lumpur because the airline sent me to the frigging wrong country (yep, you read that right) the embassy of my country not just helped, the consul himself went to the airport, negotiated my release with the immigration office, drove me to the Thai embassy, lent me some money for the visa fee because I didn´t have the chance to exchange any, took me to the Uruguayan embassy, gave me coffee and cookies and then droped me at a hotel. You should ask, and get more from your consular services. Anyway, good luck on leaving soon. [/QUOTE] I’ve always received good assistance from American Services at the US Embassy here in Bangkok, although I’ve never needed them for an emergency situation. I knew someone who did, though. He fell ill while on a trip here and actually had to have brain surgery! American services were a big help to him. That said, \*\*Paul \*\* is correct. The mission of embassies abroad is primarily to advance the home country’s interests in the host country. Any assistance given to home nationals is a bonus. I suspect the Uruguayan Embassy in Kuala Lumpur may not be quite as busy as a US or UK Embassy and so even more personal assistance could be given. Back in 1994, I met a Vietnamese woman attending a conference I was at in Indonesia. At that time, it was still not common for Vietnamese to leave the country. I learned she transited here in Bangkok, and the Vietnamese Embassy came out to meet her and make sure she got on the correct plane! (No, it did not sound like they were worried she would “defect.” She was so scared at being away that, I later learned, she would cry in her hotel room at night.) I once knew two Brits who were living here because their wives were Foreign Office stationed in the embassy here. They had a lot of weird stories about Brits running out of money in Bangkok, then marching into the embassy and \*demanding \* money for a flight home or a hotel or whatever. An “I pay your salary!” sort of thing. They said it happened all the friggin’ time. I’m sure the US Embassy gets it, too, and so they’re going to be selective about whom to help. And from what I’ve personally been able to gather, the level of assistance at US Embassies differs wildly from country to country. Ours seems to be one of the better ones. (Yet another reason to live in Thailand 🆒 ) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/88 "2008-07-11T03:54:26Z")
I’ve been out of the loop. I thought you had another job lined up. You’re coming back to America? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/89 "2008-07-11T03:57:09Z")
[QUOTE=mangeorge] What are the chances that some Saudi official is reading this thread? Just curious. Peace, mangeorge [/QUOTE] During the street riots and massacres in Bangkok in 1992, _The Nation_, an English-language daily, kept running anti-junta columns by this one Thai writer. A friend of mine asked him later on after everything had settled down if he hadn’t been afraid at the time. The columnist told him, nah, those guys would never read anything in English. ---
**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 11, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/90 "2008-07-11T04:13:59Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] I’ve been out of the loop. I thought you had another job lined up. You’re coming back to America? [/QUOTE] I have to leave, get a new clean passport and then come back in. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/91 "2008-07-11T09:38:29Z")
Really? You’re coming back? Here’s a tip for you - any place that doesn’t let you leave, you don’t go back to. _Ever_. I have to say, Paul, you’re starting to sound a lot like someone in an abusive relationship. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/92 "2008-07-11T10:36:10Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] For the record, I had my Israeli entrance visa stuck to the outside of my passport to make it absolutely clear that I would never have the pleasure of visiting that hellhole (Saudi Arabia). Anything or anyone that has ever been on Israeli soil–including Palestinian refugees, who could really use a home in Saudi Arabia, I bet–is not allowed to enter the country for any reason. Of course, like all of Saudi Arabia’s other laws, the royal family is exempt. (The Israeli customs people are really nice about it, though–they give you the option of carrying your visa separately so that, if the need comes up, you can pretend you’ve never been there.) [/QUOTE] That Israeli sticker will ban you from lots of other countries too, most of the Mid East except maybe Dubai. Also Malaysia. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/93 "2008-07-11T10:42:42Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] I don’t mean to kick you while you’re down, but this is exactly the reason why I’ve never considered voluntarily living under a dictatorship or a theocracy. I always thought something like this would happen to you and I’m sorry to see that it has. [/QUOTE] I see the US as becoming more and more a dictatorship and a theocracy. Living in Dubai has been fine - it is certainly a dictatorship, but I don’t worry about being murdered, mugged etc. The government doesn’t tax me, the city is clean and as long as you are not breaking obvious laws, most people are happy here. The car thing in Saudi makes sense - if you left America and abandoned a car, what would happen to it? They want to be sure all your accounts are settled: PO Box, Cable TV etc. Expats tend to have a reputation of doing “runners” where they simply abandon things and leave others holding the bag. ---
**Author:** ![FarmerChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@FarmerChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FarmerChick)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/94 "2008-07-11T10:47:56Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] Really? You’re coming back? Here’s a tip for you - any place that doesn’t let you leave, you don’t go back to. _Ever_. I have to say, Paul, you’re starting to sound a lot like someone in an abusive relationship. [/QUOTE] What the heck? I really don’t get all the animosity for the Saudis. I have been reading Paul’s adventures since I joined, and it seems to me that he has mainly enjoyed being there. Yes, his current (well ex-current… is that even a word?) job didn’t work out, he was having trouble selling is car when he was luckily hit and the problem was mostly resolved. Paul I’m sorry the paperwork wasn’t filed in time or showed up or whatever the problem is. Here’s hoping it is cleared up for you Monday. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/95 "2008-07-11T10:48:07Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] Really? When I was _this_ close of being deported in Kuala Lumpur because the airline sent me to the frigging wrong country (yep, you read that right) the embassy of my country not just helped, the consul himself went to the airport, negotiated my release with the immigration office, drove me to the Thai embassy, lent me some money for the visa fee because I didn´t have the chance to exchange any, took me to the Uruguayan embassy, gave me coffee and cookies and then droped me at a hotel. You should ask, and get more from your consular services. Anyway, good luck on leaving soon. [/QUOTE] Be happy you are from Uruguay. The Azerbaijani Ambassador to Iran was super nice to me with a long chat, tea and biscuits when my Azeri visa needed changing, and personally endorsed it. No American diplomat has even come close… I try to avoid dealing with them whenever possible. ---
**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 11, 2008, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/96 "2008-07-11T10:57:24Z")
I have the most remarkable luck. I did a job interview today over breakfast. They asked me back to talk to the Director of Studies next week. I would not even have been here next week if not for that glitch. This could double my income. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/97 "2008-07-11T11:02:34Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] I have the most remarkable luck. I did a job interview today over breakfast. They asked me back to talk to the Director of Studies next week. I would not even have been here next week if not for that glitch. This could double my income. [/QUOTE] Yay! What wonderful timing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/98 "2008-07-11T12:59:45Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] American diplomatic personnel are so much better than everyone else. Want proof? Ask one. [/QUOTE] At first I thought I smelt a hint of snark coming from that sentence, but in reality it was smoke from my smoldering Sarcasm-O-Meter. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/99 "2008-07-11T13:23:48Z")
[QUOTE=Desert Nomad] The car thing in Saudi makes sense - if you left America and abandoned a car, what would happen to it? They want to be sure all your accounts are settled: PO Box, Cable TV etc. Expats tend to have a reputation of doing “runners” where they simply abandon things and leave others holding the bag. [/QUOTE] Well, the first time I left the US, I left my accounts settled and/or closed where I could; the car and its payments booklet I gave to a FOAF. Apparently the FOAF didn’t pay, as the repo is in my credit record (maybe not anymore, it took place in 1995). So apparently the cars would get repo’d, at least in the US and not-paid-in-full. Good luck, **Paul**! ---
**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 11, 2008, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824/100 "2008-07-11T13:30:38Z")
Thank you **Nava,** I am really pleased about today’s breakfast job interview. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cannot-leave-saudi-arabia/455824.md?page=6)