Travel Reading on Bahrain:
Living
in Bahrain by Rhiannon Williamson
The Kingdom of Bahrain basks
in the warm, clear and calm waters of the Persian Gulf and is an incredibly
prosperous and multi cultural country becoming increasingly popular with
professional expatriates seeking well paying employment in a low taxation
country where the standard of living in Bahrain is incredibly high and
the local people are liberal and tolerant towards other cultures.
Bahrain manages to maintain
a relatively neutral foreign policy and because of its general liberalism
it's a great place for Western expatriates to experience a totally new
life abroad. These facts mean that the number of international citizens
living in Bahrain has increased substantially in recent years and directly
contributed to the fact that Bahrain now has the fastest growing economy
in the Arab world.
For anyone considering living
in Bahrain this article is an introduction to the country, the entry requirements
and to living and working in Bahrain.
Citizens of all nations other
than Gulf Cooperation Council countries require a visa to enter Bahrain
with the majority of those moving to live in the Kingdom being sponsored
for their visa by their employer.
The range of visas available
is vast with much depending on whether the applicant has a job offer, is
a spouse or dependent of an employed person in Bahrain, the country the
individual heralds from etc., and therefore those considering travelling
to Bahrain should initially contact their nearest Bahraini embassy or visit
the Kingdom of Bahrain's Ministry of Interior website to find out which
visa they should apply for and how to go about the application process.
The capital city of the Kingdom
of Bahrain is Manama and most expatriates live in and around the capital
and work in one of the Kingdom's main industries which are petroleum production
and processing, IT, telecommunications, hospitality, medicine or banking.
As a result of the popularity of the location, property for sale and rent
in Manama is offered at a premium and those moving to work in Bahrain on
a firm job offer should try and negotiate some money towards their housing
as part of their overall remuneration package.
Unlike in some other Arab
nations foreigners are permitted to own property in Bahrain and because
the economy of the nation is so strong many see investment into property
in Bahrain as a solid move to make.
However for those keen on
living in Bahrain the first step to take is to secure a job offer and then
to rent housing while settling into the Kingdom and ensuring it is right
for them before committing to the purchase of immovable property assets
that can be slow to liquidate should the individual in question decide
to leave the Kingdom.
Finally it's worth noting
that the standard of living enjoyed by westerners living in Bahrain is
incredibly high. As stated Bahrain is a prosperous country and one offering
residents and visitors alike a cosmopolitan destination with exciting nightlife
and incredible shopping! Hence it is of no surprise whatsoever that the
number of international expatriates moving to the Kingdom ever year is
on the increase. |
