One of the secondary reasons for visiting Dammam was to renew my business visa. Saudi Arabia is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway. It is a 25km long dual carriageway road with a man-made island in the middle where both the Saudi’s and Bahraini’s have their respective customs and immigration stations. My plan was to have Ghaleb drive me across the causeway to Bahrain and immediately return thereby fulfilling the visa renewal requirements. Unfortunately it didn’t quite work out that way.
There is a toll to use the causeway and I hadn’t realised this until Ghaleb missed the entrance ramp. I was able to see the toll booths as we passed them on a slip road. Fortunately I noticed another entrance ramp further ahead and was able to direct Ghaleb onto it. The toll fee was SAR$20. (approximately £1.50)
The causeway has one high concrete arch bridge on the Saudi side which allows shipping to pass between the island nation of Bahrain and the coast of Saudi Arabia. You can see it in the distance in the photo below.
As you approached the artificial island you realise it is rather large. The Saudi side has a park, mosque and various fast food outlets.
Time being critical, we didn’t stop but immediately joined the long queues of vehicle in front of the customs booths. Ghaleb joined all the other Saudi drivers in the usual local habit of ‘lane hopping’ in an effort to move faster. Eventually we arrived at the booth where the customs office ask for something in Arabic. Ghaleb, rummaged through the papers in the glove box before handing over an A4 size document with the Al Mobty letterhead. A further exchange of Arabic resulted in the boom being raised and we were through. I thought we were going to head to the Immigration booths beyond but Ghaleb fought his way across the queues of traffic to a small alley. My optimism dropped when I noticed the sign by the alley stated in English “Rejected Vehicles”. The alley took us to the Saudi inwards customs checkpoint where Ghaleb attempted to converse with one of the customs officials. I also tried to find out what had happened but was immediately put in my place with the comment “No English”. The result of this was within an hour of arriving at the border we found ourselves facing back towards Saudi Arabia and no visa renewal.
Not wanting to give up, I decided to see if I could get my passport visa renewed without having to cross into Bahrain. Walking back to the customs office I found all the officials gossiping (as they do) in one office. They directed me to the immigration office further towards Bahrain. No one attempted to stop me, so I walked through the customs area to the immigration office. There I found a number of people milling around waiting for service from the immigration officials who were spending much of their time attempting to look official and busy (as they do) but actually doing nothing. This office was partitioned by a glass wall and I could see people on the other side attempting to enter Saudi Arabia. Eventually one official asked me what I wanted and I explained I needed to renew my visa by having the passport stamped with an exit and entry stamp. “Wait!”
After some time an Indian businessman who was in the queue behind me asked me what I was attempting to do. Apparently he had the same issue with his car. However he had an advantage as he spoke Arabic. This was an acquaintance I needed to keep! Eventually the Saudi immigration officer told me I couldn’t get my passport stamped and I would need to take a taxi to Bahrain and return. It all seemed damned stupid to me. My passport had been passed between the exit and entry side of the office and they could have stamped it. But it’s their country! My new found indian friend then suggested we share a taxi. Sounded good to me and as he spoke the language I followed him. We went back to the park at the Saudi entrance to the island and started looking for a taxi. My indian friend got into a heated discussion with a Saudi and I could see they were negotiating. Obviously the price wasn’t right because my new friend went searching for another taxi. The first driver followed him attempting to stop any other driver from offering a lower price. Eventually a police car came by and the officer called out the window. I thought we were being given a rocket but the indian waved and headed towards the car rental offices. The end result was he negotiated a rental car and driver for SAR$200 ($100 each, about £14). He then explained to me that the first taxi driver wanted SAR$350 each. Well I suppose if you can get a gullible tourist why not rip him off.
Our driver joined the queue at the customs point and did the usual ‘lane hopping’. The customs office barely looked at the car (it’s probably so familiar) and we were through to the immigration queue. Our passports were passed out the driver’s window to the official and he stamped them without even being able to see us in the back of the car! Instead of heading to the Bahraini immigration station the driver did a hard left turn ducking down a narrow alleyway to arrive at the Saudi inbound immigration queue. Our passports were again stamped without the officer looking at us. Then we drove on further to the customs station where, after a brief inspection, we were waved through. So for an additional SAR$100 and an extra 45 minutes I now have a renewed visa.
Two things stick in my mind from this incident.
1. It would have been much simpler if the Saudi officials had just stamped my passport in the office. They didn’t and I was forced to hire the rental car. The fact that there is a rental agency there with drivers suggests this isn’t an infrequent occurrence. Someone is making money!
2. It appeared to be remarkable easy to walk past all the customs and immigration stations. I suspect this is due to 100% of users travelling by vehicle and the lethargic attitude of the officials. I also suspect if one wore the ‘right’ clothing (eg, road sweeper) with safety vest it would be possible to walk from one end of the island to the other.
As Ghaleb drove me back across the causeway towards Dammam it was possible to see the number of major contruction project that have ground to a halt through lack of labour. This major marina complex at the Saudi end of the causeway stands empty.
The marina foreshore with the skeleton of the complex behind
Half built and now standing idle waiting for a workforce to complete it!
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