Dive permit Saudi Arabia

[abouzeyd]

Hello everyone,
Can anyone tell me if I need a permit to dive in Yanbu and Jeddah or my PADI card is ok ?
If so how to get it ?
I'm a PADI Instructor, can I give course in Saudi ?


Sorry for my english , I'm french and thanks for your help.

Cedric

 

[Searcaigh]

Hi Cedric,

Are you already in Saudi or planning to go there for some reason (work or business trip)?

When I lived in Saudi 18 years ago, dive permits were issued from the Ministry of Fisheries and were free but did require a lot of running around. I am sure things have changed and in any case if diving from private hotel beaches etc., PADI card is fine, but if you want to do some real exploration diving on virgin reefs etc., then I advise investigating what the current situation is once you are on the ground, the local dive shops should be able to advise.

 

[Dave Bevan]

Hi mate. You don't need a Saudi Dive Permit unless you have an iqama (residency permit). Your Padi card and Passport will suffice. I don't think there is a problem with teaching but not sure.

 

[Littlerayray]

Won't you need a visa or work permit if your not from the area u would look into that part personally

 

[Searcaigh]

Hi Dave,

Do the Ministry of Fisheries still issue dive permits?

Here is my last on from 1415-16 Hijira of course (?1997)

 

[Grocio]

I went diving to Jeddah two years ago and permits were not required. Perhaps I was merely asked to show my certification; I don't remember.
Check out the website of Desert Sea Divers; they organise boat dives twice per week.

 

[Searcaigh]

When I lived in Saudi most of my diving was done along the coast outside of Jeddah from the Farasan Islands in the south to practically all the way up to the border with Jordan.

There are frequent coast guard stations all along the coast, and that card along with an attempt to speak Arabic was usually followed by drinking some tea at the CG station for about 20 mins resulting in the freedom to dive anywhere within their jurisdiction most of the time. Kwahjers were still a rarity back then, and it was always good to have something edible to pass on to these guys too, who were stuck in the middle of nowhere with very little for entertainment.

 

[Dave Bevan]

Hi Dave,

Do the Ministry of Fisheries still issue dive permits?

Here is my last on from 1415-16 Hijira of course (?1997)

Hi mate,

Yes I'm not sure who issues them but desert sea divers have a broker that will help you fill the forms in and then queue up for you.

It is linked to your Iqama. So if you aren't a resident (ie working or married to someone working) then you can't get one. However we are talking about Saudi here. It's not exactly a rigid rule system. Depends on their mood.

 

[jacomiranda]

For me is a quite confusing situation. I moved to Jeddah about one month.
There is little or no control for shore divings in all the private beaches from Jeddah. But some dive centers refuse my booking for boat diving, because of I don't have Saudi Dive Permit, and others that accept my bookings, tell me to say to the authorities, every time that they make any inspection of the boat, that I'm a snorkel user.
Most strange, is no Dive Center answer to me how to get this Dive Permit.... And all tell me that PADI's CMAS's or TDI's certification are not recognized in Saudi Arabia. Also the DAN's insurance has no value here. And no-one sells any insurance for divers. Quite bizarre...

 

[Dave Bevan]

You can dive at any of the private residences without a permit at the minute although technically you should have one and could be inspected by the coast guard at any time. I registered for my dive permit by going to Natlus Divers and getting their broker to do it for me. I used my PADI Open Water certification and it has been accepted. I thought DAN was accepted world wide to be honest.