In most of Europe and North America you would never put your nationality or visa details on a CV. In Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the wider Gulf, recruiters often need them to decide quickly whether they can hire you. Including the right details, in the right way, can move you to the interview list faster.
Why Gulf recruiters ask
- Hiring speed and cost. A candidate already in the country with a transferable iqama or residence visa can often start sooner and costs less to hire than someone who needs a new visa.
- Nationalisation targets. Programmes such as Saudization and Emiratisation set targets for employing citizens in many sectors, so nationality can affect which roles an employer can fill with whom.
- Location rules. Some roles require candidates who are already in the country.
What to include, and how to word it
Keep these details short, in a small "Personal details" line under your contact details:
- Nationality: "Nationality: Pakistani" or "Nationality: Saudi".
- Iqama (Saudi Arabia): "Valid iqama, transferable" or "Iqama valid until 2027". Only write "transferable" if it truly is.
- UAE visa: "UAE residence visa (employment)", "Golden Visa", "Spouse visa, can work" or "Requires employment visa".
- Location: "Riyadh, Saudi Arabia" or "Lahore, Pakistan, willing to relocate".
- Notice period: "Available immediately" or "30 days' notice".
- Driving licence: "Saudi driving licence" or "UAE driving licence", if the role involves driving or site visits.
When to leave them out
- When you apply for jobs outside the Gulf. In the UK, EU, US, Canada and Australia these details can lead to bias and are usually not expected. Mention the right to work only if the posting asks.
- When the posting asks you not to include personal details.
- When a detail is not true or not yet certain. Never claim a transferable iqama or a visa you do not have; it will be checked.
Details such as religion, marital status, number of children and passport number are not needed on a CV in any market. Share them only if an employer formally requests them later in the process.
One CV, different markets
If you apply both inside and outside the Gulf, keep these details in a separate, optional section. Show it for Gulf applications and hide it for others.
Choose per CV in Careers Analyst
In Careers Analyst you add your nationality, visa or iqama status, notice period and driving licence once, then decide for each CV whether they appear. Choose Saudi Arabia, the UAE or the GCC as your market and the format follows. See also our Saudi CV format and UAE CV format guides.
Put it into practice with your own CV
Upload your CV, add a job, and see how you match before you apply.