The Logic of It

To get a new residency permit, you need a valid work contract.
To get a valid work contract, you need a valid work permit.
To get a valid work permit, you need a valid residency permit.

You get the drift?

Now they all have to be in pristine condition, it seems.

The man at the Ministry of Work deemed the residency permit (that needed renewal) to be unclear. “It looks washed.”

He therefore did not give out the yellow paper needed at the General Security to start the paperwork for the new residency permit.
So back to the General Security, to get a stamp that indicates that they think the old residency permit is clear.
They do not do that kind of stuff at the Office of the General Security, so they will start an investigation, which would indicate – after two weeks – that the old residency permit needs to be replaced, and you get a new ‘old’ residency permit. And that one is definitely clear, as it is brand new. Expired, mind you, but brand new.
With this new ‘old and expired’ residency permit you can then go the Ministry of Work, where they will give the yellow paper, and with this yellow paper you go back to the Office of the General Security, where they will finally start the paperwork for the new residency permit.

I’ve tried to have them explain the logic to me.
“Logic? What logic?” said the first officer (I swear I am not making up his words)
They sent me to the lieutenant, who sent me to the captain who sent me to the colonel.

“She’s a woman, ya’ani,” the captain said politely. “Maybe she can explain it better to you.”
“Maybe we can relate better, is that what you’re saying?” I asked him.
He smiled.
The colonel did not.
She took one tired look at me, and said to the captain in Arabic: “What does she want? It’s almost one o’clock, I want to go home. You explain whatever it is that needs to be explained.”

And so we were all at a loss for words. (Get that fixer on the line again).