Kuwait Gives Expats One Month to Comply With Salary Rule

Kuwait is now strictly enforcing new rules for expat family visas, giving many foreign residents just 30 days to fix their residency status or send their families home.

In recent weeks, Kuwait’s Residence Affairs Investigations Department has launched a campaign targeting expats who no longer meet the minimum salary requirement of KD 800 ($2,610) for sponsoring their spouses and children under the Article 22 family visa.

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Many of these residents initially earned enough to qualify for family visas but later saw their salaries drop due to job changes or reduced income. Now, they've been ordered to either regularize their status within a month or send their dependents back to their home countries.

What Changed?

This move follows Ministerial Resolution No. 56 of 2024, introduced by Sheikh Fahad Yousef Al Sabah, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Interior. The rule originally required expats to:

• Earn a minimum of KD 800 per month
• Hold a university degree
• Work in a profession that matches their qualifications

However, a July 2024 amendment dropped the education requirement. Still, the income threshold remains the key condition for sponsoring family members.

Why the KD 800 Rule?

According to officials, the KD 800 benchmark is based on socio-economic research and is meant to ensure expats can provide a decent standard of living for their families in Kuwait.

“The goal isn’t to launch a blanket crackdown,” said a source familiar with the policy. “It’s about ensuring compliance using automated systems that cross-check salary, employment, and visa data.”

Are Family Visas Still Open?

Yes. The Interior Ministry clarified that family visas are still open to all expats, regardless of their nationality or education, as long as they meet the salary requirement.

However, under Article 29, you also need to be working in a job that matches your declared profession. There are some exceptions, children under five or those born in Kuwait may still be eligible, pending approval from the Director General of Residency Affairs.

What Expats Need to Do

If you’re currently sponsoring your family in Kuwait but don’t meet the KD 800 salary, you have 30 days to either:

• Get your status in line with the new rules, or
• Arrange for your family to return to your home country
• Failing to do either could result in penalties or deportation.