Kuwait Halts Amnesty for Visa Violators and Resumes Expat Deportation

The Ministry of Interior in Kuwait has halted the recent decision allowing expatriates with residency law violations predating 2020 to pay fines and regularize their status. The decision, which was announced last week, has been suspended, leading to a change in plans for expatriates seeking to amend their residency status.

Continuous Deportation Practices

The ministry remains committed to its ongoing strategy of deporting residency violators from the country. This approach, consistent over the past period, aims to maintain the integrity of residency regulations. Since the beginning of this week, residency affairs departments in all six governorates have recorded the presence of approximately 2,000 residency violators eager to amend their status by paying fines amounting to KD600 for each individual.

Cancellation of Previous Resolution

The decision to suspend the option for residency amendment comes with the cancellation of Resolution number 288 issued in 2020 during the COVID-19 crisis. This resolution outlined rules for deporting foreigners without valid residence permits or whose permits had expired. The new decision, embodied in Ministerial Decision No. 26/2024, explicitly cancels Resolution No. 288/2020.

Exclusions and Fines for Violators

While violators of various types of visas, such as family visits, are excluded from the opportunity to amend their status, those who violated the Residency Law can still do so by paying fines. The maximum fine imposed is KD600. Last year's security campaigns led to the apprehension of approximately 43,000 residency law violators, and a directive for their deportation was issued. With this recent decision, around 120,000 violators of the Residency Law stand to benefit by being allowed to amend their status.