Kuwait new residency rules for citizenship withdrawn cases

Kuwait has introduced a new residency framework that allows some people whose Kuwaiti citizenship was withdrawn to obtain regular residence permits for up to 10 years, according to Al Seyassah newspaper.

The changes were issued under Ministerial Decision No. 1410 of 2026, which amends the executive regulations of the Foreigners’ Residency Law under Ministerial Decision No. 2249 of 2025. The decision was published in the official gazette, Kuwait Al Youm, and is effective from the date of publication.

The new Article 7 bis applies to people whose Kuwaiti citizenship was withdrawn under Clause 4 of Article 13 of Amiri Decree No. 15 of 1959. It also covers those who gained citizenship through dependency and were included in the withdrawal decision, if they have returned to their original foreign nationality or obtained another nationality.

Eligible people may receive regular residency for up to 10 years.

The Director General of the General Department of Residency Affairs will decide the conditions for issuing and renewing these permits. The department will also set the rules for work authorisation in Kuwait.

Annual Residency Fees Waived

People granted residency under Article 7 bis will be exempt from annual residency fees.

The decision adds this new category to the residency fee schedule under Article 39 and lists the annual charge for Article 7 bis holders as exempt.

This creates a clear legal residency path for people affected by citizenship withdrawal who later obtained another nationality.

Six-Month Absence Rule Updated

The decision also changes the rules on how long residents can stay outside Kuwait.

In general, foreign residents are not allowed to remain outside the country for more than six months. However, the updated Article 37 expands the groups that are exempt from this rule.

These include some foreign children of Kuwaiti women, property owners in Kuwait, investors holding residency under Law No. 116 of 2013 who meet the conditions approved by the Council of Ministers, and people granted residency under the new Article 7 bis.

Other foreign residents with valid permits may also get permission to stay abroad for more than six months, depending on the conditions set by the General Department of Residency Affairs. Their residency must stay valid during the absence period.

Four-Month Limit for Domestic Workers

Domestic workers follow a different rule.

A domestic worker with Kuwaiti residency may stay outside the country for no more than four months, unless a longer absence is approved by the General Department of Residency Affairs before the four-month period ends.

Without this approval, the worker loses the right to the residency permit.

KD10 Residency Fee for Immediate Family

The amendments also set family residency fees for relatives of people covered under the new rules.

A fee of KD10 per person per year will apply to family residency for a spouse, children, father, or mother of people holding residency under Article 7 bis.

The same fee applies to the immediate family of a Gulf national whose Kuwaiti citizenship was withdrawn under the relevant provision and who later returned to his or her original nationality.

For other relatives outside these immediate family categories, the residency fee will be KD300 per person per year.

Domestic workers sponsored by people covered by the new rules will be charged the same rates applied to domestic workers sponsored by Kuwaiti families.

The decision was issued by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah and is dated September 2, 2026.