Kuwait to Resume Family Visa Issuance After Two-Year Suspension

In a significant move, Kuwait's interior ministry has announced the resumption of issuing family visas for expatriates starting tomorrow, January 28th, following directives from Deputy Prime Minister, Defense Minister, and Acting Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah.

The decision marks the end of a nearly two-year suspension aimed at regulating visas and reducing the number of expats in the country.

Under the updated regulations, expatriates applying for dependent visas for their wives and children must now have a monthly salary of at least KD 800, an increase from the previous KD 600 requirement. Additionally, applicants are required to be university graduates, and their employment in Kuwait should align with their university specializations, according to a statement from the interior ministry.

The suspension of family visa issuance was part of Kuwait's broader plan to manage and control the number of expatriates, who make up over two-thirds of the country's population of 4.5 million.

Several months ago, the interior ministry partially lifted the ban by allowing expat couples working in Kuwait to sponsor their children aged five and below.