Over 120,000 Expat Offenders Will Benefit From Kuwait's Amnesty For Visa Violators

The Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Acting Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yousef Al-Sabah has issued a decision to grant a grace period from March 17, 2024 to June 17, 2024 to expatriates who violate the residency law and its executive regulations. This decision was taken on the occasion of the month of Ramadan and coincides with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s assumption of the reins of power, consolidating the humanitarian role of the State of Kuwait at all levels and fulfilling its lofty mission as a center for humanitarian work. In a press statement, the Ministry of Interior announced that violators of the residency law will be allowed to pay the relevant fines and amend their status during the aforementioned grace period from March 17, 2024 to June 17, 2024 as per the controls and procedures regulating the process.

Those unable to pay the fines or amend their status during the grace period can leave the country at any of the country’s ports designated for that purpose without paying any fines and will be allowed to return through new procedures. Violators of the residency law who have administrative or judicial obstacles must apply to the Directorate General of Residency Affairs to determine the availability of the requirements for obtaining residency by the legal provisions and rules established within the specified period.

The ministry affirmed that such a decision was taken on the occasion of the blessed month of Ramadan and coinciding with the assumption of the reins of the country by His Highness the Amir of the country Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah and to consolidate the humanitarian role known to the State of Kuwait at all levels and in fulfillment of its lofty mission as a center for humanitarian work. Those who are in violation of the residency law and do not amend their status or leave the country within the aforementioned grace period will be subject to the legally prescribed penalties. They will not be permitted to stay, and will be deported from the country as well as blacklisted.

In a related context, security sources revealed that the Residency Affairs departments in the six governorates have taken all necessary preparations to complete the procedures for amending the status of violators of the residency law who wish to amend their legal status. They stressed that violators are required to pay the relevant fines, which reach a maximum of KD 600. Sources indicated that the number of expatriates who will be included in this decision is estimated to be more than 120,000. Last year, the ministry was able to deport 42,000 violators of the residency law who are not entitled to return to the country.

By Munif Naif and Saud Al-Farhan

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

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