Kuwait sets 800 dinars minimum salary cap for ‘family reunification’

The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef, has issued the executive regulations for the decree on the residence law for foreigners, outlining the conditions and fees for all types of entry visas, as well as visit and residency permits.

Under Article 22, an expatriate who wants to bring his family to stay with him in Kuwait must have a minimum monthly salary of 800 dinars. The salary is assessed based on the profession tied to the individual’s residency permit.

However, the Director General of the General Department of Residence Affairs may grant exceptions for applicants already in Kuwait, children under five born abroad to resident parents, or those born within the country.

Nine professional categories are exempt from this salary requirement, provided their job aligns with their academic qualifications. These include legal researchers in the government sector; university and higher-education faculty; teachers, mentors, social workers and psychologists in the public sector; engineers; mosque imams, preachers, muezzins and Quran memorizers; employees of the Ministry of Health and military authorities, including pharmacists, nurses, paramedics and other medical technicians; journalists and correspondents with international news agencies; government-affiliated sports players and coaches; and workers responsible for preparing and burying the deceased, reports Al-Anba daily.

The regulations also outline circumstances for administrative deportation. Article 38 permits deportation even with valid residency if the foreigner has no lawful income, works for another employer without official authorization, or if the Interior Minister deems deportation necessary for public interest, security or morals.

Deportation may also occur upon conviction for felonies, crimes of dishonesty, or in cases involving multiple criminal judgments within a five-year period.

Provisions for converting a visit visa into regular residency are detailed in Article 16. Conversion is allowed for visitors holding government visit visas, provided they have university degree or technical qualifications and receive approval from the Residency Affairs Directorate.

It is also permitted for domestic workers, family members on visit visas, individuals who entered on a work visa but left under compelling circumstances within one month, and additional cases approved by the Director General.

The regulations allow visit visas to be extended for up to three months at a time, not exceeding a total of one year. Renewal applications must be submitted before expiry, and visitors are required to leave the country once their visa lapses unless an extension is granted.

Article 7 sets out conditions for long-term residency permits. Ordinary residency may be issued for up to five years. A ten-year residency may be granted to foreign children of Kuwaiti citizens, expatriates who own property in Kuwait, and other categories determined by the Interior Minister.

Foreign investors governed by Law No. 116 of 2013 may receive residency for up to fifteen years subject to Cabinet guidelines.

All residency permits require valid health insurance, and the period granted cannot exceed the duration of the insurance policy.

The Executive Regulations clarify that residency duration is not tied to passport validity. Applicants must ensure their passport is valid for at least six months at the time of application, and residency ends when its purpose ends, even if its official term has not yet expired. Residency may be transferred between employers or changed from one category to another according to established procedures.

Parents of newborns in Kuwait have four months from the date of birth to present a passport or travel document to the Residence Affairs Department in order to obtain residency for the child or arrange for departure.

The regulations further define the number of domestic workers allowed per household. Families of six members or fewer may employ up to three domestic workers.

Those with more than six members may hire four, and families exceeding nine members may employ up to five. Additional workers may be approved for households with family members with disabilities, upon submission of official documentation.

For specific categories listed in earlier articles, the limit is two domestic workers. In all cases, the Director General retains the authority to approve additional hires based on family size, age distribution, housing type, income and other relevant considerations.

These comprehensive regulations reflect Kuwait’s efforts to modernize its residency system, ensure transparency and support demographic stability while preserving humanitarian and social considerations.