Private sector workers, students to pay 20 dinars residence fees

The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef, has issued the executive regulations for the decree on the law of residence of foreigners, setting detailed conditions and fees for entry visas, visit permits, and residency in Kuwait.

The new regulations are set to come into effect one month after publication in the Official Gazette, on December 23.

Under the new rules, Article 39 outlines the fees for various types of entry visas, residency permits, and associated services provided by the General Directorate of Residence Affairs, reports Al-Rai daily.

A uniform fee of 10 Kuwaiti dinars per month applies to a broad spectrum of entry visas, including work visas for the government and private sectors, domestic workers, business and industrial activities, family reunification, student visas, foreign investors, temporary government contracts, and temporary work in the oil sector, reports Al-Rai daily.

The same monthly fee also applies to different types of visit visas, ranging from government, business, family, and private visits to medical, multiple-entry, tourist, and cultural or sports-related visits. Fees for passage, transport vehicle drivers, and emergency entry visas are similarly set at 10 dinars per month.

Residence permits carry varied fees depending on the category. Government and private sector workers, as well as foreign students and previously illegal residents who have regularized their status, are required to pay 20 dinars annually.

Domestic workers and foreign widows or divorcees with children pay 10 dinars, while foreign partners, investors, and property owners are charged 50 dinars per year. Individuals sponsoring themselves face a higher fee of 500 dinars per year.

Family reunification fees also vary according to the relationship and category. Spouses and children of government or private sector workers and students are charged 20 dinars, while fees rise to 40 dinars for foreign partners, investors, property owners, and religious figures.

Residents who sponsor themselves are subject to 100 dinars, while family reunification for relatives beyond spouses and children carries a fee of 300 dinars. Special considerations are made for children of Kuwaiti citizens acquired through maternal naturalization, spouses of citizens, and foreign children of Kuwaiti nationals.

Temporary stay, departure notices, and visit extensions carry additional fees, ranging from five to ten dinars per month depending on the category.

Several categories are exempted from certain fees, including spouses of citizens, parents of Kuwaiti children, and domestic workers sponsored by Kuwaiti families.

The executive regulations aim to standardize the residency and visa process, ensuring clarity, efficiency, and fairness in line with Kuwait’s broader immigration policies.

By defining detailed fees and conditions for entry, residence, and family reunification, the new system is expected to streamline procedures for foreigners while maintaining regulatory compliance across all sectors.