Kuwait begins residency transfer for 8,700 Palestinians from travel documents to passports
. . . sets three-month deadline
Residency procedures for Palestinians holding travel documents in Kuwait have entered a new phase, with the Kuwaiti authorities beginning the process of transferring residency permits from travel documents to Palestinian passports.
The General Department of Residency Affairs has notified concerned individuals through the government’s Sahel application to visit the Embassy of the State of Palestine to obtain a Palestinian Authority passport. The passports will then be used to transfer or renew their residency permits instead of the travel documents.
Palestinian Ambassador to Kuwait H.E. Rami Tahboub said the embassy is coordinating with the Kuwaiti authorities to complete the procedures. He said the notifications sent through Sahel are part of the process.
Tahboub said those concerned have been given three months to complete the residency transfer. He estimated that around 8,700 Palestinian travel-document holders are affected, in addition to Palestinians who had already obtained Palestinian passports since their issuance was introduced.
The embassy has begun preparations to handle the expected increase in visitors and facilitate passport issuance and residency transfers in line with the procedures set by the General Department of Residency Affairs.
Tahboub said the embassy has also contacted the Palestinian Ministry of Interior in Ramallah to expedite passport issuance for Palestinians residing in Kuwait, given the document’s importance for residency and travel procedures. He added that the embassy is working on a project to print Palestinian passports in Kuwait, which could reduce the issuance period to a maximum of one week.
According to the Palestinian envoy, the embassy hopes to complete arrangements for the passport-printing project within a month, which would help applicants complete the residency transfer process, particularly those with upcoming travel commitments.
