The number of expatriates whose residency permits expired as they were stranded outside the country due to their presence outside the country as a consequence of the Coronavirus, reached 182,393 expats during the period from 12, March, 2020 till 10 January, 2021, Al Jarida daily reported, quoting Director-General of Residency Affairs, Brigadier General Hamad Al-Tawalah. Regarding the amnesty deadline for violators to become legal, he revealed to the daily that the number of violators who benefited from it between April until December 31 reached 69,427 violators.
He pointed out that the number of residency violators is constantly decreasing since the transfer to online services and the amnesty period to allow violators to amend their status.
With respect to the fate of expatriates on expired residency visas stranded outside the country, he stated that their sponsors must obtain the approval of the committee to issue entry visas for them, and when they enter the country, they can be granted the required residency visas under their sponsorship.
Many expats were unable to return to the country before their visa expired because of the circumstances affecting the country with the threat of the coronavirus, which forced the airlines to limit incoming flights. In addition, the Council of Ministers issued a decision where visas of all kinds for all nationalities from other countries cannot be issued except after the approval of the Ministerial Committee for Corona Emergencies.
The daily reported that with regard to expatriates with valid residency visas and whose period of absence from Kuwait exceeded 6 months outside the country, he explained that coordination has been made between “Residency Affairs” and “Information Systems” to suspend work for six months after which the residency is forfeited for those outside the country if it ends, and therefore they may only enter the country during their residency validity period, even if their stay outside the country exceeds 6 months.
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