Expats who traveled outside the country on September 1, 2019, will be permitted to return to Kuwait despite spending time abroad for more than six months, reports Al-Seyassah daily. The decision to grant the exception to expats was made in light of the exceptional circumstances due to suspension of activities at the airport, as a move against the coronavirus pandemic.
The daily said, quoting sources, the Directorate- General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued the circular following a decision issued by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior to allow expatriates from abroad to enter Kuwait on a valid residency permit. All airlines operating at the Kuwait International Airport were given instructions to that effect.
The residency permits of expats is automatically cancelled if an expatriate remains outside the country for more than six months, unless he/she proves that he/she was given permission to remain outside the country.
However, the number of expats whose residency visa permits have expired while stranded outside the country has increased to around 75 000, because they failed to renew their visas online through the Ministry of Interior’s (MoI) website, reports Al Rai daily. The expats or their sponsors are responsible for not renewing their residency visas through the MoI website that allowed them the opportunity to do so, taking into account all legal and humanitarian aspects, said the daily.
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