In a humanitarian gesture and to avoid hardships to expatriates who are outside the country and cannot re-enter, due to ongoing flight bans and other entry restrictions imposed to control the spread of COVID-19, Kuwait will extend their visas if they are about to expire.
The Ministry of Interior has announced measures to ensure they maintain the validity of their visas.
MoI has stated that sponsors can renew the residencies for their domestic helpers stranded in countries at the residency affairs department.
Sponsors or company representatives can visit the Public Authority for Manpower to renew the work visas provided they present a valid passport copy for their employees with visa 18 statuses. Sponsors may renew residency of family members, who are outside the country, by showing they have valid passports, and visiting the residency affairs department.
For an expat, who is out of the country, and sponsoring his family, his wife and children will be granted temporary residency in accordance with the mentioned rules and conditions. The government has also decided to extend all visit visas issued for a period of two months and extend the leave of absence outside the country for a further period of three months from the end of the existing six-month period.
These measures can be availed by citizens in the following countries: Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria and Thailand.