Six-month absence rule does not apply to wives who amended status after nationality withdrawal

The wives of Kuwaiti citizens who have amended their legal status by reverting to their original nationalities, following the withdrawal of the nationality they previously held under Article 8, are not subject to the provisions of Article 37 of the executive regulations of the Foreigners’ Residence Law, which relates to absence from the country for more than six months.

Informed sources have confirmed to Al-Rai that Article 37 does not apply to women who have corrected their status and returned to their previous nationalities, as they are legally treated as “wives of Kuwaiti citizens.”

Accordingly, they are issued civil identification cards valid for five years and do not hold residency permits. As a result, they are not subject to the Foreigners’ Residence Law or its executive regulations, but rather fall under a special legal framework.

The sources stressed that this measure applies exclusively to wives who voluntarily initiated the process of amending their status and returning to their original nationalities.

It does not extend to all individuals whose nationality was withdrawn, noting that each case is assessed separately in accordance with the applicable legal procedures.

They further clarified that Article 37 of the executive regulations stipulates that a foreigner holding a residency permit may not remain outside the country for more than six months, except in three specific cases: children of a Kuwaiti woman who do not acquire Kuwaiti nationality through marriage to a Kuwaiti citizen; property owners; and individuals granted investor residency under Law No. 116 of 2013, provided they meet the criteria set by the Cabinet.

According to the sources, the wives of Kuwaiti citizens who have amended their legal status do not fall under Article 37 or its listed exceptions, as they are not part of the residency system in the first place.