Kuwait announces two-day public holiday

Kuwait City: Kuwait’s Cabinet has declared a two-day public holiday for government institutions to celebrate the 65th National Day and the 35th Liberation Day.

Combined with the weekend, the decision grants most public sector employees a four-day holiday.

The announcement followed the weekly Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al Abdullah Al Sabah.

According to the decision, work at all ministries, government agencies, public authorities, and public institutions will be suspended on Wednesday and Thursday, February 25 and 26. Official working hours will resume on Sunday, March 1.

Authorities noted that entities with special operational requirements will determine their own holiday schedules to ensure the continuity of essential services and safeguard the public interest.

In a separate development, Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior, through the General Directorate of Residency Affairs, announced comprehensive changes to residency procedures and fees impacting expatriates who have family ties to Kuwaiti citizens.

Under the updated system, spouses and children of expatriates will now be processed under Article 22 of the residency law and must comply fully with existing Ministry regulations and eligibility criteria.

The change replaces previously fragmented practices with a more uniform and strictly enforced framework.

Different rules apply to spouses and widows of Kuwaiti nationals.

Wives of Kuwaiti men, as well as husbands of Kuwaiti women, have been reclassified under Article 26.

Both groups will be charged an annual fee of 15 Kuwaiti dinars (KWD) per case, regardless of gender.