Kuwait introduces new residency fees and rules for expat families

Kuwait City: Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior, through the General Directorate of Residency Affairs, has announced a broad overhaul of residency procedures and fees affecting expatriates with family links to Kuwaiti citizens.

According to the Gulf News, the revisions form part of wider immigration reforms aimed at tightening oversight of long-standing dependent visa arrangements and standardising how permits are issued.

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.

Widows and divorcees of Kuwaiti citizens are also eligible for residency under Article 28, at the same annual rate and subject to approval by the Ministry.

Family coverage has been expanded under Article 27, which now grants fee-free residency permits to maternal uncles and aunts of Kuwaiti citizens.

The inclusion of extended relatives reflects an effort to broaden support for close family members, even as parts of the system are tightened.

However, costs rise in other categories.

Parents of expatriates now fall under Article 29, and those with expired residency permits are required to attend their local residency department in person to secure an initial renewal, paying a one-time fee of 300 KWD. Subsequent renewals can be completed online at the same cost, reflecting a stricter approach to long-standing family sponsorships.

Meanwhile, separate regulations are being prepared for foreign property owners and investors, who will fall under a new article in the residency law with its own fee structure.  That framework is currently under finalisation, officials said.

Across all categories, the Ministry has stressed that applicants must meet stringent Ministry conditions as part of an immigration reform agenda.