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08/01/2026

04/01/2026

Residency Law Changes in Kuwait: Key Articles for Workers, Students, and Foreign Spouses..

The Director of Jahra Residency Affairs, Colonel Turki Al-Saadoun confirmed that the new Foreign Residency Law has introduced Article 21, concerning foreign investors, and Article 25 for foreign property owners in Kuwait, alongside the reorganization of several other provisions.
He explained that Article 20 is designated for domestic workers, Article 22 for family reunification (spouse, wife, children), Article 23 for student residency for those enrolled at Kuwait University, and Article 24 for individuals with a known source of income (self-sponsored).
Meanwhile, Article 26 applies to a Kuwaiti citizen’s foreign spouse, Article 27 to children of citizens who are foreigners, Article 28 to the widow or ex-wife of a citizen who has children from him, and Article 29 to the sponsorship of foreign nationals other than a spouse or children, such as by a mother, brother, or sister, under specific conditions and regulations.
He added that Article 30 is for retired military personnel residing illegally whose status has been regularized, while Article 31 concerns religious and Husayniyah personnel.
He emphasized that working for a company or person while being employed by another entity is considered a legal violation, punishable by deportation.
He confirmed that there are specific requirements for a work visa, issued through the Public Authority for Manpower, including a valid passport with at least six months’ validity. Residency is linked not to passport validity but to health insurance, in addition to passing a medical examination, providing a criminal record free of convictions, and submitting biometric fingerprints.
For tourist visas, applications are submitted via the “Kuwait Visa” platform.
Regarding family visits, conditions include having relatives residing in the country, with a stay of one month that may extend up to three months, depending on the case.
For a family reunification visa, a minimum monthly salary of 800 KD is required for sponsoring a wife and children only.
He also highlighted some obstacles that may prevent residency renewal for certain expatriates, including incomplete or unmonitored procedures on the “Sahel” platform, the need for a new medical examination or updated fingerprints, and existing enforcement orders against the sponsor, which may hinder the renewal process.
In conclusion, he confirmed that expatriates may change their residency type from Article 18 to Article 20, such as transferring a worker to become a driver or a domestic worker under the sponsor’s personal sponsorship, through the General Directorate of Residency Affairs and in accordance with applicable regulations. #الكويت