The Ministry of Interior issued a ministerial decision amending the executive regulations of the aliens residence law that adds exemptions from the rule barring foreigners from remaining outside Kuwait for more than six months. The decision, published on September 5, 2026, extends the exemption to children of Kuwaiti women who did not acquire citizenship through their mother’s marriage, property owners, qualifying investors and those granted residency under the new provisions for individuals whose Kuwaiti citizenship was withdrawn. A report by Times Kuwait on the decision detailed how the amendment modifies Cabinet Decision No. 2249 of 2025 to include these additional groups while maintaining the core six-month limit for other residents.
The ministerial decision allows eligible individuals whose Kuwaiti citizenship was withdrawn under Article 4 to receive residency permits of up to 10 years upon return to their original or another nationality. According to the text of the decision, the Director General of the General Department of Residency Affairs will specify the conditions and controls for granting and renewing such permits and authorise work in Kuwait under applicable rules. The amendment explicitly lists these individuals among those exempt from the six-month absence restriction, provided their residency remains valid.
Public Authority for Civil Information figures place Kuwait’s expatriate population at approximately 3.3 million, forming the majority of the workforce in multiple sectors and highlighting the potential scope of procedural changes to residency rules. The ministerial decision also sets specific fees for family joining, charging 10 dinars for spouses, children, mothers and fathers while setting 300 dinars for other relatives. Separate provisions apply to Gulf nationals who lost and regained their original nationality, aligning their family-joining fees with standard rates.
The Directorate General of Residency Affairs will determine precise implementation details for the new exemptions, including documentation requirements for property owners and investors under Law No. 116 of 2013. A Times Kuwait summary of the decision noted that the changes also exempt domestic workers sponsored by eligible families from certain restrictions while preserving overall regulatory oversight. The amendment forms part of ongoing adjustments to residency frameworks that the Ministry of Interior has introduced through successive cabinet decisions since 2025.
According to the ministerial decision, the updated Article 37 now clearly enumerates all exempted categories from the six-month absence limit to prevent ambiguity in application at residency offices. The text specifies that the exemption applies as long as the residence permit remains valid and the individual meets any additional conditions set by the director general. This clarification aims to standardise procedures across departments handling expatriate residency transactions nationwide.
