kuwait family visit visa news

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KUWAIT: Official sources revealed that the Ministry of Interior will issue new conditions regarding family visas at the end of this year. Family visas have been suspended for over a year ago, in implementation of ministerial directives to re-evaluate the mechanisms for their issuance and applying new mechanisms that prevent visitors overstaying their permit. Sources told Kuwait Times they expect the new conditions to be publicized in December.

“The new mechanism is almost ready and will be submitted to the Minister of Interior Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled in the coming period,” sources said. “It will include a granting a special card to the visitor and mandating the visitor gets health insurance, whether they are a son, daughter, or parent of a child older than 16 years old or a parent and their child.”

Visas won’t be issued for a resident’s brother or sister, sources said. They added that the health insurance fee could reach up to KD 500 and the visit period can’t exceed one month. “Fees for issuing a visit visa could increase by 100 percent from what was applied in the past,” sources added.

The new conditions include that the applicant promises that a visitor leaves the country immediately after the end of the visit period. If they do not leave, the resident who applied for their visa will be legally accountable and subjected to financial and administrative punishment, including permanently banning them from issuing a visit visa, sources said.

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Every Thing You Should Know About Family Or Dependent Visa

Kuwait's New Regulations for Expatriate Family Reunions and Dependent Visas

Introduction.

The Kuwait Ministry of Interior has recently announced significant amendments to its policies regarding expatriate family reunions and dependent visas. These changes reflect Kuwait's commitment to a structured residency system, considering the diverse professional and familial backgrounds of its expatriate community.

Revised Criteria for Family Reunions

Fahd Al-Yousef, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Acting Minister of Interior, has enacted new rules under Ministerial Resolution 957 from 2019, focusing on the regular residency for family reunification.

Primary Sponsorship Regulations

• In Kuwait, the father is typically the primary sponsor for his spouse and children. To qualify as a sponsor, the father must earn a minimum of 800 Kuwaiti dinars per month, hold a university degree, and work in a profession that aligns with his qualifications.
• On Jan 31st - In response to this, a pivotal meeting was convened, attended by directors and assistants of these departments, along with Brigadier Ali Al-Adwani, the acting General Director of Residence Affairs. The central focus of the meeting was to elucidate the newly established conditions. According to the outcomes, the inclusion of dependents, as outlined in Article 22 (Family/Dependent visa), is now restricted to wives and children only. Furthermore, it is mandated that the husband's minimum salary should amount to 800 dinars, and the age of eligible children should not exceed 14 years.

Special Exemptions for Children

• Children born in Kuwait or abroad to parents working in Kuwait, who are under fourteen years old, are exempted from the new salary rule. This decision is grounded in humanitarian considerations.

Educational and Professional Alignment

• Sponsors applying for the visa must ensure their employment matches their university degree. This requirement underscores the government's emphasis on professional and educational congruency in family reunification cases.

Sponsorship by Mothers

• Mothers can sponsor their children on dependent or family visas if their salary meets the KD 800 cap as mentioned on the work permit. This provision applies in cases where the husband is deceased, divorced, or has permanently left the country, leaving his family behind.

Professions Exempted from Degree Requirement

The following professions, listed in Article 30 of Ministerial Resolution No. 957/2019, are exempt from the university degree requirement:

• Legal professionals in the government sector.
• Medical professionals, including doctors and pharmacists.
• Academic staff in higher education.
• Education professionals in government schools.
• Financial and economic advisors in universities.
• Religious figures in mosques.
• Librarians in government and private universities.
• Health sector employees, including nurses and medical technicians.
• Social workers and psychologists in government sectors.
• Journalists and media professionals.
• Sports coaches and athletes.
• Aviation professionals.
• Funeral and burial service providers.

Constraints on Dependent Visa

• A wife employed in the private sector is not permitted to sponsor her husband under this visa category.
• Sons over the age of 21 are ineligible to remain on their parents' visa, aligning with Kuwait's efforts to regulate dependent residency.

Documents Required for Family Visa Application

To apply for a dependent or family visa, applicants must compile the following documents:

• Passport Copies : Applicant's passport (first and last page) and Civil ID copy. A mobile ID is acceptable since residence is no longer stamped on the passport.
• Spouse's Passport : Copy of the first and last pages with a minimum validity of 1 year.
• Work Permit : A copy (Izne Amal) proving a salary of KD 800 per month.
• Graduation Degree : Attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in the applicant's country and Kuwait. However, professionals listed in Article 30 need a company letter stating their profession matching their work permit.
• Relationship Affidavit : Typed from local typing centers, attested by the applicant's embassy and MOFA. A marriage certificate attested by MOFA in the applicant’s country is required unless the applicant's name is mentioned in their spouse’s passport.
• Visa Application Form : Filled out accurately, especially details like passport number and name.
• Submission of Documents : The completed paperwork should be submitted to the Residence Affairs office.

FAQ: Kuwait Family Reunion Visa Regulations 2024

What are the new salary requirements for a dependent/family visa?

• For newcomers applying for a dependent/family visa, the minimum monthly salary requirement is set at KD 800.

What are the educational and professional requirements for sponsors?

• The sponsor must be a university graduate, and their profession should align with their university qualification.

Are there exemptions from the university degree requirement?

• Yes, certain professions listed in Article 30 of Ministerial Resolution No. 957/2019 are exempt from the university degree requirement. These include legal, medical, educational professionals, engineers, religious figures, and others.

What exemptions exist for children in terms of the salary requirement?

• Children born in Kuwait or to parents working in Kuwait, who are under five years old, are exempt from the salary requirement. This decision is taken on humanitarian grounds.

Can mothers sponsor their children for a dependent/family visa?

• Mothers can sponsor their children provided their salary is KD 800 per month, as stated on the work permit. This applies if the husband is deceased, divorced, or has left the country permanently.

What are the constraints associated with the dependent visa?

• Wives working in the private sector cannot sponsor their husbands. Also, once a son reaches the age of 21, he becomes ineligible to remain under his parents' visa.

What are the essential documents required for applying for a dependent/family visa?

• Required documents include passport copies, a work permit copy proving the KD 800 salary, a graduation degree (attested), and a relationship affidavit. These documents should be submitted along with a correctly filled visa application form to the Residence Affairs office.

Can parents be sponsored as dependents under the new family visa regulations in Kuwait?

• The recent revisions to Kuwait's dependent visa rules primarily focus on expatriates sponsoring their spouses and children. There is no explicit mention in the new regulations about the possibility of bringing parents as dependents. The key changes include a KD 800 minimum salary requirement for sponsors, the necessity for sponsors to be university graduates with jobs aligned to their qualifications, and exemptions for certain professions and young children from the salary requirement. For more specific information regarding parental sponsorship, it is advisable to consult directly with Kuwaiti immigration authorities or the relevant embassy.

These changes by the Kuwait Ministry of Interior aim to facilitate smoother family reunions and regulate dependent visa applications. By establishing clear guidelines and exceptions, the Ministry ensures a balanced approach that respects both the professional contributions and the family needs of expatriates in Kuwait.

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Kuwait weighs decision on visit, family visas issuance

Call to amend recruitment pricing for domestic workers.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 7: Representatives of the concerned government agencies confirmed in the previous meetings of parliamentary committees that, in principle, there is no objection to lifting the ban on the issuance of visit and family visas, provided the humanitarian and economic aspects are taken into consideration, reports Al- Seyassah daily quoting parliamentary sources. Sources pointed out that the previous experiences entail the necessity of imposing certain restrictions and regulations in the public’s interest. Sources said all these are stipulated in the government’s proposed amendment of the Foreigners Residency Law, which has been included in the agenda of the upcoming legislative session. Sources added: “Political developments may have contributed to the delay in approving this important bill. The parliamentary Interior and Defense Affairs Committee has completed a balanced report that achieves common objectives and sets controls for the Ministry of Interior to move forward in opening family, tourist, and commercial visit visas.” Sources went on to say that the bill states there will be no changes in the fees for issuing and renewing all types of visas; clarifying the bill does not specify these fees, but it authorizes the Minister of Interior to issue decisions to amend them. Sources pointed out that imposing compulsory health insurance on visitors would also contribute to expediting the lifting of visa restrictions, affirming this insurance would generate good revenues for the State, reduce the burden on government hospitals, and develop their infrastructure to focus on providing health services to citizens efficiently.

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Kuwait to Begin Issuing Family and Visit Visas to 53 Countries

The Ministry of Interior and Public Authority of Manpower announced the issuance of all sorts of visas in Kuwait.

The said development applies for vaccinated expatriates who are approved by the government in compliance with standards set by the health authorities, as the country enters the fifth phase of its return to normalcy.

Gov’t Set To Begin Issuing Family And Visit Visas To 53 Countries

According to Arab Times Online , the new conditions for obtaining family, tourist, commercial, and government visas are as follows. According to the decision, visas will be provided to immunized individuals who have received any of the following vaccines:

• AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine “two doses”
• Johnson & Johnson vaccine “single dose”
• Moderna vaccine “two doses”
• Pfizer Piontech Vaccine “two doses”

A document verifying receipt of approved vaccines must be produced before a visa can be issued. A QR code must be included on the certificate, which will be validated by relevant departments.

Family Visa

It is permissible to provide visas to spouses and children under the age of 16 who will be granted a visit or dependant visa. The salary conditions (KD 500) must be included on the employment permit.

Commercial visit visa

Commercial visits for all activities are permitted at the discretion of the department’s director.

Government visit visa

Government visits are permitted to all ministries and government entities.

Electronic visa

Electronic visas may be issued for the following purposes:

• Kuwaiti embassies across the world
• Citizens of 53 countries, as per the approved list
• Residents of GCC nations who work in specific occupations
• Hotel facilities and related businesses are registered in the automated system in accordance with the Special Services Department’s procedures.

READ NEXT: Arrival and Departure Guidelines for Residents of Kuwait

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How to Travel to Kuwait and Get a Kuwait Visa

I f you are a traveler who curious about exploring the Persian Gulf or the Middle East but struggling to find an accessible blend of the known and unknown, Kuwait – and particularly Kuwait City – may be the perfect place to begin your journey.

Nowadays, a Kuwait travel visa is incredibly easy to acquire for a large number of nationalities, including citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and all EU countries. The Kuwait visa is valid for one week. Before that expires, if you’d like to continue to explore Kuwait, you can apply for a Kuwait eVisa from the official government website.

Kuwait Visa

Kuwait is an oasis of the Persian Gulf, and should be considered as a destination for any bold adventurer

For these same countries eligible for a transit visa, this process only takes a few minutes; generally, if you’ve been accepted for a transit visa you will also be accepted through the eVisa application.

Be careful though; the process can take several days to complete, and you would not want to be caught in between visas because then, regardless of your pre-arranged plans, you’d likely be forced to leave until the new visa comes through. It is also possible to acquire a temporary driver’s permit in Kuwait if you meet the requirements, which can also be found on their government website.

Kuwait Road Trip

Then, you can do a road trip through Kuwait on the seven-day transit visa and enter a number of other countries along the Persian Gulf, depending on which direction you go: most popularly, the beautiful mountainous city of Tehran lies to the East, and the gargantuan skyscrapers of Dubai lie to the South.

This journey is not for the faint-hearted, as the cultural barriers are found to be debilitating, exhausting, and unnerving to many Westerners, especially if one decides to drive through the country into other parts of the region.

However, like many especially bold travel adventures, overcoming such limitations can make their reward doubly redeeming.

If one decides not to explore other countries and stay within the confines of Kuwait, a week on a transit can also be found to be a suitable amount of time to absorb the riches of the area: soak in the beaches, explore the metropolitan, Dubai-like Kuwait City, or explore the historical sites in the country that lie inland, outside of the big city and away from the Gulf.

Traveling to Kuwait: Getting There and Staying There

In addition to the seven-day transit visa, there is also a visa on arrival that travelers can seek upon entering Kuwait. It is only valid for 24 hours, but this can give a traveler a feel for the city, and ultimately lead them to the decision of whether traveling in the country, as well as the region as a whole, would be a good fit.

If indeed, they wish to explore the region, the transit visa is a convenient visa to obtain for many legal passport holders. If instead, the traveler would like to stay in Kuwait longer, they may also apply for a more long-term eVisa which grants them a ninety-day stay in the country.

The longer visa also grants them permission to leave and re-enter without having to re-apply for a visa. This can be great if one is looking to explore the rest of the region, or simply go somewhere else and return within ninety days.

Kuwait City Nightlife

When talking about Kuwait City nightlife, it is important to note that Kuwait is a dry country, meaning alcohol is not served legally anywhere in the country.

This, however, does not prevent people from having fun in the nighttime; if anything, it forces people to pursue different avenues of entertainment outside of alcohol. If you’re bored of going to a brand new place just to find yourself cooped up in some bar drinking a mediocre beer or an above-average cocktail, you may not be bothered by the lack of alcohol here.

There are still dozens of dance clubs to choose from, as well as metropolitan park areas and restaurants open late. Some of the nightclubs are so vast, extravagant, and opulent that on the inside, they appear to have a size more comparable to an amusement park.

They are known to have a layout similar to a mansion, with dozens of different areas to lounge and socialize, each with different atmospheres. Since Kuwait can have a particularly warm climate in the summertime, these party palaces usually come equipped with pools and even waterslides.

Things to do in Kuwait

In a similar vein of extravagance, there are alternatives, yet no less extravagant, sources of entertainment in Kuwait City in the form of outdoor theme parks, combining theatre, natural beauty, and general leisure all into one.

Kuwait’s Magical Fountain Park attracts a lot of tourists due to its wide walkways and well-constructed park atmosphere. This, of course, interestingly parallels the music blaring from the fountains within the park and the attendees enjoying its tunes.

The music will be an unfamiliar experience to Western ears unless they are familiar with the musical styles of this area. In short, the style usually consists of an upbeat rhythm, with connecting and underlying string instruments such as sitars and drum sounds uncommon in popular Western music.

The accompanying vocals are usually sung in a deep male voice in Arabic. But since many of the same music popular in the West is also popular in Kuwait, there is commonly a hybrid element of Western music in terms of tempo and melody.

Sometimes a lush cultural experience entirely different from your own can be most easily expressed in music, and this music fountain park thusly became a gravitating attraction to reflect on the uniqueness of Kuwait City.

If after a long night of this one grows tired of socializing, there is always the stunning Persian Gulf to walk along, with networks of gulf side walking paths to make the trek more serene.

Many places along the shores of Kuwait City, such as the highly recommend Al Kout, turns into a beach that is accessible at any hour of the day.

This beach has a unique atmosphere because on top of the beach sits these columns of bridges, making it look like you are sitting inside of a palace while at the same time relaxing on a beach.

Further, if one is still not tired of waterside attractions, there is also the Kobar Island nearby, a popular tourist attraction for those who want to feel surrounded by the azure gulf in the comforts of a total oasis.

Recommended Travel Resources

• Travel Insurance: World Nomads .
• Transport: CheapOAir and Skyscanner (Best Sites to Research Flight Prices) 
• Best Car Rental Deals: Rentalcars.com
• Best Sites to Find Hotel Deals: Hotels.com and Booking.com
• My Favorite Hotel Review Website: TripAdvisor
• Best Tours: Viator and Get Your Guide

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The post How to Travel to Kuwait and Get a Kuwait Visa appeared first on 52 Perfect Days .

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Kuwait eases family visa rules: 14 professions exempt from university degree requirement

Gulf kuwait.

Revisions modify specific provisions within executive regulations of Expats' Residence Law

Dubai: Kuwait has announced key changes to the regulations governing the acquisition of regular residency for family members.

The revisions, issued by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Acting Minister of Interior, Fahd Al Yousef, modify specific provisions within the executive regulations of the Expats' Residence Law.

Under revised Article 29, applying for a dependent or family visa (for newcomers) requires a monthly salary of not less than KD800, a university degree, and a relevant profession. However, certain professions are now exempt from the degree requirement.

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Significantly, individuals born in Kuwait or abroad (aged 0-5) with parents residing in Kuwait are exempt from the salary requirement, subject to the approval of the Director General of the General Administration of Residence Affairs.

The second article of this revision assigns the responsibility of implementing this decision to the acting Undersecretary, with the amendment effective from its publication date in the Official Gazette.

The professions exempted from the university degree requirement, as detailed in Article 30 of Ministerial Resolution No. 957/2019, include:

1.    Advisors, judges, prosecutors, experts, and legal researchers in the government sector.

2.    Medical professionals, including doctors and pharmacists.

3.    University, college, and higher institute professors.

4.    School administrators, vice principals, education mentors, teachers, social workers, and laboratory attendants in the government sector.

5.    Financial and economic advisors in universities.

6.    Engineers.

7.    Imams, preachers, and muezzins in mosques.

8.    Librarians in government agencies and private universities.

9.    Ministry of Health staff, including nurses, paramedics, medical technicians, and social service workers.

10.   Social workers and psychologists in the government sector.

11.   Journalism, media professionals, and correspondents.

12.   Sports coaches and athletes in federations and clubs.

13.   Pilots and flight attendants.

14.   Professionals overseeing burial preparations and services.

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