Kuwait has started a new residency policy under Ministerial Decision No. 1410 of 2026. This creates a new status for people who lost their Kuwaiti citizenship and now have another passport. The rule lets these individuals live in Kuwait for up to 10 years without paying annual residency fees.
- New Article 7 bis status created for people with withdrawn citizenship who got another nationality.
- Primary holders can stay in Kuwait for up to 10 years with no annual residency fees.
- Rule applies to those who lost citizenship under Clause 4 of Article 13 and their dependents.
The decision was issued by First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Al-Sabah and published in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm.
Eligibility extends to those who lost citizenship under Clause 4 of Article 13 of Amiri Decree No. 15 of 1959. This covers actions seen as contrary to the state supreme interests or external security, as long as they have regularized a new nationality. Dependents included in the same withdrawal decree are also able to apply. The Director General of the General Department of Residency Affairs will set up the application and work authorization procedures.
Financial provisions include a fee of KD 10 per person annually for spouses, children, and parents joining the residency holder. Other relatives must pay a fee of KD 300 per person annually. Domestic workers employed by these families will be charged at the same rate applied to households of Kuwaiti citizens. Primary holders do not have to follow the standard six-month rule for being absent from the country. However, domestic staff must follow a four-month limit unless they get prior permission.
The policy does not restore citizenship or stop the ongoing state-led nationality review campaign. It acts as a legal framework to help affected people keep their jobs, housing, and family stability in Kuwait. Residents should check the Sahel app and the official gazette for more administrative details and application steps while making sure their current permits stay valid. This change affects many people, including South Asian expatriate staff and mixed-nationality families living in areas like Salmiya and Hawally.
