30,000 Kuwait Expats Face Daily Fines Over Residency Error
Approximately 30,000 expatriates in Kuwait have entered a state of residency violation, facing mounting daily penalties due to a widespread misunderstanding of recent visa extension directives.
The crisis stems from confusion surrounding a directive issued by the Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Sheikh Anas Al-Saleh, which granted an automatic three-month extension for residency and visit visas. While many residents and sponsors mistakenly believed they were protected under temporary residency rules until late November, the actual coverage was significantly more restricted.
The August 31 Cutoff
Security sources have clarified that the automatic extension applies exclusively to residency and visit statuses that expired on or before August 31, 2026. Anyone whose visa expired on or after September 1, 2026, without having secured a new residency file, is currently considered to be in violation of the law.
This misunderstanding has left thousands of employees and sponsors believing they were covered under Article 14 temporary residency. Residency departments across all six governorates—Capital, Hawalli, Farwaniya, Ahmadi, Jahra, and Mubarak Al-Kabeer—have reported a surge in expired files where neither a temporary residency correction nor a new work permit from the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has been filed.
Understanding the Penalty Rates
The financial consequences of these violations are accruing daily. The penalty structure differs based on the category of the worker:
- Domestic Workers: Subject to a steady penalty of 2 Kuwaiti dinars (KWD) per day.
- Non-Domestic Workers: Subject to a 2 KWD daily fine for the first month, which then increases to 4 KWD per day for every subsequent day of violation.
It is important to note that visit-visa holders whose visas expired after the August 31 deadline are also subject to these same penalties.
How to Resolve Residency Violations
Authorities are urging all affected individuals to take immediate action to avoid significant financial liability and potential future entry bans to the country. To rectify the situation, expatriates are advised to follow these steps:
- Verify Status: Immediately check your exact residency status via the Sahel app or the Ministry of Interior’s official residency portal.
- Consult Sponsors: Contact company representatives (mandoubs) or sponsors to initiate the filing for temporary residency under Article 14.
- Submit Work Permits: Ensure that any necessary new work permits are submitted through the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM).
Officials have warned that failing to clear residency files while remaining in the country can result in heavy financial debt and may result in being blocked from entering Kuwait in the future.