Kuwait has started a new legal path for people who lost their Kuwaiti citizenship. They now get a 10-year residency permit that does not require annual fees. Ministerial Decision No. 1410 of 2026 was signed by First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Al-Sabah. It was published in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm and started in early September 2026 as a change to the Foreigners Residency Law.
- New 10-year residency permit with no annual fees for people who lost Kuwaiti citizenship
- Applies to those whose citizenship was withdrawn for state security reasons and their dependents
- Family members pay small yearly fees and holders can work and stay outside Kuwait longer
New Article 7 bis applies to people who lost their citizenship under Clause 4 of Article 13 of Amiri Decree No. 15 of 1959. This covers cases about the supreme interests or external security of the state. It also includes their dependents named in the same withdrawal decree.
Applicants must have regained a foreign nationality or obtained a new one. This status does not bring back Kuwaiti citizenship. It only gives legal residency to people with established homes, families, and jobs in the country.
Under this status, residency lasts for up to 10 years. The main holder does not pay annual fees.
Immediate family members including spouses, parents, and children must pay KD 10 per person each year. Other relatives must pay KD 300 per person each year.
Holders are allowed to work in Kuwait based on conditions set by the Director General of Residency Affairs. They are also free from the normal six-month absence rule. This absence freedom also applies to foreign children of Kuwaiti women, property owners, and investors with residency under Law No. 116 of 2013. Domestic workers still have a four-month absence limit without prior approval.
This rule comes after many citizenship removals during 2026, including big waves in April. Starting September 1, 2026, Kuwait stopped automatic extensions for visit visas and absence permits that were made for wartime. Standard absence rules now apply to residents who left the country after August 31, 2026.
Overstay fines for visit visas stay at KD 10 every day with a limit of KD 2,000. Residents face fines of KD 2 and then KD 4 every day with a limit of KD 1,200. People affected should check the General Department of Residency Affairs for document needs and check their status using the Sahel app.
