Depending on the duration of your stay and your intended purpose of travel, Kuwait offers many types of visas. One of these types of visas is the Resident Visa, which is offered in Kuwait. Once you have obtained a residence visa, you will be able to take advantage of all the advantages of residing and working in Kuwait.
Here, we examine all of the varieties of Kuwaiti residency visas, as well as how to apply for and renew them.
What is a residence permit in Kuwait?
You must have the Kuwait Residence Visa, or Iqama, in order to reside in Kuwait as an expatriate. However, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nationals are exempt from needing a visa to live in Kuwait.
How long is the Kuwaiti residence permit valid?
Generally speaking, the Kuwait Resident Visa is good for ten years. However, a sponsor is necessary for this visa
According to recent updates, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior has declared that the residency permits of foreign workers who leave the country for a duration of six months or longer will be revoked. So, anyone who left Kuwait before 1 May must return by 1 November if they don’t want their right to remain there to be revoked.
general prerequisites for a residence permit
For a dependant or an employee to qualify for a resident visa, the residence visa application must be signed by the sponsor. The employee must also present a medical certificate from a facility that has been approved by the embassy.
During police clearance, a good conduct certificate may be requested for some nationalities. Kuwait requires additional local medical examinations. To finish the Kuwait residency visa application process, a fingerprint certificate will be issued.
The many Kuwaiti residency visa categories
The Domestic Visa, the Work Visa, and the Dependent Visa are the other three categories for the Kuwait Resident Visa. A sponsor is necessary for each of the three kinds of residence visas.
Regardless of whether they are permitted to work or not, expatriates can sponsor their residence as long as they have adequate finances and have lived in Kuwait for a long time.
Contingent Visa
A Kuwaiti resident who is employed may bring their family to live with them in Kuwait with the help of the Dependent Visa, also known as the Family Visa. For instance, a guy can bring his wife and kids to live with him in Kuwait after obtaining a Dependent visa there.
Requirements
- On the Article 17 visa (for employees of the public sector), a person must make at least 450KD ($1496/month) to qualify.
- One must make 650KD ($2160) per month in private sector employment to qualify for an Article 18 visa.
Only if both parents are employed and receiving a salary in Kuwait, with a total monthly income of more than 350KD ($1163), are the parents eligible to sponsor their children.
The dependent must submit to medical examinations and have their fingerprints taken in order to enter the country.
With the exception of the pay certificate, the dependant will also need to produce supporting documentation comparable to that provided by the sponsor.
It is also important for the sponsor to certify that they would sustain and support the dependant for the duration of their stay in Kuwait.