Kuwait Grants Amnesty To Expats Who Overstayed Visa Before 2020

In another amnesty for the visa violators, the Kuwait Ministry of Interior has issued a fresh decree, intending to provide an opportunity for expats who violated residency law before 2020 to correct their status by paying the due fines. The resolution that mandated the deportation of expats who violated visa rules or lived without valid residence permits was annulled earlier. The new resolution, however followed the earlier one, Arab Times reported.

The expats who violated visa rules and overstayers can now legalise their stay in Kuwait by settling the legal formalities such as paying all the fines and thus obtaining valid visas without getting caught by the investigation department.

The new ministerial resolution numbered 26/2024 replaced the earlier resolution numbered 288/2020, citing article one of the constitution declaring the cancellation of the earlier resolution. The acting Undersecretary executed and enforced this decision according to Article two of the Constitution.

“Following scrutiny of Decree-Law No. 38/1980, addressing the enactment of the Civil and Commercial Procedures Law, and a reassessment of Ministerial Resolution No. 288/2020 outlining protocols for deporting expats lacking valid residence permits or holding expired visas, the decision has been made based on the proposal presented by the Undersecretary for assignment,” the official document explains the ministry’s new resolution.

However, the highest fines for visa overstayers and violators impose by the ministry amount to 600 dinars.