Kuwait has announced that family visitor visas are valid for one month, while tourist visas are valid for three months, according to local media reports.
Violation of the time to leave the country may result in financial fines and legal consequences, potentially leading to a lifetime ban on issuing visas.
Following the announcement, several expatriates, interviewed by the Arabic daily Al Anba, deemed the the one-month validity on family visit visas insufficient and demanded an extension for up to three months. They argued that bringing their spouses to the country requires renting an apartment and covering travel expenses.
The announcement comes after Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) resumed issuing visit visas for family, commercial, and tourist visits, under new terms and conditions, starting from Wednesday, February 7.
The residency affairs departments in all six governorates experienced an increase in expatriates applying for visit visas on the first day of reopening, Arab Times reported.
Visit visa applicants must schedule appointments through the Matta platform.
The latest decision aims to boost the country’s commercial, economic, and tourism sectors, particularly by granting family visit visas to parents, wives, and children.
In June 2022, Kuwait’s MoI suspended the issuance of family visit visas and tourist visas until further notice.
