Kuwait City: Kuwait has introduced major changes to its visa regulations, allowing expatriates to bring extended family members on visit visas valid for up to one year and removing the long-standing minimum salary requirement for sponsors.
Colonel Abdulaziz Al-Kandari, Deputy Director of Electronic Services at the Residency Affairs Department, said permits may be issued for single visits of one, two or three months, or as multiple-entry visas for three, six or twelve months, with each stay limited to one month, according to Kuwait Times.
The Interior Ministry confirmed that any resident with a valid permit can now apply for family visit visas, regardless of income. The eligibility list has been expanded to include fourth-degree blood relatives and third-degree in-laws, covering grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and other extended family members.
Applications must be submitted online via the Kuwaitvisa platform, with documents provided in Arabic or translated by authorised offices.
Authorities have also removed the requirement for visitors to travel on Kuwaiti national airlines, allowing entry by land, sea or air with any carrier. Tourist, business and official visas can also be obtained online, with nationals from 53 countries and many GCC-based professionals eligible for streamlined applications.
All nationalities except Israeli citizens are eligible, while holders of travel documents require approval from the Interior Minister. Officials say the reforms aim to strengthen family ties, boost tourism and simplify travel.
