Kuwait: Expatriates in Kuwait will now be required to clear their electricity and water bills before leaving the country, effective from Friday, September 1.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday, August 22, Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said that the bill must be paid in full, regardless of the reason for leaving the country.
Bills can be paid through the
- Mew-Pay application
- Sahel mobile application
- Customer service office at the T-4 terminal of Kuwait International Airport
As per a report by Kuwait Times, the aim of this measure is to recover tens of millions of dinars worth of unpaid bills from expatriates, who make up just under 70 percent of the country’s population.
Government collection systems in Kuwait are mostly outdated, allowing both citizens and expats to delay payments for months and sometimes years.
The new decision also comes in the wake of Kuwait’s recent announcement requiring expats to settle traffic fines before leaving the country from any of its exits.
The decision came into effect on Saturday, August 19.
Expatriates can settle their traffic-related fees online or at traffic departments across Kuwait.
In addition, payment facilities have been established at various land, sea and air borders, including Kuwait International Airport.
