Kuwait: Kuwait government is considering the possibility of reopening family and tourist trips to the country in March after being suspended for more than a year due to new travel restrictions related to the COVID-19, local media reported on Saturday.
According to the Arabic daily Al-Qabas, the Ministry of Interior is awaiting a report from the Ministry of Health on the extent of the stability of the epidemiological situation in Kuwait to take a decision to allow the re-issue of such visas amid a recent decline in COVID-19 infections and the number of intensive care patients in the country and overcoming a wave of Omicron COVID-19 variant.
Despite the decision of the Council of Ministers to issue all types of visas to expatriates, family and tourist visit visas are still pending.
The re-issuing of family and tourist visas for expatriates children and spouses will contribute to boost economic activities and also it will help to reunite some families whose members reside in the country as the holy month of Ramzan association with family gatherings approaches.
It is reported that there are currently 150,000 visa violators residing in Kuwait.
Approximately 390,000 residency permits expired while they were stranded outside Kuwait. Expatriates whose residence visas have expired will not be able to return to Kuwait unless their employers renew their permits or enter with a new visa.
Kuwait on Friday reported 2,896 COVID-19 cases, pushing the country’s tally of confirmed cases so far to 596,785.
A single death due to the COVID-19 was confirmed over the last 24 hours, taking the mortality rate to 2,518 since the COVID-19 outbreak.
