Kuwait to end visit visa, absence permit extensions

Kuwait City: Kuwait will end exceptional extensions for visit visas and absence permits from September 1, 2026, with the Ministry of Interior restoring the standard legal periods and procedures.

For residents outside Kuwait, the normal legal periods governing absence will resume. However, those who left Kuwait on or before August 31, 2026, will continue to benefit from the additional exceptional period, subject to the applicable regulations.

Automatic extensions for all types of visit entry visas for people currently in Kuwait will also cease, bringing visa holders under the validity periods and procedures set by immigration regulations.

The ministry said the residency permit certificate issued through the Sahel app will serve as the official reference for determining the expiry date of an absence permit. Residents abroad should check the date shown on the certificate and return within the permitted period.

Why Kuwait introduced the extensions

Kuwait and other Gulf states came under drone and missile attacks after the US-Iran war began on February 28, 2026, triggering widespread disruption to regional air travel.

Kuwait subsequently introduced exceptional measures to address the difficulties faced by visitors and residents affected by the disruption.

The latest decision brings those temporary arrangements to an end, with the standard legal requirements applying to new cases.

The Ministry of Interior urged residents and visitors to comply with the applicable validity periods, deadlines and procedures to avoid immigration or residency violations.