Expats In Kuwait Can Stay Abroad For Only Up To 6 Months Under New Residency Rules

There’s a major shift in policy, which is going to affect thousands of foreign residents in Kuwait. Yes, the country has now kept the maximum time that an expat can stay abroad to six months. This comes under the new residency rules as authorities introduce long-term visa options for retaining skilled workers and investors.

Kuwaiti Expats’ Foreign Stay Limited To 6 Months

As revealed in a report of the Times of India, the change is a part of the government’s wider push for reforming residency and population management policies. As it happens, the new executive regulations come under the ministerial resolution No. 2249 of 2025. This aims to reshape how expatriates manage their residency status. According to the court provision, expats who have a valid resident permit cannot remain outside Kuwait for over six consecutive months. Or else they risk losing their residency status.

Rules Applicable To Most Categories

This rule applies to most categories of residency unless there are some specific exemptions. Moreover, there are some important exemptions to the rules, which include foreign investors, property owners, and children of Kuwaiti women. This means they can stay abroad longer, without affecting their residency. However, there is a separate rule for domestic workers who can stay outside of Kuwait for up to four months. This is unless an unofficial leave request is submitted through the relevant authorities.

Golden Opportunities For Specific Groups:

Introducing a tiered system of stability, the government also launched golden opportunities for specific groups

• The 15-year residency is reserved for foreign investors who meet the criteria of the foreign direct investment law.
• The 10-year residency is given to property owners and the children of Kuwaiti women. These long-term categories are exempt from six month travel limit. They allow high-value contributors and family members a more flexible way to travel without closing their status.

Also Read: Come July 2026, SalamAir Will Launch Direct Airlink Between Muscat & Medan!

Kuwait Launches E-Services

This comes after a recent development, which revealed that the residency permit’s validity is now directly linked to the insurance coverage. If the insurance expires, the legal status also expires! Additionally, Kuwait also launched new e-services for visas and residency procedures, making life a lot easier for expats, as it allows them to skip standing in long queues at government offices.

So, with Kuwait giving a major overhaul to its residency regulations, you might want to stay tuned to the space for more such visa-related news from across the GCC region.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/Anson Fernandez Dionisio