Kuwait considers new system for issuing family, tourist visit visas

Kuwait government is considering a new system for the issuance of entry visas, for family and tourists, local media reported.

“The process is underway to work out a strict mechanism ensuring the visitor’s departure upon the visa expiry and preventing the renewal of the three-month visit,” Kuwait Interior Ministry said.

In preparation for the new system with regulations to organise visa procedures, Kuwait Monday has temporarily halted the issuance of visit visas.

According to Arabic daily Al Rai, the decision of First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ahmad Al Nawaf to stop issuing family and tourism visas was due to foreigners who have entered Kuwait on visit visas in the last months and have not left, swelling the numbers of illegals in the country to about 20,000.

Foreigners make up approximately 3.4 million of Kuwait’s total population of 4.6 million.

It is reported that, in recent months, there have been increasing calls in Kuwait to curb the employment of foreigners, along with accusations that migrant workers have put the country’s infrastructure facilities under pressure amid the economic downturn of the COVID-19 pandemic.