The duration of family visit visas will be extended to three months under the new residency law, which has already been approved by the cabinet and will be implemented soon, according to Major General Ali Al-Adwani, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Residency and Nationality Affairs, in an interview with the national channel.
A separate committee will be formed to review the visa fee structures based on the services provided. He added that expatriates wishing to bring their wife or mother will be subject to escalating fees, with the committee still studying this matter.
Strict rules have been set for those violating the visit visa duration. Warnings will be issued through the ‘Sahel’ application, and if the visitor does not exit, they will be summoned, and legal measures will be taken against them.
The new law will make it easier for professional expatriates to obtain residency for up to five years, for real estate owners up to ten years, and for investors up to fifteen years.
According to the new law, an expatriate can be deported if they have no source of income, if the Minister of Interior deems it necessary, or if it is in the public interest of the country. Deportation expenses will be borne by the employer, the person who sheltered them, or by the individual themselves.
A penalty of three to five years of imprisonment or a fine ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 KD will be imposed on anyone who employs a worker for a purpose other than what they were hired for.
In contrast to previous regulations, an expatriate who has paid an amount for residency will face one year of imprisonment or a fine of 1,000 KD for being involved in this crime. The sponsor or company owner will also be held accountable, with the company facing suspension and the license being revoked.