Kuwait Introduces Up to 10-Year Residency for Some Former Citizens

Sep 6, 2026

77 min

Sep 6, 2026 10:31

Kuwait offers up to 10-year residency to some who lost citizenship

## New Residency Framework

Kuwait has announced a new residency policy allowing individuals who lost their Kuwaiti citizenship to obtain residence permits for up to 10 years. This initiative, detailed in Ministerial Decision No. 1410 of 2026, modifies the Foreigners’ Residency Law and was published in the official gazette, Kuwait Al Youm.

## Eligibility and Conditions

The new Article 7 bis targets those whose citizenship was revoked under specific legal clauses and who have since acquired another nationality. Eligible individuals can apply for regular residency, with the Director General of the General Department of Residency Affairs setting the conditions for granting and renewing these permits. Importantly, these residents will be exempt from annual residency fees.

## Changes to Absence Rules

The decision also revises the rules on how long residents can stay outside Kuwait. While the general rule limits absence to six months, exceptions now include foreign children of Kuwaiti women, property owners, certain investors, and those under Article 7 bis. Domestic workers, however, are restricted to four months outside Kuwait unless they obtain prior approval.

## Family Residency Fees

For immediate family members of those covered by the new provisions, a residency fee of KD10 per person per year applies. This fee structure also extends to the immediate family of Gulf nationals who lost Kuwaiti citizenship but returned to their original nationality. Other relatives face a higher fee of KD300 per year.

The decision was issued by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah on September 2, 2026.

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