Kuwait : The interior ministry has rejected renewal applications of residency permits of 5,000 expatriates for staying abroad for more than six months, as they submitted their renewal applications online, stating they had to remain abroad due to sickness, family situations and financial inability, among other reasons.

“Other expatriates will also lose their iqamas this month for the same reason. The ministry, through the department of residency affairs, automatically and immediately cancels the residency of any expatriate who has been outside Kuwait for six months. Through an automated link with the Public Authority of Manpower and the Public Authority for Civil Information, the work permit of an expatriate whose residency has been canceled is revoked, and their civil card is also canceled,” sources at the interior ministry told Kuwait Times.

In October, the interior ministry announced it would begin the electronic cancelation of residence permits of workers in the government sector (article 17), partners in the private sector (article 19), dependents (article 22), students (article 23) and self-sponsored residents (article 24), who have been outside the country for six months or more.

“The period of their presence outside the country will be calculated from August 1, 2022 until January 31, 2023, and then their residency will be automatically canceled, as six months have passed since they left the country,” sources said. The sources also indicated that the interior ministry has started reviewing the residencies of all expatriates, which will be revoked for losing any of the conditions for granting them residency, in coordination with the manpower authority, including failing to obtain a work permit.