Visitors to Kuwait are being urged to familiarize themselves with visit visa validity rules and the penalties for overstaying, as immigration authorities continue to enforce residency regulations strictly, with no grace period after visa expiry.

Question: I would like to know the validity period of visit visas in Kuwait, including family and tourist visas. Is there any grace period after expiry, and what are the penalties for overstaying?

Answer
Under current rules, most standard visit visas — commonly obtained by expatriates for their family members — permit a stay of up to one month from the date of entry into the country. Tourist visit visas, meanwhile, generally allow stays of up to three months, depending on the category issued. Authorities have clarified that the permitted duration is calculated from the date of arrival, not the date the visa is issued.

Visitors are required to leave the country on or before the expiry date stated on their visa. Kuwait does not offer any grace period, and even a single day of overstay is considered a violation of residency laws.

According to the updated residency regulations currently in force, overstaying a visit visa attracts a fine of KD 10 per day, with the total penalty capped at KD 2,000. The fine applies to most visit visa categories, including family, tourist, commercial, and multiple-entry visas.

Beyond financial penalties, overstayers may face additional consequences, such as the mandatory settlement of fines before departure, deportation in cases of prolonged violations, and possible entry bans that could impact future travel to Kuwait.