The interior ministry is considering raising the renewal fees for residency permits from the beginning of the next year. The proposed fee increase is expected to be three times the current amount.

The final report in this regard will be submitted to the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah for his approval.

According to sources, this move had been under consideration previously and had been postponed multiple times. However, it is now deemed essential to implement it in order to align with the fees charged in neighboring countries, even though Kuwait’s fees are currently lower.

Certain categories including National Guard workers, expatriate military personnel, residents employed in the defense ministry or the interior ministry, GCC nationals and foreign children of Kuwaiti women, will be exempted from this increase, local media indicated.

It also stated that the fee increase will be applicable to all type of residency including article 14 (temporary), article 17 for government workers, especially doctors and teachers, article 18 for the private sector, article 20 for domestic helpers, family visas under article 22, and school residency under article 23 for foreign students studying in Kuwait’s universities and schools.