Amnesty period offered for foreign nationals who are out of status

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Kuwait is in the midst of a 25-day amnesty period for foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas or are otherwise in the country illegally.

What does the change mean? Foreign nationals who wish to regularize their status have until Feb. 22 to take advantage of the amnesty and can either apply for new visas in order to remain in Kuwait or leave the country without paying fines that would otherwise be applied upon their departure.

• Implementation time frame: Between now and Feb. 22.
• Who is affected: Foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas in Kuwait, have had their visas canceled or are otherwise in the country illegally.

BAL Analysis: Foreign nationals who are out of status who remain in Kuwait after Feb. 22 will be assessed fines of 2 Kuwaiti dinars (about US$6.65) for each day they overstay their visas (capped at 600 dinars). Employers with employees whose visas have been canceled or not renewed on time may wish to encourage them to take advantage of the amnesty program before the deadline.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Kuwait. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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