The recent decision issued by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Lt-Gen Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah, regarding the executive regulation of the residence law, has given rise to a lack of clarity in some quarters including among officials.
In a bid to allay doubts, clarify issues and bring about consistency in the implementation of the law across the country, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) Assistant Undersecretary for Residence Affairs Major-General Talal Ma’arafi has invited the directors of residency affairs departments in the six governorates for a meeting.
The new decision with regard to residence laws is aimed at streamlining the procedures and facilitating the process of obtaining various visas in the country and thereby contributing to creating conditions to encourage tourism and commercial visits to revitalize the economy.
The revisions to residence laws allow those on family or visit visas to change it to Article 22 (dependent) visas, as well as enabling visiting students to obtain a residence under Article 17 (government).
The resolution is also likely to benefit the businessmen from all over the world. These changes are expected to reflect on the economic situation and meet the needs of government agencies of rare specialties, as well as open the field for visits that extend for a year.
The resolution also enables Kuwaiti consulates abroad to issue visit visas which will be part of Kuwait’s more openness to the world. In addition, the ministerial decision put an end to speculation about an increase in residence fees for expatriates and on increasing the fees for visit visas.
Some of the conditions and controls on matters in the decision are expected to be issued in subsequent clarifications over the coming days.
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