Kuwait has unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its immigration system, doubling residency fees across most categories and introducing long-term visas of up to 15 years for foreign investors. The reforms, announced Sunday by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, will take effect on December 23, 2025.

The changes represent one of the most extensive revisions to Kuwait's residency framework in years, affecting hundreds of thousands of expatriates who comprise the majority of the Gulf nation's workforce.

The new regulations standardize fees while creating tiered residency options aimed at attracting high-value investors and retaining skilled professionals.

Fee increases across the board

Annual residency renewal fees for government and private sector workers, foreign students, and religious workers have doubled to KD 20 ($65) from the previous KD 10.

Foreign investors and property owners will pay KD 50 annually, while a newly introduced self-sponsored residency category carries a steep KD 500 annual fee.

All visit visas -- including tourism, family, and work entry permits -- will now cost a flat KD 10. The government has also raised fees for sponsoring dependents outside the immediate family, such as parents, to KD 300 annually from KD 200.

The Interior Ministry confirmed that the minimum monthly salary requirement of KD 800 for sponsoring a spouse and children remains unchanged.

Long-term residency program unveiled

In a parallel reform, Kuwait has introduced tiered long-term residency permits designed to attract foreign capital. Foreign investors who meet requirements under Law No 116 of 2013 on foreign capital investment and fulfill criteria set by the Council of Ministers can now obtain residency for up to 15 years.

This marks the Gulf state's entry into the regional competition for investor-focused "golden visa" programs.

Property owners in Kuwait and foreign children of Kuwaiti women are eligible for residency permits of up to 10 years.

Standard residency for most expatriates remains capped at five years. All residency permits now require valid health insurance registration from the Ministry of Health, with residency duration not exceeding the period covered by the insurance.

Implementation and impact

The reforms also update regulations for domestic helpers, setting quotas based on household size and introducing stepped fees for additional workers.

Kuwaiti families with up to six members may hire three helpers at KD 10 annually each, while expatriate households face significantly higher costs -- KD 50 for the first two helpers and KD 400 for the first additional helper.

The overhaul extends time limits for registering newborns from two to four months and removes the automatic expiration of residency for those staying outside Kuwait beyond six months for holders of extended permits.

Officials say the system aims to balance regulatory oversight with increased stability for expatriates contributing to Kuwait's economy.