IF you’re an expatriate in Kuwait, it’s time to celebrate! Family reunions just became a lot simpler. Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior has abolished the requirement for expatriates to hold a university degree when applying for family visas. The move is likely to benefit Indian workers in the Gulf country.
The decision, announced on July 15, now permits expatriates to bring their spouses and children under the age of 14 into the country without needing to provide higher educational qualifications.
According to Arabic media, Al-Anba, the First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef has approved an amendment for family visa. In the past, the family visa application came with a lot of red tape. You needed a degree and a salary of at least KD800. The latest changes mean more families can reunite without the hassle of strict requirements.
However, the Ministry is still serious about enforcing residency and labour laws. They’ll keep up their efforts to catch any violators, making sure everyone plays by the rules. This announcement follows a threemonth amnesty period, which ended in June. During this period, expatriates residing unlawfully in Kuwait were allowed to regularise their status. Options included paying penalties, obtaining new residency, or leaving the country without fines.
Recently, Kuwait has intensified its efforts to address illegal housing. This crackdown was prompted by a tragic fire that killed 43 Indians due to an electric short circuit on June 12. Among the deceased, 23 were from Kerala, seven from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and one each from Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Punjab, and West Bengal.
