Kuwait has launched major updates to its residency and visa system, allowing visit visas to be issued digitally in under five minutes. Brigadier General Mazyad Al-Mutairi, Director General of the Residency Affairs Department, stated that the department currently processes 17,000 to 20,000 visit visas weekly—including family, business, and tourist types—alongside roughly 25,000 residency permits, with seasonal fluctuations in demand.
The new residency law emphasizes digital transformation, with around 85% of residency services now accessible online 24/7 through platforms such as Sahel and Kuwait Visa. Key features of the updated system include visa issuance in under five minutes for visit visas, expanded eligibility with 12 types of visit visas covering family, business, tourist, social, cultural, and sports purposes, and nine types of residency visas. Applicants now only need a valid passport, and visa fees are set at KD 10 per month for work and visit types. The law came into effect on November 23, 2025, under directives from Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, ensuring streamlined procedures while maintaining legal compliance.
