Kuwait Visit Visa: 5 Cases Allowed for Residency Conversion

Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior has issued a formal clarification outlining the five specific cases in which expatriates holding visit visas may be allowed to convert them into residency permits, providing transparency amid rising inquiries from residents, employers, and visitors.

According to the ministry, the conversion is not a general entitlement but is permitted only under regulated scenarios approved by the Director General of Residency Affairs. The move aims to streamline immigration processes while preventing misuse of visit visas for long-term stay.

The five eligible categories include:

1. Family Reunification (Parents and Children):
   Visit visas issued for parents or children may be converted to dependent residency, subject to salary requirements and other standard residency rules.
2. Dependents of Kuwaiti Women Married to Foreigners:
   Children and spouses of Kuwaiti women may convert visit visas to residency if they meet legal conditions for family sponsorship.
3. Students Enrolled in Approved Institutions:
   Holders of student visit visas can convert them to student residency upon submission of valid enrollment documentation.
4. Foreign Workers Needed by Licensed Companies:
   Visit visas issued to professionals required by Kuwaiti-registered companies may be converted to work residency after fulfilling labour and security checks.
5. Medical Cases Requiring Long-Term Stay:
   Patients who enter Kuwait on a medical visit visa may obtain residency if their treatment requires extended stay and approval is granted by health authorities.

The Ministry emphasised that no other categories are eligible for conversion and warned against assuming that all visit visas can be upgraded. Each case will be reviewed individually to ensure compliance with residency laws and national security standards.

The clarification comes as many expats seek clearer pathways for legal stay, especially following recent enforcement actions targeting residency violations. Immigration authorities said the updated guidance is intended to maintain transparency while facilitating legitimate cases requiring conversion.