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Kuwait Immigration Services
Newland Chase offers full support with all aspects of corporate immigration to Kuwait. Please find an overview of the typical corporate immigration processes below. Every situation is unique, so please do get in touch, either through your usual Newland Chase contact or using the details on the right hand side of the page. Our immigration experts will be glad to discuss your needs in greater detail.
Immigration Summary
A work and residence permit (Iqama) is required for any work activities in Kuwait. Note that all applicants will need to sign a local employment contract with the sponsoring entity. ‘Kuwaitisation’ rules govern the percentage of local employees that should be in place for companies who hire expatriates.
The permit will be issued for the length of the principal applicant's local employment contract at the discretion of the authorities and up to a maximum initial period of three years. The permit is renewable without restriction but will not lead to permanent residence.
New work permit restrictions came into force on 1 July 2018, including: applicants under the age of 30 years are banned from obtaining a Work Permit; applicants over the age of 30 years must hold at least a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree in order to be eligible to obtain a work permit; applicants over the age of 30 years who already hold a work permit in Kuwait will not be able to upgrade the level of their educational certificate on file with the Kuwaiti authorities while remaining in-country; rather, they will be required to exit Kuwait and re-apply for a new work permit.
Nationals of fellow members of the Gulf Co-operation Council or GCC (Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates) do not require a visa to enter Kuwait. Once in-country, the host company must apply for a work permit for the applicant through MOSAL. The applicant will need to apply for a local Civil ID card (bitaqa-almadiniyah or bitaqa) through the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) within 60 days.
