Expat fees to increase by 200 Percent

KUWAIT CITY, July 3: Assistant Undersecretary for Citizenship and Travel Documents at Ministry of Interior Major General Mazen Al-Jarrah affirmed that the charges for the services offered to expatriates will increase by about 200 percent, reports Al-Seyassah daily. He explained that a comprehensive study was carried out in this regard and included increasing the fees of temporary visas (commercial, visit and tourism), family visas and sponsored visas.

Major General Al-Jarrah said, “The visa charges will increase by KD 20 in the coming years. The visit visa charges will increase to KD 30 per month, family visa charges between KD 100 and KD 150 and visas for parents between KD 200 and KD 400”.

In the same context, sources from Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor revealed that a study is ongoing to increase the residency charges which will be borne by the employer and not the employee.

They explained that the current charges for renewal is KD 10 but this will increase to KD 100 for not only visa renewal but also work permit issuance and transfer.

Meanwhile, Acting Director General of Public Authority for Manpower Ahmad Al- Mousa said the authority is coordinating with the Assistant Undersecretary for Citizenship and Travel Documents to look into the possibility of canceling the process of filing absconding reports in some cases such as when the employer withdraws the case or when the Labor Department approves transfer of residency.

In a press statement that he issued after a coordination meeting with Ministry of Interior, Al-Mousa affirmed that some absconding reports can be cancelled if they are filed against the wives of expatriate residents, partners in construction contracts, and first-degree relatives of Kuwaitis.

He said the attendees of the meeting approved the transfer of residency through the Labor Relations Department, provided the approval for transfer precedes the absconding report. Al-Musa indicated that they also agreed that the concerned department at Public Authority for Manpower should receive the absconding report after which that department must coordinate with the Investigation Department to verify the authenticity of the absconding reports. “After verifying the reports, the department will notify Ministry of Interior within 90 days from the day the department receives the report, so that the rights of employees are protected against malicious cases filed by employers”, Al- Musa added.