Kuwait to End Exceptional Visa and Resident Absence Measures From September 1
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KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait — August 20, 2026 — Saudi Arabia Breaking News: Kuwait will end temporary measures covering visit visas and certain residents staying abroad from September 1, returning to its standard immigration rules, according to the Ministry of Interior.
From that date, exceptional renewal arrangements introduced earlier this year for visit entry visas will cease, and the normal validity periods and procedures applicable to each visa category will resume.
The change also affects expatriate residents outside Kuwait who benefited from temporary absence arrangements.
Earlier this year, authorities automatically extended affected visit visas by one month and granted eligible residents unable to return to Kuwait an additional three-month absence permit, with fees waived under the exceptional measures.
September 1 is not a blanket deadline requiring all expatriate residents abroad to return to Kuwait. Instead, it marks the date when the temporary exemptions end and normal absence-period rules resume.
Residents abroad should check the expiry information on their residence permit documentation, including the certificate available through Kuwait’s Sahel app, to determine the period applicable to their individual case.
Visitors should likewise follow the validity and permitted-stay period specified for their particular visa category.
Kuwait’s current visa rules vary according to visa type, making individual documentation — rather than September 1 alone — the key reference for determining expiry and compliance requirements.
Source: Kuwait Ministry of Interior / Arabian Business / KUNA
