Kuwait Adds KD 150 Fee to Convert Visit Visas Into Residency

Kuwait has begun charging a fee of KD 150 (roughly $490) to convert certain visit visas into residency permits, under a new Ministry of Interior order effective August 2, 2026. The measure, issued as Decision No. 1091 of 2026 by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, was published in the official gazette and forms part of a wider immigration overhaul the country is rolling out this year.

What changed

The new charge applies to specific categories of visit-visa holders who move into residency status, including government visitors and family joinees. It amends the executive regulations of the Foreigners Residence Law, and under Article 16 the conversion route is not open to everyone who arrives on a visit visa. Domestic workers are the one named group exempt from the fee.

The cost of settling in rises further once insurance is factored in. Kuwait's mandatory health insurance charge for expatriates has doubled to KD 100 per person per year. Combined with the conversion fee, the total expense of moving from visitor to resident can now exceed KD 250 per person.

One procedural upside: eligible applicants can complete the conversion inside Kuwait, removing the old need for a visa run to exit and re-enter. The process is more streamlined, but clearly more expensive.

The wider overhaul

The fee sits alongside other 2026 changes. Kuwait has introduced a 15-year residency tier aimed at qualifying foreign investors and property owners, offering a longer-term path for those groups. At the same time, enforcement of the 180-day rule has tightened: residency permits are automatically canceled if the holder stays outside Kuwait for more than six months without prior approval.

What it means for nomads

Kuwait is not a mainstream digital nomad destination and does not offer a dedicated nomad visa, but the changes matter for remote workers with ties to the Gulf or considering a longer stay there. If you plan to shift from a visit visa to residency, budget for the added KD 150 plus doubled insurance costs, and confirm whether your category is even eligible under the amended rules.

The stricter 180-day enforcement is the bigger practical warning for mobile workers: leaving Kuwait for more than six months without advance approval can now cost you your residency outright. Anyone holding Kuwaiti residency while working abroad should track time out of the country carefully and seek approval before extended absences. As always with fast-moving Gulf immigration rules, verify current fees and eligibility through official channels such as the MoI portal or the Sahel app before acting.

Originally reported by VisaVerge.