Kuwait grants up to 10-year residency to people whose citizenship was withdrawn

Kuwait has introduced free residency permits of up to 10 years for people whose Kuwaiti citizenship was withdrawn, along with their dependents, if they have returned to their original nationality or acquired another one.

The government amended the executive regulations of the Foreigners’ Residency Law in a decision published Sunday in the official gazette, Kuwait Al-Youm. The Director General of the General Department of Residency Affairs will determine the conditions for granting and renewing the permits.

The beneficiaries may work in Kuwait under rules set by the department. The amendment also establishes how long residents may remain outside the country. The general limit is six months, although exemptions apply to several groups, including children of Kuwaiti women who have not obtained citizenship by dependency, property owners, investors covered by Law No. 116 of 2013, and holders of residency permits.

The residency authority may approve absences longer than six months under specific conditions, provided the permit remains valid. Domestic workers may stay outside Kuwait for up to four months unless they receive prior permission for a longer absence. The government said the changes regulate the legal status, residency renewal, employment, and travel arrangements of the affected categories.