- Kuwait has implemented a new fee of one hundred and fifty Kuwaiti Dinars for converting visit visas.
- The policy applies to five specific categories, including government visitors and family joinees, starting August second, 2026.
- Domestic workers are exempt from the charge, while health insurance costs have doubled to one hundred dinars.
Kuwait imposed a KD 150 fee, about $490, on Sunday for certain holders of visit visas who convert into residency permits. The order was published the same day in Kuwait Alyoum and takes effect on August 2, 2026. First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef issued Ministry of Interior Decision No. 1091 of 2026. The charge is now part of the conversion process.
The decision amends the executive regulations of the Foreigners Residence Law, under Ministerial Decision No. 2249/2025. Article 16 limits who can use the route. It does not open conversion to everyone who enters on a visit visa. The new fee applies only where the regulation allows it. That is the first filter.
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The bill rises further once insurance is added. The mandatory health insurance fee for expatriates doubled to KD 100/year per person. Put together, the cost of arrival can exceed KD 250 per person for someone moving from visitor status to residence. The paperwork now carries a price tag.
Eligible people can complete the conversion inside Kuwait. They do not need a visa run to leave and re-enter the country. That removes a step that many travelers once treated as routine. The process stays in-country. It is simpler, but not cheaper.
Kuwait has folded the fee into a broader 2026 immigration overhaul. The package also introduced a 15-year residency tier for qualifying foreign investors and property owners. Enforcement of the 180-day rule has tightened as well. Residency permits are automatically canceled if the holder stays outside Kuwait for more than six months without prior approval. The system is becoming stricter.
Only five paths qualify for the conversion
| Conversion path | Who it covers | Condition | Fee status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government visitors | Holders of government visit visas for ministries or public authorities | A university degree or specialized technical qualifications, plus approval from the Director General of Residency Affairs | KD 150 |
| Family joinee eligibility | Visitors who entered on family or tourist visas | They later become eligible to join a family member under a residency permit | KD 150 |
| Work entry disruptions | People who entered on a work visa and began residency procedures | They were forced to leave the country for less than one month because of unavoidable circumstances | KD 150 |
| Domestic workers | Domestic workers and similar categories | They are eligible to convert | Exempt from KD 150 |
| Exceptional cases | Other cases | Approval from the Director General of the General Directorate of Residency Affairs | KD 150 if approved |
Domestic workers are the only named group that escapes the charge. The others do not. Exceptional cases still depend on the residency director general, which leaves the exception door open but narrow. One line is exempt.
The 15-year residency tier sits beside the fee in the same 2026 overhaul. It gives qualifying foreign investors and property owners a longer path. The fee, by contrast, hits the ordinary conversion route.
Enforcement of the 180-day rule has also tightened. Residency permits are automatically canceled if the holder stays outside Kuwait for more than six months without prior approval. The permit can vanish.
