The service is particularly important for residents whose educational, medical, employment or family circumstances require an extended absence from Kuwait and make it difficult to return within the ordinary timeframe.

However, holding a residence permit that has not yet reached its printed expiration date does not automatically entitle the resident to remain abroad indefinitely, because separate rules govern the maximum permitted absence.

The official government service information should therefore be considered alongside the updated residency regulations, particularly the amendments introduced during 2026 that affect absence periods and applicable exemptions.

Under Ministerial Decision No. 1410 of 2026, published in Kuwait’s Official Gazette on September 6, 2026, foreign residents are generally prohibited from remaining outside Kuwait for more than six months unless they qualify for a recognised exemption or obtain the appropriate authorisation.

The amended provisions allow the competent residency authority to grant permission for a longer absence according to the requirements and controls established by the General Department of Residency Affairs.

An essential condition is that the applicant’s residence permit must remain valid, and permission is not automatically granted merely because an application has been submitted.

Residents planning extended travel should therefore confirm their eligibility and complete the necessary steps before exceeding the applicable absence period rather than assuming that a valid residence document alone guarantees re-entry.

According to Kuwait’s official government portal, the absence permit application requires a designated form signed by the sponsor in accordance with the procedures published for the service.

The supporting documentation includes a recent academic certificate from an educational institution or an appropriate medical report issued by a recognised health authority when the application relates to study or treatment abroad.

The published instructions require the relevant documents to be authenticated by the Kuwaiti embassy where available, together with the necessary authentication by Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Applicants must also provide two personal photographs measuring four by six centimetres against a blue background, while confirming whether any additional evidence is required for their particular residence category.

The government portal states that applicants should bring the required documentation to the competent immigration authority and complete the designated application form before the request can be processed.

Submission of a medical report or academic certificate does not independently establish entitlement to the permit, because the responsible authority must still determine whether all relevant requirements are satisfied.

The Ministry of Interior also provides separate residency service guidance for specific categories, including certain family-sponsored residents whose permits fall under Article 22.

Sponsors, employers and family members should verify the appropriate application route rather than assuming that every expatriate resident follows the same documentation and approval procedure.

Regarding fees, Kuwait’s residency implementing regulations list a charge of five Kuwaiti dinars per month for an absence permit, while identifying certain categories entitled to exemptions from that charge.

The exempt categories include the wives of Kuwaiti citizens and husbands of Kuwaiti women, the parents of Kuwaiti citizens, and domestic workers sponsored by Kuwaiti citizens.

However, the older government service card still displays fixed and variable fees of zero dinars, creating a difference between the service-page information and the more recent regulatory fee schedule.

Applicants should therefore confirm the amount applicable to their case with the competent authority and should not assume that the published zero-fee service card cancels the subsequent regulatory provisions.

The September 2026 amendments also identify specific residence categories exempt from the general six-month absence restriction, subject to the conditions applying to each legal category.

These include certain children of Kuwaiti women who did not acquire nationality through their mothers’ marriages to Kuwaiti citizens, qualifying property owners and eligible investors under the relevant legislation.

The exemptions also cover people holding residence status under the newly introduced Article 7 bis, according to the amended regulatory framework.

It is important to distinguish an exemption from the maximum absence period from an exemption from absence permit fees because these are separate legal provisions and do not necessarily cover identical groups.

Domestic workers are subject to a different absence limitation, with the applicable rules generally restricting their time outside Kuwait to four months unless prior permission is obtained.

The regulations require the relevant absence authorisation to be obtained before that four-month period expires, otherwise the domestic worker may lose the right to the residence previously granted.

Employers sponsoring domestic workers should therefore monitor departure dates and address any circumstances requiring an extended stay abroad before the applicable deadline.

An exemption from the monetary charge for certain domestic workers does not remove the underlying requirement to obtain the necessary authorisation where the absence rules apply.

On March 4, 2026, the Ministry of Interior also announced exceptional arrangements providing an additional three-month absence permission automatically to certain residents unable to return to Kuwait because of circumstances affecting the country at that time.

The announcement stated that the qualifying cases would be handled through the automated system without requiring a separate visit and that the relevant service charges would be waived during the specified exceptional arrangements.

These measures should not be interpreted as an indefinite extension or a permanent exemption available to every expatriate, since their continuation depends on the ministry’s applicable announcements.

Residents abroad should consequently verify their current residence status, relevant absence deadline and any temporary measures before booking travel, while retaining the documents supporting their circumstances.

The Ministry of Interior publishes residency service information through its official website, while Kuwait Government Online provides the absence permit description and the relevant application documentation.

Applicants are encouraged to consult the latest regulatory requirements rather than relying exclusively on older service pages, especially where the published fee information differs from the subsequently issued implementing regulations.

They should also distinguish between the expiration date of a residence permit and the separate legal consequences of remaining outside Kuwait for longer than the permitted absence period.

The procedures described are existing government services and regulatory requirements, not proposed legislation or a newly introduced decision announced on the date this article was prepared.

Source: Kuwait Ministry of Interior, General Department of Residency Affairs, Kuwait Government Online and Ministerial Decision No. 1410 of 2026.