KUWAIT — The Ministry of Interior has introduced a KD150 fee for eligible foreigners seeking to convert certain entry or visit visas into regular residency permits in Kuwait.
The new measure was issued through a ministerial decision by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah and was published in the official gazette, Kuwait Al-Youm. The decision took effect immediately.
Under the new rule, foreigners who fall under categories permitted to transfer their entry or visit status into regular residency will be required to pay KD150 for the conversion.
However, the new regulation does not mean that every person who enters Kuwait on a visit visa can automatically convert it into residency.
Only eligible categories specified under Kuwait’s residency regulations may apply, and applications remain subject to the requirements and approval of the concerned authorities.
Domestic Workers Exempt from KD150 Fee
Domestic workers are exempt from paying the newly introduced KD150 transfer fee, according to reports on the ministerial decision.
Kuwait’s residency regulations already identify certain circumstances in which a visit or entry visa may be converted into regular residency.
These include certain government visit visa holders who meet required qualifications, domestic workers, eligible family visit visa holders and other cases approved by the competent residency authorities.
Therefore, expatriates should not assume that entering Kuwait under an ordinary tourist or visit visa automatically provides a pathway to employment or residency.
Part of Kuwait’s Updated Residency System
The KD150 transfer fee comes amid broader changes to Kuwait’s residency and immigration system.
The country began implementing its updated residency regulations in December 2025, introducing changes to visa and residency fees as well as rules governing visit visas, family residency and other categories of expatriate residence.
Under the updated system, most types of visit visas — including family, government, business, medical and tourist visits — may generally be issued for three months and can be extended under applicable conditions.
Certain categories of visit visas may also be transferred into regular residency when the applicant satisfies the requirements established by authorities.
The Public Authority for Manpower has also introduced electronic services allowing eligible applications involving the transfer of visit or entry visas into residency to be processed through its online systems.
Important Reminder for Filipinos in Kuwait
Filipinos and other expatriates planning to convert their visa status should first confirm whether they belong to an eligible category before paying fees or making employment arrangements.
Applicants should deal only with official government agencies and authorized representatives and avoid individuals promising guaranteed visa conversions in exchange for money.
The KD150 payment is a government fee for eligible visa-to-residency transfers — it is not a guarantee that any visit visa can be converted into residency.
Applicants must still satisfy Kuwait’s applicable residency, employment and immigration requirements and obtain the necessary approval from the authorities.
The latest measure forms part of Kuwait’s continuing efforts to regulate the entry, employment and residency of foreigners while providing formal procedures for eligible expatriates who need to change their residency status.
Source: Kuwait Ministry of Interior decision as reported by Kuwait Times and local media, August 2026.
