DUBAI: The Kuwaiti interior ministry has cancelled plans to deport 15,000 residency violators on humanitarian grounds following the closure of government ministries that would have processed their documents to make stay in the country legal.
Those covered by the latest measure involve residents or visitors whose papers expired between Jan. 2 and Feb. 29.
“For humanitarian reasons and to amend the statues of approximately 15,000 people whose residence expired or were on a tourist or commercial visit in Kuwait the Ministry of Interior had previously decided to deport them later it was decided to amend their status and grant them temporary residence until Aug. 31,” according to a security source, Arab Times reported.
The decision, which takes effect next week, should not deter frequent travelers from visiting Kuwait for fear of being deported, the source added.
The Ministry of Interior however noted that residency violations committed before Jan. 1 would not be covered, hence it was necessary for undocumented individuals to leave the country voluntarily or be deported.
Spouses of husbands, wives and children of Kuwait citizens and also their domestic workers are exempted from the latest decision.
