DEPENDENT VISAS

Once he has obtained his own residency, a male employee may sponsor his wife and children to live with him in Kuwait. Permission to sponsor wife and children is granted only to those who meet the minimum salary condition. The Ministry of Interior lowered the minimum monthly salary requirement for expatriates in both the private and government sectors to KD.250 Expatriates of all nationalities are allowed to sponsor their wives and children if they are earning minimum KD.250 per month.



A working wife cannot sponsor her husband as a dependent. Sons over 21 years cannot be sponsored as dependants, though adult daughters and parents may. Dependent family members may not work without transferring to a work visa under Kuwaiti sponsorship.

An entry visa for a dependent is obtained from the jawazaat (Passport Office) in Shuwaikh. An application form must be typed in Arabic and bilingual typists are available for a charge of 500 fils. The following supporting documents are required:

• sponsor's salary certificate
• copy of the sponsor's civil ID
• copy of the dependent's passport
• authenticated marriage certificate or child's birth certificate

The marriage certificate and child's birth certificate must be authenticated by the sponsor's embassy and certified by the Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Once they have entered the country the formalities for a dependent's iqama (art 22) are similar to those for a work visa. The dependent must be medically tested and fingerprinted. The photo-graphs and documents required are the same as shown above except for the work permit. The sponsor's declaration is an undertaking by the family supporter that he will maintain the dependent.

The residence fees for each dependent (wife or child) are KD100 in the first year and KD10 a year thereafter. However the fee for a parent is KD200 a year. These charges apply to all expatriate sponsors whether they are working in the public or private sectors.

Expatriates who are in Kuwait on a visit visa may transfer to a dependent visa without having to leave the country and return.