Kuwait’s new Ministerial Decision No. 1091/2026 imposes a KD 150 fee for visit visa to residency conversions. Domestic workers are exempt. Learn who qualifies and how the new rule works.
For expats wanting to change from a temporary visit visa to a full residence permit, Kuwait has introduced a fresh financial need. According to an amendment in the official gazette of Kuwait Alyoum, individuals who are eligible to convert would need to pay KD 150 (around $490) for the service.
Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, who is the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior gave the okay for Ministry of Internal Decision No. 1091. This decision changes Ministerial Decision No. 2249 That was already, in place. Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef made this decision as the Minister of Interior. The new decision is Ministry of Internal Decision No. 1091. It updates the old Ministerial Decision No. 2249. Rather than starting over the rulebook, authorities just added a new clause under Article 39 stating that a KD 150 charge now applies whenever a visit visa is changed to an ordinary residence permit under Article 16 of the regulations.
Who Actually Has to Pay
This charge should be noted as not universal. In line with safeguards already included into Article 20 of the executive rules, domestic employees and those in related occupations are especially excluded. That carve-out is important as Kuwaiti domestic labor conversions are among the more frequent visa-to-residency changes and authorities seem eager to avoid piling economic strain on that group.
For everyone else, the new charge only applies if the conversion satisfies one of the accepted eligibility criteria. Kuwait’s residency structure specifies five particular situations when conversion is allowed: not just any visit visa holder can change status on impulse.
- Government visit visa holders invited by a ministry, public body, or state institution, if they have a university degree or another qualifying credential.
- Domestic workers and allied fields that still qualify for full exemption from the new charge.
- Family or tourist visit visa holders who qualify to join a relative presently living in Kuwait with a valid residency permit.
- Those with work visas who started their paperwork but had to leave Kuwait briefly, for no more than one month, because of events outside of their control and are now returning to complete the process.
- Other outstanding instances examined and personally accepted by the Director General of the General Directorate of Residency Affairs.
Ordinary tourists especially lack a means to change their visas into residency at all. The alternative is limited for individuals who fit one of these said groups; the KD 150 fee is hence a charge for a rather small portion of Kuwait’s foreign population, not a blanket expense levied on every guest.
One of the parts of a bigger change
It’s not simply a slight alteration. Since the Ministerial Decision No. was passed in late 2025. Kuwait has been systematically updating its residency and visa charge system since the implementation of regulations 2249/2025. Earlier legislation established monthly entry and visit visa charges at KD 10, raised the annual iqama renewal fee to KMD 20 for most expats, and introduced a self-funded residency program costing KDM 500 for retirees/investors and independent residents. Property owners and investors are required to pay KD 50 annually for residency renewals.
Taken together, these developments point to the Kuwait Interior Ministry’s attempt to create a more consistent, fixed cost structure, one whereby costs are set by category instead of negotiated or erratically waived as often happened in the past. Though many expatriate families have expressed worry about the overall financial load of seeing loved ones or keeping long-term residency, authorities have portrayed the larger drive as an attempt to update residency laws, tighten monitoring, and bring in more state money.
Among the New Cost a Minor Amenity
The revised rules have at least one bright spot: qualified candidates may now finish their visa-to-residence conversion without having to first leave Kuwait, something that was not always assured under past policies. Having said that, the procedure still calls for authorization from the General Directorate of Residency Affairs and adherence to all conventional paperwork standards.
What This Means for Expatriates
Planning for the KD 150 cost now can prevent you from being caught off guard if you are in Kuwait on a visit visa and think you may be eligible for one of the five conversion categories.
Expatriates and their companies both would benefit from watching upcoming changes as Kuwait keeps improving its residency program. Fee arrangements linked to sponsorship, family visits, and long-term residency have all significantly changed over the past year, and this most recent adjustment is not likely to be the last.
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