Kuwait City, Dec. 31 -- Kuwait has introduced new residency regulations limiting the length of time expat residents may remain outside the country to six consecutive months, as part of a comprehensive update to its immigration framework.

The restriction is outlined in Ministerial Decision No. 2249 of 2025, issued by the Ministry of Interior, which sets out the executive regulations of the Foreigners' Residency Law. The rule applies to all categories of residency permits, unless explicitly exempted.

Under the revised framework, residency permits may be cancelled if the permitted absence period is exceeded. However, the six-month limit does not apply to the following groups:

Children of Kuwaiti women

Property owners

Foreign investors ...