7 countries banned from sponsoring families

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 27: The General Department of Residence Affairs is said to have issued a new decision for dependent visa for expatriates, reports Al-Jarida quoting reliable sources.

One of the clauses says dependent visa will not be granted to children of sponsors if they are 12 years old and above. Without naming, the daily said seven nationalities are not eligible for sponsoring their families.

The decision also stipulates that the residence permits of sons who are 18 years and above and already hold the Kuwaiti residence permit will not be eligible for renewal unless they produce proof of that they are registered at one of the local universities.

The sources added the decision stipulates that the salary of the expatriate who wants to bring his family — wife and children — from his home country to live with him should not be less than KD 500.

Earlier a person whose salary was KD 450 was allowed to sponsor his family. The decision also says the applicants must be of certain professions which means some (those with menial professions) are automatically barred from applying for dependent visas.

Those exempted from meeting the minimum salary requirement include consultants, jurists, prosecutors, experts, legal researchers in the government sector, doctors, lecturers in higher education institutions, school principals and assistants, education guides and teachers, social counselors, laboratory technicians, economic and finance advisors, engineers, imams, muezzins and those who teach the Holy Quran, librarians, nursing staff, paramedics, medical technicians with various specializations, journalists and press correspondents, coaches and players in sport clubs, pilots and service crew, and undertakers.