Kuwait work visa for Americans

After obtaining a work permit, US citizens must apply for a work visa (residence visa).

How can US citizens obtain a work visa to Kuwait?

An application for a work visa must be submitted to the Kuwaiti embassy/consulate in the foreigner's country of residence. A work visa for foreigners living in countries where there are no diplomatic missions of Kuwait is issued, as a rule, in the migration service of the emirate at the request of the employer.

What documents do Americans need to obtain a Kuwait work visa?

• A foreign passport valid for at least six months before the expiration date;
• A completed visa application form issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait;
• Passport size photo;
• A copy of the work permit;
• HIV/AIDS test;
• Health certificate from a local doctor;
• Certificate of no criminal record;
• Health insurance.

In order to obtain a work visa, Americans who will work in the public sector must submit to the Embassy of Kuwait the relevant visa application form, a copy of the work permit, a certificate of no criminal record, as well as medical certificates on general health and the absence of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.

In addition to the above documents, US citizens who will work in the private sector must also submit to the diplomatic mission of Kuwait the aforementioned certificate of no objection from the Ministry of Interior of Kuwait, as well as a copy of the Kuwaiti certificate of registration of the employer company.

How long does it take to apply for a work visa from USA?

The application processing time is 1-2 weeks.

How long is a Kuwait work visa valid for US citizens?

The duration of the visa will depend on the length of the applicant's employment contract with the sponsoring company, but at the discretion of the authorities. The initial validity of the visa can last for three years with the possibility of extension. However, a Kuwait work visa does not allow permanent residence.

What do Americans have to do after arriving in Kuwait?

Immediately upon arrival in Kuwait, an employment contract is signed with US citizens in triplicate (usually in Arabic and English), of which one copy is retained by the employee, the second by the company, and the third is submitted to the relevant territorial body of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (the so-called "labor office" or "shuun"). If necessary, the employment agreement must be translated into any other language understood by the employee before signing.

The employment contract must specify the nature of the employee's work, the amount of salary and the procedure for its payment, the number of working days per week, the term of the contract, etc.

After signing the contract, the employing company is obliged to issue the citizen with compulsory health insurance, a residence permit in Kuwait (residence permit or “iqama”) and a local identity card (civil ID). In accordance with the established practice, the employer pays the cost of the insurance policy and the state fee for issuing or renewing a residence permit for employees in Kuwait.

What documents do US citizens need to obtain a residence permit?

To apply for a residence permit in Kuwait, the following package of documents must be submitted to the Immigration Department of the Ministry of the Interior of Kuwait or its territorial bodies (this is usually done by the employer himself or his official representative – the "mandub"):

• Application-questionnaire of the established model (signed by the employee and the employer and affixed with the employer's seal);
• Passport;
• 2 photo cards (3.5x4.5 cm, blue background);
• Employment permit;
• Permission of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kuwait;
• Medical certificate issued by a medical institution (must be legalized and submitted with a certified translation into Arabic);
• Certificate of no criminal record and no criminal liability (must also be legalized and submitted with a certified translation into Arabic).

One of the characteristic features of labor legislation in Kuwait is the so-called the "sponsorship system" (or "kafala"), which imposes certain restrictions on migrant workers' right to change the Kuwaiti employer ("sponsor") who invited them to Kuwait and issued them a work and residence permit.

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So, foreigners who have worked for at least one year at their previous employer are entitled to change their place of work without obtaining a new work visa. At the same time, a necessary condition for a change of employer is that the foreign employee receives the appropriate consent of the current "sponsor".

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If the employer refuses to grant the specified permission, the employee can apply to the territorial body of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs ("labor office" or "shuun"). If the specified body establishes that the employer has violated the terms of the employment contract or the provisions of the labor law, it can authorize the transfer of the employee to a new employer regardless of the wishes of his previous "sponsor".

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At the same time, foreigners employed in the public sector and domestic workers are allowed to transfer to a new employer only with the consent of the current "sponsor", without the possibility of appealing to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

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It should be noted that the above mechanism of changing the place of work is allowed only within the same specialty. In the event of a change of occupation, or failure to obtain permission to change employers, the employee must cancel his previous work visa, leave Kuwait and enter with a new work visa obtained on the basis of a new employment permit. At the same time, such persons do not necessarily have to return to their country of citizenship or permanent residence. They can go to any third country, even neighboring Kuwait, and return to the emirate after 48 hours, provided they have all the necessary documents for employment at the new place of work (in particular, a medical certificate and a certificate of non-criminal liability).

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On the other hand, Kuwaiti employer companies are fully responsible for the stay of foreign workers in Kuwait (in terms of providing housing, proper working conditions, health insurance policies, timely issuance of relevant residence permits, etc.).

A domestic servant visa is a type of residence visa that can be granted to a permanent foreign resident who has been hired from a country outside of Kuwait.

The visa is granted because expatriates are usually allowed to bring a full-time domestic helper to Kuwait.

Basic requirements:

• The age of the domestic worker is 20-50 years;
• A male sponsor must have a wife to hire a domestic helper;
• There are no minimum wage requirements if the sponsor's husband and wife work and if the sponsor's family has children;

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Upon arrival in Kuwait, passport photos and documents will be required to obtain a domestic worker visa.

The assistant must pay a living fee of 200,00 KD for the first year and 10,00 KD for subsequent years.

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How to get a visa?

1. To obtain such a visa, you need to contact the Kuwaiti Embassy/Consulate.
2. The application form will then need to be filled out in Arabic.
3. A domestic worker for whom a visa is issued must visit the Kuwaiti embassy in his country.

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To obtain a visa for a domestic worker, the following documents are required:

1. Salary certificates of both the sponsor and the spouse;
2. Photocopy of the house lease agreement;
3. A photocopy of the passport of both sponsors and their spouse;
4. Certificate of age of children (photocopy of local birth certificate or passport);
5. A photocopy of the identity card of both sponsors and their spouse;
6. A photocopy of the domestic worker's passport together with 8 passport-size photos;
7. Photocopy of the domestic worker's employment contract.

A business visa to Kuwait is granted to foreigners who wish to visit the country to participate in business meetings or to invest in a business. To obtain a Kuwait business visa, the applicant must have a sponsor. In such cases, the hotel where travelers plan to stay may sponsor their visa.

To obtain a business visa, the applicant must provide:

• A completed Kuwait visa application form and a security form completed by the sponsor;
• A copy of the visitor's passport;
• A copy of the sponsor's signature as registered for commercial purposes;
• Copy of the request letter