Kuwait · Spouse visas
Kuwait Spouse of a citizen
Residence for the foreign spouse and children of a Kuwaiti citizen
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Kuwait. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
Residence permits under the 2024 law do not normally exceed five years; some categories get ten.
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant is the non-Kuwaiti spouse or child of a Kuwaiti citizen, who makes the request.
- A non-Kuwaiti woman who was married to a Kuwaiti citizen, or is his widow, can request residence if she has children by him.
Documents3
- For Article 24 residence of the children of a widowed or divorced Kuwaiti citizen, the Ministry of Interior asks for copies of the children’s birth certificates or civil ID cards.
- That application also needs a certificate of social status from the Ministry of Justice.
- It also needs proof of custody of the children: a custody document for a widow or a custody ruling for a divorced citizen.
Steps2
- Residence permits are issued by the General Department of Residency of the Ministry of Interior.
- A visitor must leave within three months unless the Ministry of Interior has granted a residence permit.
After you arrive1
- Regular residence permits do not exceed five years; children of Kuwaiti women can receive a ten-year permit.
When you become tax resident
How Kuwait decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
The charge turns on carrying on business through activity in Kuwait, not on days of presence.
- Income tax
Kuwait’s income tax decree, as amended in 2008, taxes bodies corporate carrying on business in Kuwait at 15% of net taxable income and contains no income tax on individuals’ salaries.
All tax rules for Kuwait Tax records checked
Full official text
Kuwaiti citizens can request residence permits for their non-Kuwaiti spouses and children under the 2024 residency law. 1 2 3 4
Requirements
- The applicant is the non-Kuwaiti spouse or child of a Kuwaiti citizen, who makes the request. 1
- A non-Kuwaiti woman who was married to a Kuwaiti citizen, or is his widow, can request residence if she has children by him. 1 2
- For Article 24 residence of the children of a widowed or divorced Kuwaiti citizen, the Ministry of Interior asks for copies of the children’s birth certificates or civil ID cards. 3
- That application also needs a certificate of social status from the Ministry of Justice. 3
- It also needs proof of custody of the children: a custody document for a widow or a custody ruling for a divorced citizen. 3
- Residence permits are issued by the General Department of Residency of the Ministry of Interior. 4 1
- A visitor must leave within three months unless the Ministry of Interior has granted a residence permit. 1
- Regular residence permits do not exceed five years; children of Kuwaiti women can receive a ten-year permit. 1
Stay
- Residence permits under the law do not normally exceed five years; some categories get ten.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Family
Kuwaiti citizens can request residence permits for a non-Kuwaiti spouse and children; non-Kuwaiti women previously married or widowed to Kuwaiti citizens can ask for residency if they have children by a Kuwaiti.
Official sources
- Amiri decree issued new law concerning foreigners’ residency (Decree-Law 114/2024) · Amiri Diwan of the State of Kuwait · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2024-11-28
- Work Residence for Those Providing Proof of a Source of Income, Article 24 · Ministry of Interior of Kuwait, through Kuwait Government Online · checked 2026-10-11
- Residency for Children of Widow or Divorced Citizen, Article 24 · Ministry of Interior of Kuwait · checked 2026-10-12
- General Department of Residency · Ministry of Interior of Kuwait · checked 2026-10-12
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | – | – |
| Dependant of a worker | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a permanent resident Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a stay permit holder Indonesia | – | – | No |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Residence permits under the law do not normally exceed five years; some categories get ten.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a citizen?
Kuwaiti citizens can request residence permits for a non-Kuwaiti spouse and children; non-Kuwaiti women previously married or widowed to Kuwaiti citizens can ask for residency if they have children by a Kuwaiti.
How are Spouse of a citizen holders taxed in Kuwait?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a citizen. The standard rules apply: Kuwait’s income tax decree, as amended in 2008, taxes bodies corporate carrying on business in Kuwait at 15% of net taxable income and contains no income tax on individuals’ salaries.
More in Kuwait
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Amiri decree issued new law concerning foreigners’ residency (Decree-Law 114/2024) · Amiri Diwan of the State of Kuwait · checked 2026-10-12
- Work Residence for Those Providing Proof of a Source of Income, Article 24 · Ministry of Interior of Kuwait, through Kuwait Government Online · checked 2026-10-11
- Residency for Children of Widow or Divorced Citizen, Article 24 · Ministry of Interior of Kuwait · checked 2026-10-12
- General Department of Residency · Ministry of Interior of Kuwait · checked 2026-10-12
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.