Kuwait: Expats helping residency law violators face immediate deportation
Unused schools to be turned into detention centres, security to be tightened
Dubai: Kuwait has announced that any expatriate found sheltering or assisting those who breach the nation’s residency laws will face immediate deportation.
Additionally, the Ministry of the Interior has joined hands with the Ministry of Education to transform two unused schools in Jleeb Al Shuyoukh and Khaitan into detention facilities specifically for these violators.
The initiative aims not only to address the increasing number of violations but also to ease the pressure on existing police lockups and deportation centers. Post handover by the Ministry of Education, refurbishments will be carried out by the Ministry of the Interior to make the centers functional for their new purpose.
Sources have reported that helping and abetting residency law violators will also carry severe penalties. Expatriates found guilty of sheltering or assisting violators in any form will face immediate deportation. Kuwaiti individuals or entities found complicit will be subjected to stringent legal action.
The sources have further disclosed that the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Talal Al Khaled, alongside the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Lieutenant General Anwar Al Barjas, have instructed security officials to devise a comprehensive plan, which involves assembling data on violators through appropriate channels within the Ministry of the Interior, targeting an estimated 150,000 residence violators.
To boost these efforts, there will be an increased security presence in regions known for housing residence violators, including Jleeb Al Shuyoukh, Khaitan, Farwaniya, Mahboula, Amghara, Al Mazraa’ and Al Jawakhir.
Furthermore, there’s ongoing cooperation between the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate smoother coordination with embassies, particularly those whose nationals frequently breach residency regulations. The collaborative approach aims to fast-track the usually prolonged deportation process, ensuring that those needing travel documents can leave Kuwait without unnecessary delays.