Kuwait approved a long-term residency track that grants qualified foreign investors permits of up to 15 years, making it the last Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country to formally introduce an investor path to long-term residency.
The Interior Ministry issued the update under Article 7 of the Executive Regulations, approved by First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Fahad Al Yousef, allowing investors to qualify for Kuwait’s long-term residency by either investing in local real estate (10-year route) or establishing a business (15-year route).
There is no fixed minimum investment for either pathway; applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
In most estimates, the average price of a private house in Kuwait is between KD 200,000 and KD 300,000 (~US$650,000 to US$980,000).
Business-route applicants must comply with the foreign investment standards set out in Law No. 116 of 2013 on the Promotion of Direct Investment. Under this framework, the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) may license eligible projects as a 100% foreign-owned Kuwaiti company, a branch of a foreign company, or a representative office for market studies.
The residency reforms follow Kuwait’s citizenship crackdown, which began last year. By September 2025, Kuwait had revoked up to 42,000 passports, primarily those of naturalized citizens and the spouses of Kuwaitis.
Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, ruler of Kuwait, said last year in a televised speech that citizenship revocations aim to “deliver Kuwait back to its original people, clean of impurities.”
Business Investment Criteria
KDIPA and the Cabinet assess investors’ eligibility holistically rather than by a single threshold. They look at the business project’s expected contribution to technology and know‑how transfer, including modern management practices and technical and marketing capabilities.
They also evaluate how the project serves local and GCC demand and supports non-oil diversification. Export potential and productivity matter as well, with emphasis on raising non‑oil exports and improving the quality and volume of output.
Another eligibility criterion authorities assess is employment and training: proposals should demonstrate how the business would create jobs for Kuwaiti nationals, and should outline credible training plans.
The Cabinet maintains a Negative List of excluded business activities for foreigners. In 2025, the Negative List includes sectors such as oil and gas, media and publishing, and certain types of manufacturing, among others.
New Income and Dependent Rules
Alongside formalizing the investor residency track, the Interior Ministry outlined broad updates to the residency regime. On November 23, it announced a revised rulebook that raises most visa fees, introduces new residence categories, and tightens rules for dependents and domestic workers.
The ministry reaffirmed a minimum monthly income of KD 800 (~US$2,600) to sponsor a family and increased the annual fee for dependents other than a spouse or children to KD 300 (~US$977).
Residency renewals remain available upon application, including for investor and real estate routes.
The new regulations and investor residency routes take effect on December 23. Authorities have indicated they will issue additional circulars to clarify documentation requirements and more precisely define the eligible investor categories.
