KUWAIT CITY, June 4: Immigration departments in all governorates have started implementing regulations which allow Kuwaiti women to sponsor their non—Kuwaiti husbands and children, reports Al—Watan Arabic daily.

Sources say Kuwaiti women holding Article 1, 5 and 7 (3) citizenship are eligible to sponsor their husbands and children, but those holding Article 8 citizenship — who were naturalized after getting married to Kuwaiti men — cannot sponsor anyone if they are divorced or widowed. Sources say this is to prevent manipulations and violations committed by naturalized women. It was highlighted a few weeks ago that several Arab women married Kuwaiti men and after getting citizenship, asked for divorce. They apparently wanted to marry their compatriots and sponsor the latter in the country.

The sources explained that a Kuwaiti woman can sponsor her non—Kuwaiti husband for one year after marriage and the residency can be renewed for the second and third year after which she can sponsor the husband for five years continuously, but she has to submit documents to prove that the marriage is still valid. However, if the woman conceives during the first year of marriage, she will be allowed to sponsor the husband for five continuous years as it will prove that she is serious about the marriage and is not interested in commercial benefits.

Meanwhile, sources say the decision to ban the issuing of visit, work and dependent visas to people from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan will increase the number of illegal residents in the country.

Indicating that the decision was not studied properly, sources said many people who entered the country legally but didn’t get the residency stamped on their passports by the time the decision was issued are trapped. These people entered the country with the permission of Interior and Social Affairs and Labor ministries, but because their residence wasn’t stamped by the time the decision was issued, they have become illegal residents. They do not want to go back due to the security situation in their respective home countries, said sources, adding the decision coincides with the grace period granted to illegal residents to leave the country or correct their status. The amnesty offer ends by June—end.
Due to the random decision, residents of the above—mentioned nationalities will not be able to get a dependent visa for their babies born in their homeland even if the parents have valid residencies in the country.