KUWAIT CITY, July 14: The General Immigration Department is said to have refused to renew the residence permits of several housemaids whose visas expired months ago due to their alleged failure to avail the Amiri amnesty granted to those staying illegally in the country, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting sources.
Sources disclosed a large number of sponsors were surprised when the department rejected their applications for the renewal of the visas of their housemaids. Sources added the sponsors wondered if their housemaids are now considered absconding workers or illegal residents who roam around the streets committing various crimes. Sources also quoted the sponsors as saying, “We don’t understand why the department does not want to renew the residence permits of our housemaids, considering they live in our homes.”

Sources asserted a number of Kuwaiti mothers have also complained about the Interior Ministry’s refusal to renew their children’s residence permits, which also expired some months ago. They want to know if the ministry intends to keep its promise to ease the processing of their transactions, sources said.
According to statistical reports, there are around 575,000 domestic workers in the country. If it is true that the department will not renew the residence permits of those whose visas expired some months back due to the failure of their sponsors to complete the procedure on time, these workers have two options — leave the country or hide in their sponsors’ houses until a new directive is issued in their favor, sources added.

Meanwhile, an informed security source explained the ministry has made it clear that it will not renew the residence permits of household workers and children of Kuwaiti mothers whose visas expired several months ago. He said the legal procedure is for the sponsors to be referred to the General Investigation Department and then pay the corresponding fines to the relevant court before they are allowed to renew the residence permits of their housemaids. However, the ministry allegedly issued a decision not to refer the sponsors for investigation; thereby, depriving them or their right to renew the residence permits of their housemaids. “Does the ministry have the right to stop the referral of citizens to the court? This decision will lead to a number of security problems, especially since each citizen has more than one maid. Most of them thought the Amiri amnesty was not applicable to their housemaids, believing they can renew the residence permits whenever they want,” he added.
In a related development, Hawally securitymen arrested 12 expatriates staying illegally in the country recently. Sources revealed this is part of the ministry’s campaign to track down those who have violated the Residency Law.