15,447 illegal Sri Lankans in Kuwait – ‘Happy to leave … but worried about future’

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KUWAIT CITY, Jan 27: There are about 15,447 Sri Lankans in violation of the residency law in Kuwait, as per a press statement issued by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Kuwait. Recently, Ministry of Interior declared an amnesty period from Jan 29 to Feb 22 for expatriates who do not possess residency or have expired residence permits to either legalize their status or leave the country without being blacklisted.

The Sri Lankan Embassy considers this amnesty period as “a rare opportunity for about 15,447 Sri Lankans who live illegally in Kuwait to either resolve their residency issues and stay in the country or leave the country without being blacklisted”.

It said those with further inquiries in this regard can contact the embassy via its hotline No. 65000118. Elaborating further on the decision taken by Ministry of Interior to grant amnesty, it stated that illegal residents in Kuwait have two options.

First option is that they can legalize their status to continue living in Kuwait by paying all the fines and obtaining a valid visa without being referred to the investigation department. Second option is that they can leave the country during this amnesty period through any port without paying any fines.

Those who leave during this amnesty period will not be blacklisted and will be allowed to re-enter Kuwait if they are not banned from entry for any other reason and if they meet the required conditions. Those who are banned from traveling or are subjected to court cases should visit the Residency Affairs Department to discuss the possibility of getting a valid visa during the amnesty period.

If any illegal resident is caught during the amnesty period, he or she would be referred for immediate deportation. Residency violators who do not leave the country during the amnesty period would face legal penalties, denial of valid visa, deportation and denial of reentry into Kuwait.

Even though the general amnesty granted by Kuwait government — from Jan 29 to Feb 22 is likely to benefit thousands of illegal immigrants from India stuck in the Gulf nation, their misery is unlikely to end on their return to India.

For most of them who went from Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Nirmal and Karimnagar districts have no opportunities for alternative employment back home. However, they will be deported during the amnesty period and their future hangs in the balance, reports The New Indian Express. The general amnesty period can be used by immigrants who have illegally entered Kuwait or overstayed their visa period to return home without taking permission from any authority or paying any penalty amount. Most immigrants from Telangana stuck in the Gulf country are those who were cheated by travel agents and recruiters.

For instance, Prashant from Kamareddy, who works in Al Raqib, was not allowed to take leave or visit India since he went there three years ago. My mother has cancer and I want to see her but I have no promise for jobs back home, he told Express over phone from Kuwait. I had to do tough labour to make money for my mother’s treatment, but I am not sure if the firm will call me back if I go home during the amnesty period.

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