21/10/2024
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21/10/2024
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KUWAIT CITY, Oct 21: A total of 21,190 expatriates who violated Residency and Labor laws have been deported since the beginning of 2024; while 11,970 have legalized their status. This is the result of the intensified security campaigns being carried out by the Residency Affairs Investigation General Department in the Nationality and Residency Affairs Sector at the Interior Ministry as per the directives of First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Interior Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah to combat visa forgery and other manipulations.
In a press statement Monday, the ministry confirmed the continuation of security efforts to combat organized crimes committed by visa forgers and employers who facilitate procedures for obtaining visas in exchange for money. The ministry also revealed that 11,970 violators have rectified their status; indicating the corresponding fines have been collected and the legal procedures followed in this regard.
It added that the department conducted search, investigation and inspection of fictitious companies, leading to the registration of 59 criminal cases, including forgery of official documents and facilitating visa procedures in exchange for money. It confirmed the arrest of the owners and representatives of companies proven to have forged official documents and tampered with the manpower needs assessment – all of whom were referred to the concerned authorities for the necessary legal action.
Moreover, 506 misdemeanor cases were registered against domestic workers (Article 20 visa) and companies whose violations include facilitating visa procedures in exchange for money, harboring violators and absconding. The ministry reiterated that it will not hesitate in arresting and holding accountable anyone proven to have violated the Residency and Labor laws, stressing the accountability is applied on both the employer and the employee. Meanwhile, a security source confirmed to the newspaper that the security campaigns are continuing in all governorates at different and unexpected times.
By Munif Naif
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff
