Kuwait launches 15 year investor residency for KDIPA licensed entities

Inside Kuwait's KDIPA-linked 15-year investor permit

Kuwait's Cabinet operationalized the 15-year foreign investor residency in mid-June 2026 under Cabinet Resolution No. 651 of 2026, published in the official gazette Kuwait Alyoum. The framework sits inside the broader Residency Law for Foreigners (Decree No. 114/2024), which replaced the 1959 law and took effect last year.

The General Directorate of Residency Affairs at the Ministry of Interior issues the permit, but only after the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) signs off on the underlying investment. Three residency tiers now exist in parallel: standard residence up to five years, property-owner and certain family residence up to 10 years and investor residence up to 15 years.

Built for capital, not remote workers

The route is restricted to people tied to a KDIPA-licensed entity. That includes owners of qualifying investment vehicles, approved business partners, senior executives in specific cleared roles and immediate family members including spouses, parents and children.

Ordinary expat employees remain capped at five-year sponsored residency. Tourists keep their short-stay visas. Remote workers and digital nomads are explicitly outside the scheme, because eligibility hinges on local capital deployment and a licensed Kuwaiti operating entity, not personal income or foreign employment.

Expatriates buying real estate qualify for a separate track of up to 10 years, with qualifying property values commonly cited in the KWD 200,000 to 300,000 range.

What applicants actually need

The capital bar is high. The KDIPA-licensed entity must hold an investment value of at least KWD 5 million, with at least KWD 1 million in capital deposited and actively deployed inside Kuwait for approved activities. The business has to run real operations and meet Kuwaiti national hiring quotas.

Applicants submit to KDIPA first with a passport valid at least six months, a clean criminal record, corporate documents and proof of deposited capital. KDIPA aims to decide within five working days of a complete file. Requests for more information must be answered within 30 days or the application is automatically rejected. Renewals should be filed at least 60 days before expiry. Health insurance in the resident's name is mandatory and permits can't exceed the insurance coverage period.

Read our full Kuwait guide for the complete picture.