The Interior Ministry’s Nationality and Passports Department will start from January 1, 2016 to implement Article 12 of the Foreigners’ Residency Law 17/1959 and Article 159 of the implementation rules of Foreigners’ Residency Law 640/1987 which states that “it is not allowed for the residency permit given to a foreigner to exceed the validity of his passport,” Interior Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for Nationality and Passports Major General Sheikh Mazen Al- Jarrah Al-Sabah said.

Major General Sheikh Mazen Al-Jarrah added the National and Passports Sector is exerting all efforts to develop the work systems to ensure the comfort of the citizen and expat and make it easier to process transactions.

He said this measure is in the interest of citizens and expatriates, besides the period granted before its implementation is enough for all to check the validity of their passports and adjust their situation before heading to Residency Affairs Office to get the new residency.

Once the passport expires, the residency visa will likewise be voided according to the new law, and no new residency will be issued until the passport is renewed.

Major General Sheikh Mazen Al-Jarrah urged expatriates to check the validity of their passports and renew them before they expire and then go to the Residency Affairs Department to register the new passport information and transfer the residency information from the old to the new passport. He also urged citizens to check their domestic help passports to avoid any violation.

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