Duration for family visit visa will be increased to three month as per the new residency law, which is already approved by the cabinet. This will be implemented very soon, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Residency and Nationality Affairs, Major General Ali Al-Adwani, said in an interview with the national channel.

A separate committee will be formed to study the visa fee structures according to the services provided, he added. Any expatriate who wants to bring his wife or mother will have to pay escalating fees, and the committee has not finished its study in this regard, he said.

We have set strict rules for anyone who is violating the visit visa duration. Warnings are issued via 'Sahel' application, and if the visitor does not exit, he is summoned and measures are taken against him.

The new law will facilitate residency for professional expatriates for up to 5 years, and 10 year for real estate owners, and 15 years for investors.

As per the new law, an expatriates can be deported from the country if he has no source of income or if the Minister of Interior sees that he should be deported in accordance with the law, and in third case, he can be deported in the public interest of the country. The deportation expenses will be borne by the employer or the person who sheltered him, or from his own funds.

3 to 5 year imprisonment or a fine of 5,000 to 10,000 dinar for anyone who employs a worker for a purpose other than what he was brought for.

Unlike before, if an expatriate is found to have paid an amount for his residency, he also will be punished with one year in prison or a fine of 1,000 dinars for being part of this crime. The sponsor or the company owner will also be held accountable, the company will be suspended, and the license will be cancelled.