By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Interior Minister Sheikh Thamer Al-Sabah yesterday issued a decision extending a grace period for expat residency violators by another month, with the new amnesty ending on Jan 31, 2021. The earlier grace period was scheduled to end today. Under the amnesty, residency violators were allowed to legalize their stay in the country by paying the necessary fines, or leaving the country - also after paying fines - with the ability to return to the country in the future.

Under the new decision, illegal expats, estimated at more than 150,000, will be given similar facilities. However the decision warned that those who fail to benefit from the new grace period will be penalized in accordance with the law and deported from the country. They will also be barred from returning in the future.