ShareKUWAIT: Kuwait has no plans to give an amnesty to visa violators because lawbreakers in recent years have used the amnesty period to exit the country without paying fines, a senior government official said yesterday. “It has became a habit that every now and then, visa violators look forward for an amnesty period so that they can travel and escape without paying their fines,” Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said during a parliament session yesterday. “We at the interior ministry saw that there is no need for an amnesty, as we continue to pursue every lawbreaker everywhere,” he added.
The minister confirmed that his ministry’s new strategy aims to conduct full and comprehensive security inspection tours in all governorates due to its effectiveness in apprehending wanted suspects in the country. About 42,000 expats living illegally in Kuwait had benefitted from a four-month amnesty period which ended on June 30, 2011 – the last time an amnesty was given. In January, the ministry allowed residency violators to pay their fines and either legalize their status or leave the country without being blacklisted. This will mean they can return on a new visa in the future.
Unlike in previous years, however, residency violators’ fines will not be forgiven and they must clear all fines. This condition applies to violators who voluntarily come forward to the police, and does not cover those caught by security personnel, who will be deported and banned from returning after fully paying their fines. Under normal circumstances, the fine for overstaying is KD 2 per day and is capped at a maximum of KD 600.
The interior ministry has so far conducted a series of crackdowns this year on areas known to be inhabited by large numbers low income workers and illegal residents. Ministry officials said that raids in places such as Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, Ardiya, Bneid Al-Gar and the vegetable market in Sulabiya achieved positive results as ‘large numbers’ of residency and labor law violators as well as other lawbreakers were arrested. Several thousand were arrested in recent campaigns.
During yesterday’s Assembly session, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled noted that inspection tours resulted in finding residents that have correct residency but do not carry appropriate identification documents, adding that all residents must carry their IDs with them in public places. The minister also called on all citizens to carry their identification cards with them.
By A Saleh
