8,700 Palestinians' Residency Permits in Kuwait: From the 'Document' to the Passport
The process of regularizing the residency status of Palestinian travel document holders in Kuwait has entered a new phase, with the initiation of procedures to transfer their residency permits from the travel document to the Palestinian passport. This follows a call by the General Directorate of Residency Affairs, via “Sahel” notifications, for concerned individuals to visit the Palestinian Embassy to obtain a Palestinian Authority passport, as a prerequisite for transferring and renewing their residency permits on the new passport instead of the travel document.
Palestinian Ambassador to Kuwait, Rami Tahboub, told “Al-Rai” that the embassy is coordinating with the relevant Kuwaiti authorities to complete the procedures. He noted that the messages received by document holders through the government “Sahel” app are part of this framework, clarifying that the deadline for transferring residency is three months. Approximately 8,700 individuals holding travel documents are affected, along with Palestinians who had already obtained Palestinian passports since their initial approval.
He explained that the Palestinian Embassy has begun taking necessary measures to handle the expected influx of applicants in the coming period, emphasizing that the goal is to facilitate the issuance of passports and the transfer of residency permits in accordance with the procedures adopted by the General Directorate of Residency Affairs.
He pointed out that the embassy is working to provide as many facilitations as possible for applicants, and has contacted the Ministry of Interior in Ramallah to expedite the issuance of passports for Palestinians residing in Kuwait, given the direct link between passport issuance and residency and travel procedures.
He stated that work is also underway on a project to enable the printing of Palestinian passports within the Kuwaiti embassy, which would reduce the issuance period to a maximum of one week. This would facilitate applicants’ completion of residency transfer procedures, particularly those with travel commitments. He expressed hope that the arrangements for this project would be finalized within a month.
