My nationality is Pakistani. Recently I brought my family to Kuwait. As you know Kuwait Immigration banned visas for five nationalities, including Pakistanis from April 24, 2011. My wife’s visa was issued on April 15, 2011.

I have done the medical, fingerprints and also paid insurance for one year for the family. But the Immigration Dept is still refusing to give residence to my family. I even tried yesterday. All my documents are complete. If they want to ban visas, the ban should be for those who are trying to get new ones but those whose visas have been issued should be given residence. About 1,000 expats are facing the same problem. What can we do?

Name withheld

Answer: Recently the Interior Minister is reported to have issued a decision calling for the residence to be stamped of those people who got the visa before the ban was imposed. Why this decision is not being implemented is very surprising unless some orders to the contrary have been issued and not communicated to the press.
You should go back to the Immigration Department in your area and talk to some senior officer. That seems to us as the only way out at the moment.

The Arab Times invites questions on all aspects of Kuwaiti law. If you face a problem, or need specific advice on any legal matter, from commercial and investment law to divorce and labour, send questions to the Managing Editor, Arab Times, P.O. Box 2270, 13023 Safat, Kuwait, or Fax to 24818267.