The removal of the minimum salary threshold for dependent sponsorship means you can finally bring your family without jumping through income hoops. Here's what changed and what it means for you.
No minimum salary threshold for dependent visa โ but housing and health insurance still cost KD 200โ500/month per dependent
Estimated cost as of 2026. Prices may vary.
Check your current residency status and employer registration before doing anything else. Not all residency types are eligible โ if you're on a domestic worker visa (้), you cannot sponsor dependents regardless of income. The residency on your passport (Article 14, Article 17, etc.) determines eligibility. Confirm your type by checking your Civil ID or speaking to your company's HR department before assuming you can proceed.
Gather documents for each dependent you'll be sponsoring. Standard requirements: dependent's passport (valid 6+ months), passport-size photos (4โ6 per person), your Civil ID, employment contract, salary certificates if requested, and proof of relationship (marriage certificate for spouse, birth certificates for children โ translated to Arabic or English). Marriage and birth certificates must be attested by your home country's embassy in Kuwait and the Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Start this attestation process early โ it takes 2โ6 weeks depending on your country of origin.
Use the Ministry of Interior's online portal (https://api.moi.gov.kw) for the application โ it's faster and more reliable than typing centers. Create an account, select 'Dependent Sponsorship' (ุนุฑุถๅธฐใ), and fill in each dependent's details. Upload the required documents as PDFs โ blurry or incomplete uploads cause delays. The portal is Arabic-language with a basic English toggle, but most fields are self-explanatory if you've gathered everything in advance.
Pay fees at the Ministry or via K-Net card on the portal. The fee for dependent residency is currently around KD 10โ50 per dependent depending on the residency type and duration. You'll also pay aๅป็ clearance fee (if required). The total fees are significantly lower than the costs of traveling to a typing center and paying their service charge.
Wait for the approval SMS โ typically 3โ10 business days for straightforward cases, longer during peak periods (AugustโSeptember when families are arriving for the school year). You can track status on the portal using your application number. If you don't hear back after 2 weeks, call the Ministry's call center or visit in person at the Farwaniya or Hawalli branch.
Collect the dependent's Civil ID in person โ this requires the dependent's biometric data (fingerprints and photo). Schedule an appointment at the Civil ID center via the Ministry's website. Bring your original passport and your dependent's original passport. The ID is typically issued same-day or within 1โ2 days once the application is approved.
The change removes a fixed KD amount minimum salary requirement, but your actual income still matters in practice. Your employer still needs to verify payroll, and the Ministry will cross-reference your declared salary against your employer's PIFSS (Public Institution for Social Security) contributions. If your declared salary and your PIFSS record don't match, your application will be flagged. Make sure your employment contract, payslips, and PIFSS records are consistent before applying โ not after.
The removal of the minimum salary threshold is a genuine improvement for expats who were previously locked out of family reunification because their salary didn't hit an arbitrary number. The practical process hasn't changed โ you still need documented income, valid employer status, and all the attestation documents. If you've been waiting to bring your family because you didn't clear the old salary bar, now is the time to re-check your eligibility. The Ministry's online portal is the most reliable submission channel, and attestation of relationship documents is the most common delay โ start that process first.
Most employment residency holders (Article 14 work visas, Article 17 dependent visas) can sponsor their spouse and children. Domestic worker visa holders (้) cannot sponsor dependents regardless of income. The eligibility also depends on your employer's registration and your residency's standing โ expired or irregular residency blocks the process.
The mandatory minimum salary threshold has been removed for most employment categories. However, your income must still be verifiable and consistent with your PIFSS (social security) contributions. Your employer needs to approve the sponsorship, and payroll records are cross-checked by the Ministry. The practical bar is still having genuine employment income โ not a fixed salary number.
Standard processing is 1โ3 weeks from submission through the Ministry's online portal. Peak periods (AugustโSeptember, January) can extend to 3โ4 weeks. Once approved, the dependent must visit a Civil ID center in person for biometric data, after which the ID is issued within 1โ2 days.
Marriage certificates and birth certificates must be attested by your home country's embassy in Kuwait and the Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs โ plan for 2โ6 weeks for this step alone. Passport copies, photos, and your own Civil ID don't require attestation. Start attestation early, as it's the most common cause of delay in the process.
Yes, but under a different category โ parent sponsorship (ุนุฑุถ ุงูุนุฌุฒุฉ) requires separate approval and has specific income and residency requirements beyond the standard dependent visa process. The process is more complex and the fees are higher. It's best handled through a typing center or legal consultant with experience in parent sponsorship cases.
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