Kuwait expats will now face new travel restrictions, if they do not pay their electricity and water bills ahead of their travel, according to a report by Kuwait Times.
The new decision, which is in collaboration with Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity and Water and Ministry of Interior, will come into effect on September 1.
The decision also follows Kuwait’s recent direction which requires expats to settle traffic fines before leaving the country from any of its exits.
According to an “unnamed top security source,” Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled Al-Sabah has instructed the interior ministry to coordinate with various government entities to implement similar measures, ensuring that expats cannot exit Kuwait without clearing their outstanding government debts, the report said.
A meeting between top officials from the interior ministry and representatives of the Electricity and water ministry on Monday led to an agreement to interconnect their systems, obligating expats to clear their electricity and water bills before they leave.
The goal of this measure is to recover amounts of unpaid bills, primarily from the nearly 70 percent expat population in the country.
Kuwait also faces challenges in revenue collection due to outdated government systems, allowing both citizens and expats to delay payments for extended periods, the report said.
