KUWAIT: Mercy, who's been working illegally as a household help for a family in Kuwait for the past two years, has recently been contemplating returning home during the current amnesty. The fact that she's no longer young so will face problems in obtaining a visa to return to Kuwait for work, however, along with her various financial commitments to her family, means she can't leave quite yet. Mercy's story is certainly not unique; there are hundreds of other expats whose stay in the country has also expired but who can't or won't return home yet, much as they may wish to.

Despite the recent announcement of a temporary amnesty for illegal residents, allowing them to return home or legalize their status, a number have decided to remain in the country illegally, for a variety of reasons, including advancing age, amongst others.

Speaking to the Kuwait Times yesterday, Mercy, a Philippines national, explained, "I want to go home, but I'm still considering our financial needs back home. I'm sure I can't earn the money I'm earning here back in my home country. I'm working for my family. If I go home now, what will happen to me and my family? Besides, I'm still helping my sister to finish school." Mercy has delayed her plans to return home over concerns about her ability to return legally. "If I go home now I probably can't come bac
k again because of my advanced age, so I'm better to take the risk and stay. I hope His Highness the Amir will grant an amnesty again.

Annie, another illegal Filipina expatriate, has similar reasons for remaining. Although she wishes to legalize her residential status without returning home, she was disappointed to learn that in order to do so she would have to pay the maximum fine for this, KD600, in order to do so. "My problem is that I need to settle the KD600 maximum fine - where will I get that money from?" she asked. "Besides the KD600, my former employer wants me to pay her KD500 to obtain a release document. How can I pay KD1,100?


Article 2 of the amnesty regulations states that those who wish to legalize their residential status must pay the prescribed penalties in order to ensure that they are no longer subject to the lengthy investigation process. "Much as I'd like to correct my status, I still can't do so this time because of the fines and the release payment that my former employer wants," said Annie.

Previous amnesty programs allowed illegal residents to leave and to legalize their status in Kuwait from back home or to amend their residential status whilst remaining in Kuwait without paying fines. It's been confirmed by various nations' embassies in the country that thousands of expatriates have already applied to amend their residential status during this amnesty, which began on March 1 and will last until June 30.

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the General Immigration Department have launched a multimedia campaign to reach out to and inform members of various expatriate communities about the amnesty, with the MoI distributing leaflets and pamphlets in different languages in the Jahra, Sulaibiya, Wafra and Kabad areas, which all have large numbers of expatriate residents. Expatriate residency violators are allowed to leave the country without paying any fines so long as they have criminal record.

The interior ministry has warned that any illegal residents apprehended after the amnesty period ends will be immediately deported, although authorities in the country have promised that expatriates who left the country during the period will be allowed to reenter the nation easily so long as they do so by legal means. - kuwaittimes