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Kuwait Article 20 Visa: Domestic Worker Guide

Everything sponsors and domestic employees (housemaids, private drivers, cooks, and caretakers) need to know about Article 20 residency renewal, transfer rules, and Civil ID issuance.

Domestic Labor Regulations · Updated: 2026-09-20

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10 KD

Health Dhaman / Year

10 / 20 KD

MOI Residency (Kuwaiti / Expat)

5 KD

PACI Civil ID Card

25–35 KD

Total Standard Annual Cost

Step-by-Step Article 20 Renewal Process

  1. Pay Health Insurance (Dhaman)

    Pay the mandatory annual health insurance (10 KD/year) online via the Ministry of Health Dhaman portal or the Sahel app.

  2. Renew MOI Residency (Iqama)

    The sponsor logs in to the Sahel app or MOI portal (moi.gov.kw) → Domestic Workers Services → Residency Renewal. Pay the residency fee (10 KD for Kuwaiti sponsors, 20 KD for expat sponsors).

  3. Renew PACI Civil ID Card

    Once the residency is renewed in MOI, navigate to the PACI portal or Sahel app → PACI Services → Civil ID Renewal. Pay the 5 KD card fee.

  4. Request Home Delivery (2 KD)

    Choose home delivery on delivery.paci.gov.kw. Hand over the worker's expired Civil ID to the courier driver upon arrival.

Key Sponsor Legal Obligations in Kuwait

Grace Period & Renewal Window

Article 20 residency can be renewed up to 60 days before expiration. If the visa expires without renewal, a late fine of 2 KD per day accrues automatically at MOI, plus a 20 KD late penalty at PACI.

Transfer of Sponsorship (Tanazul)

Domestic workers can be transferred to a new sponsor if their contract has ended or by mutual agreement. The current sponsor signs a release via the Sahel app or at the Governorate Residency department.

Frequently Asked Questions

The total renewal cost per year is: Health Insurance (Dhaman) = 10 KD; MOI Residency fee = 10 KD (Kuwaiti sponsor) or 20 KD (Expat sponsor); PACI Civil ID card = 5 KD. Total is 25 KD (for Kuwaitis) or 35 KD (for expats), plus 2 KD if choosing home delivery.
Yes, but expatriates face stricter conditions: they must earn a minimum salary of 1,000 KD/month, have an active family residence (Article 22), live in a suitable family apartment, and obtain approval from the General Department of Residency Affairs.
An Article 20 transfer requires mutual consent between the current sponsor, the worker, and the new sponsor. Both sponsors and the worker must visit the Residency Affairs department in their governorate (or complete the transfer via Sahel) to submit the release form and pay transfer fees.
Yes. The Ministry of Interior requires all residents aged 18 and older, including Article 20 domestic workers, to complete biometric fingerprinting. Sponsors should book an appointment for their domestic staff via Sahel.
Under standard regulations, Article 20 cannot transfer directly to Article 18 unless the Ministry of Interior issues a specific ministerial grace period or exemption decree. Check official PAM announcements for seasonal transfer windows.