KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait on Wednesday has declared two-months amnesty for those expatriates whose residence permits or visit visas have expired and they cannot leave the country due to fear of arrests. Director General of Immigration Department, Brigadier Abdullah Al Ruwaih said in a press statement that illegal expatriates can leave the country through any exist point within the two months grace period starting from May, 1, 2007.

He said the grace period was announced after the First Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior & Defence Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah decided to allow the violators of residence rules to leave the country without paying any penalty.

Al Ruwaih said the amnesty would apply to all violators of the law who want to leave, adding that violators who want to correct their illegal status without leaving Kuwait had the option to pay the necessary fine and complete the required procedures to get residence permits.