Since 1 June 2025, the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with the Public Authority of Manpower (PAM) has introduced the need for private sector employees (Article 18 residency holders) to obtain an electronic ‘Exit Permit’ approved by their sponsor prior to their departure from Kuwait.

The need for expatriates employed in the public sector to obtain departmental permission for travel has been in place for long. Over the past nine months the online system, which works through the unified government application for electronic services (Sahel) or the Ashal portal of the PAM, has streamlined the process of requesting and obtaining exit permits.

According to the authorities, since the start of the process, tens of thousands of expatriates employed in the private sector have departed Kuwait without any hassle using the exit permits. Only very few cases of delays in obtaining exit permits have been recorded, mostly due to non-approval of exit permits by sponsors. All of these cases were through timely intervention of PAM  and other regulatory authorities.

Amid the prevailing extraordinary circumstances there has been a surge in demand for exit permits. So what are the actions that an expatriate can follow if the sponsor delays or denies a request for an exit permit during this period.

What to do if exit permit denied by employer:

• If your sponsor (employer) does not approve your request for an exit permit, the first step should be to contact the employer in person and attempt to resolve it amicably, as exit permit approvals are mandatory, unless specific legal and financial reasons are valid.
• If the sponsor still refuses to heed your request and unreasonably withholds or delays it, you have the option to file a complaint with the PAM to intervene and ensure approval.
• You can also visit the Labor Relations Unit in the area that corresponds to your company’s file, to lodge a formal complaint.
• However, prior to filing a formal complaint or approaching PAM, ensure that there are no outstanding issues like unpaid fines, expired residency, court cases, or bank dues.which might cause an automatic rejection.
• Also, keep a record of your application in the Sahel app and any communication that you hold with your employer.

Exit permits are required for:

The need for an exit permit applies to all private-sector expat workers (Article 18 residency holders) and is required for both temporary exits, such as vacations or in emergencies, and permanent departures from Kuwait.

The process for obtaining an exit permit has been designed to be primarily online and accessible 24/7. Multiple-trip exit-permit options are also now available

Domestic workers (Article 20 residency holders) and dependents of Article 18 workers are exempt from the requirement for an exit permit.

If you are unable to use the app, your employer is required to apply on your behalf.

The process is designed to be quick, often approved instantly or within hours.

How to apply for an exit permit:

• Private sector expat workers can submit an electronic exit permit request using their Civil ID number and personal information via the unified government application for electronic services (Sahel) or the Ashal portal of the manpower authority. Workers have the right to choose the start and end dates of the permit upon submitting the application, and importantly, the permit does not entail any commitment to a specific return date.
• The application is then automatically sent to the employer for approval. Employers must use the Sahel-Business app or PAM’s Ashal portal. The system will automatically verify the employer-employee match before the permit is issued. Authorised individuals within a company can approve these requests automatically.
• Once approved by the employer, the permit is issued instantly, without additional formalities, and is linked online to the Ports Authority at all land, sea and air ports thus facilitating immediate online travel permission verification at these sites.

Authorities maintain that the exit permit process is intended to strengthen oversight of the labor market, ensure a balance between the rights of workers and that of employers, prevent illegal departures, and ensure workers settle their dues and fulfill financial and contractual obligations. A significant motive for introducing exit permits is to help curb illicit visa trading and other irregularities within the labor market.