By B Izzak

KUWAIT: The National Assembly's interior and defense committee is scheduled to vote on Thursday on key changes to the country's residency law, which includes giving investors a 15-year residency for the first time. The amendments also call to allow Kuwaiti women to sponsor their children and foreign husbands for a 10-year residency, provided the women are not naturalized citizens.

The new amendments also allow foreign widows and divorcees of Kuwaiti husbands who have children to obtain regular residency for themselves without the need for a sponsor. Children of Kuwaiti women and foreigners who own real estate in the country can be granted residency for up to 10 years. Foreign employees in the government are not allowed to obtain a residence permit in the private sector unless their previous government employers approve the transfer, according to the amendments.

According to the amendments, which are sponsored by the government, the interior minister has the right to deport expats with legal residence permits for security reasons or public interest, or if they don't have a legitimate source of income. Their family members under their sponsorship can be deported too.