Kuwait Law Buddy

Usually not during the first five years of your lease. Under the rental law (Law No. 35 of 1978, as amended), a landlord generally can't increase the rent for five years from when the lease was signed. After that, if your rent is well below the market rate, the landlord can ask the court for an increase, so it isn't automatic.

Your lease itself matters too. Under the 2024 amendment, leases must be in writing, signed by both sides, and state the rent and payment date. If your rent is written in a signed lease, that's the amount you can hold the landlord to.

Could you tell me when your lease was signed and whether it's a written, signed contract? That would let me say more precisely where you stand. For a specific dispute, a licensed lawyer or the court's rental department can confirm the details.

That sounds really stressful, and I'm sorry you're dealing with it. Being blacklisted in Kuwait is serious, but there are formal routes to look into.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior is the authority that places and lifts travel and residency bans, so that's where the answer lies. The first step is to find out exactly why you were listed and whether the ban is administrative (for example a residency or work violation) or judicial (from a court case). These two work differently. A judicial ban usually needs a court or legal process to lift, while an administrative one may be reviewed through the Ministry of Interior with the right sponsor and paperwork.

Practically, you'll want to:

• Get a clear picture of the reason and the type of ban, ideally through a licensed Kuwaiti lawyer who can check your file.
• Clear any outstanding fines, debts or pending cases linked to the listing.
• Ask whether a new sponsor can apply to have the ban reviewed, if your situation allows it.

Lifting a ban can take time and there's no guaranteed outcome, so I'd recommend speaking with a licensed lawyer before taking any step. Could you tell me roughly what led to the blacklisting, such as a work issue, a residency problem or a court case? That would help me point you to the right kind of help.

No, you generally can't. Unpaid bills and fines can get you stopped at the airport, land borders or ports, so clear them before you travel.

For traffic fines, most can be paid online, in the Sahel app, or at the traffic office at the airport. Speeding fines and fines for parking in disabled spaces are different: you can't pay those online or at the airport, so go in person to a traffic department office well before your travel date.

If you're a private-sector worker, you'll also need an exit permit approved by your employer. You apply for it in the Sahel app under the Public Authority for Manpower's expatriate labour service. If your employer doesn't approve it, contact the Public Authority for Manpower.

Also check whether there's a travel ban on you. These can come from a court case or a debt claim from a bank, landlord or company. If you're not sure, contact the Ministry of Justice or a licensed lawyer before booking your flight.

Fine amounts can change, so confirm the exact current figure in Sahel. Which fines are you dealing with, and are you employed in the private sector?

Kuwait has a new media law, Decree-Law No. 102 of 2026, which covers newspapers, broadcasting, advertising, news websites and social media. It was published on 4 October 2026 and takes effect six months later, around 4 April 2027. Until then, the older laws still apply.

For most people posting personal content, nothing changes. Personal accounts, personal blogs and business accounts that only talk about the business itself don't need a licence. But once you use an account to promote products, services or brands to people in Kuwait, whether you're paid or get free products, you'll need a licence. Kuwaiti citizens, residents and visitors are all covered. The licence lasts two years and you apply through the Ministry of Information. The exact licensing criteria will be set in executive regulations that were not yet issued when this was published, so check those when they come out.

Even without a licence, the content rules apply to everyone. Paid or sponsored posts must be clearly labelled as ads. False or misleading advertising is banned. Posting fake news, insulting religion or the Amir, or content that stirs up hatred or division is also banned. Fines for unlicensed promotion or misleading posts range from KD 1,000 to KD 50,000, and courts can block an account for up to a year.

Posting false or insulting content can also be a crime under the cybercrime law (Law No. 63 of 2015). If you're earning from social media, get the licence before the grace period ends. If you face a complaint, speak to a licensed lawyer.

Do you create content for paid promotion, or are you just a regular user?