How OFWs Can Apply for Amnesty in Kuwait

Last Monday, February 7, hundreds of Overseas Filipino Workers from Kuwait arrived in Manila. Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Pedro Villa said that around 400 Filipinos, which include 18 children, will be sent back to the country after applying for an amnesty in Kuwait.

No Fines or Penalties

The ambassador also revealed that it is only the first batch and there are still at least 1,300 out of the 2,500 applicants who are allowed to leave the Gulf state. These 1,300 OFWs have either overstayed or escaped from their current employers. Under the amnesty program, all Filipinos who are overstaying in Kuwait will be allowed to leave without suffering from any fines or penalties.

Karamihan ng mga tumakas ay may complaint against their employers.

Ambassador Villa also said that out of 10,000 overstaying OFWs in Kuwait, 8,000 are domestic helpers and majority claims that they were abused by their employers.

How to Apply for Amnesty

For OFWs who want to apply for amnesty, the process is made easier and faster by the government to ensure that everyone will come home safely. Here are the steps on how to apply:

(1) Go to the embassy and get a clearance from the Immigration Office in Kuwait.
(2) You will be issued a ticket for you to use on the bus.
(3) The bus will take you to the airport for onboarding.

The application for amnesty runs from January 29 until February 22. Although the ambassador said that they already requested the Kuwaiti government to extend it.

(Sana) samantalahin nila ‘yung pagkakataon na ito na binigay ng Kuwait government at ng ating gobyerno na makauwi sila habang may amnesty. Sana ay pagbigyan yung ating kahilingan na ma-extend ‘yung amnesty para lahat ng nag-overstay at tumakas na kababayan, tumakas sa kanilang employer, ay makauwi na.

Sana matuloy na rin ‘yung pag-uusap ng Kuwait at Pilipinas tungkol doon sa Memorandum of Understanding on the deployment of domestic workers para makapagbigay ng karagdagang proteksyon sa ating mga kasambahay na nagtatrabaho sa Kuwait.

The two governments are now sitting down and talking about the welfare of migrants workers to end the employment ban of sending OFWs in Kuwait.