Thousands granted Kuwaiti visas in exchange for bribes

Thousands of Pakistanis, Syrians, and Iraqis were granted Kuwaiti visas in exchange for bribes, a report said yesterday. About 5,000 Pakistanis entered Kuwait on family and visit visas between 2014 and 2018, despite strict rules on issuing visas to people from five countries -- Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq -- since 2011, Al Qabas reported citing officials. The report also said that authorities found that at least one thousand Iraqis during the time period exploiting loopholes in the country's immigration system. It reported that the citizens of these countries were granted visas for working in "made-up" companies. The fees charged for the visas ranged between 800 and 2,500 dinars, depending on nationality.