SLFEB urges Lankans staying illegally:

Take advantage of amnesty in Kuwait

Suraj A Bandara

The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) has requested Lankans who had illegally entered Kuwait to take advantage of the extended amnesty offered by the Kuwaiti government to leave the country.

About 1,600 illegal Lankan migrants in Kuwait have left during the two-month amnesty period granted by the government.

The extended amnesty, which will be from May 1 to June 30, allows the illegal immigrants to legalize their residential status or leave the country without paying fines.

Around 1,700 illegal Lankans have obtained visas to stay in the country legitimately.

SLFEB sources said that nearly 5,000 Sri Lankans have applied for emergency certificates to leave the country immediately.

The SLFEB has informed the public to contact relatives and friends staying illegally in Kuwait to submit application forms to receive legal clearance to leave the country.

Those who fail to forward application forms should hurry and make use of the benefit of the amnesty, it said.

The Kuwaiti government will not offer any amnesty after the extended period. The Kuwait police will arrest all illegal immigrants and take stern legal action against them which will result in long-term imprisonment or massive fines.

The SLFEB said if finger prints were taken at the embassy it is only for hassle free departure. If anyone tries to escape they will be denied the advantage of the amnesty.