Kuwait shuts door on Pinoys ‘Iqama’ holders exempt from entry ban sparked by labor row

By Rey Requejo

THE Kuwaiti government has imposed an entry ban on all Filipinos, except those with an “iqama” or residence permit, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

DFA Assistant Secretary Paul Cortes, in an interview with CNN Philippines, said the ban took effect on May 10 and covers Filipinos, even those issued with visas, who are entering the Gulf state.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., upon his return from the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia last night, did not answer questions on this issue, nor has the Presidential Communications Office released a statement on it as of press time.

Filipinos already on their way to Kuwait have been kept from boarding their flights following the country’s suspension of their visas, GMA News TV reported last night.

According to a report on “24 Oras,” a Filipina skilled worker already in Dubai was no longer allowed to take her connecting flight to Kuwait. Her recruitment agency officer in the Philippines said the worker was being asked for a civil ID, which is only issued after completing a medical