Kuwait City: Kuwait has tightened the rules for converting visit visas into residency permits, with hundreds of expatriates reportedly having their applications rejected after failing to meet the revised eligibility criteria, Arab Times reported, citing a security source. According to the report, the rejections came after many expatriates applied for residency conversion believing the updated provisions applied to all visit visa holders. These include applications for children under five whose mothers already hold valid residency in Kuwait. Employment residency conversion remains limited to applicants who entered Kuwait on government-issued visit visas and possess recognised academic qualifications or specialised technical expertise. Business visit visas may also be converted into employment residency only in cases permitted under the regulations and with approval from senior Ministry of Interior officials.