Get visa to KUWAIT
Visit the Embassy of Kuwait’s website for visa information or the Kuwait Ministry of Interior’s (MOI) e-Visa website.
Requirements for Entry:
Passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival
Visa
Fee of three (3) Kuwaiti Dinars (KD) for visa on arrival or e-visa
Apply for a tourist visa upon arrival at the airport.
Be sure to complete Kuwaiti exit procedures and leave before your visa expires; otherwise, you face heavy fines and/or imprisonment. This also applies to official travelers and contractors supporting regional U.S. military operations transiting between Kuwait and Iraq or Afghanistan.
Travel Bans
When placed under a travel ban, you cannot exit the country, even if you are a U.S. citizen. Travel bans are rigidly enforced and can take months to resolve. Only Kuwaiti authorities can remove travel bans.
The government may issue travel bans on people who are:
charged with criminal offenses
under investigation
involved in financial disputes/have unpaid debts
delinquent in paying traffic or parking fines
Failing to work according to the terms of a contract (absconding)
Private citizens can also initiate travel bans for various reasons. U.S. citizens resident in Kuwait can check their residency status, including if a travel ban exists, by entering their Civil ID through the MOI’s online portal.
Emergency (Limited Validity) Passports
Kuwait accepts U.S. emergency passports for entry and exit as of May 1, 2018. The following conditions apply to U.S. citizens intending to enter or exit Kuwait with a limited-validity emergency passport:
The bearer of a U.S. emergency passport will be admitted only as a visitor.
The bearer of a U.S. emergency passport is eligible to receive a temporary residency (Article 14) or exit permit (Article 1) only.
The bearer of a U.S. emergency passport shall not receive residency or transfer of residency upon arrival in the country.
If you are a full-time resident of Kuwait and enter Kuwait on the emergency passport, you must apply as soon as possible for a full-validity passport at the U.S. Embassy. You will have 30 days from your date of entry to obtain a new regular U.S. passport and apply for a No Objection Certification from the Ministry of Interior’s Criminal Investigation Division for Residency Affairs to receive a new residency permit in your new full-validity passport.
Though Kuwait accepts emergency passports under these limited conditions, the Department of State strongly recommends all U.S. citizen travelers to be in possession of a regular full-validity passport before they travel.
Dual Nationality
Kuwait does not recognize dual nationality. At times, Kuwaiti authorities have confiscated U.S. passports of U.S.-Kuwaiti dual nationals applying for Kuwaiti citizenship. Should this happen, report the incident to the U.S. Embassy. This does not constitute loss of U.S. citizenship.
To obtain Kuwaiti citizenship, Kuwaiti authorities only accept a Certificate of Loss of Nationality as evidence of renunciation of U.S. citizenship.
Residency Permits
If you are seeking residency in Kuwait, have all required legal documents authenticated before arriving. The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait does not provide this service.
Have U.S. issued documents authenticated by the Department of State Office of Authentications, (202-485-8000) and attested by the Embassy of Kuwait in Washington or the Kuwait General Consulate in Los Angeles.
You have the right to retain your passport at all times in Kuwait. If you provide your passport to your employer, you should obtain a written, date-stamped, and signed receipt. Otherwise, your employer may not be accountable for unlawfully retaining your passport.
Work Visas
If you plan on working in Kuwait, you must obtain a work visa before you arrive. The U.S. Embassy advises all U.S. citizens in Kuwait not to work on a visitor visa to avoid potential adverse legal consequences or deportation.
Department of Defense Contractors (DoD) working in Kuwait must hold a valid U.S. passport and a work visa. DoD contractors must transit or enter the country at the Kuwait International Airport (KWI).
While DoD contractors may not enter Kuwait via Ali Al Salem (AAS) Air Base, they may depart from AAS Air Base after obtaining a passport exit stamp from Kuwaiti immigration officials.
U.S. military personnel, DoD civilians, and military contractors must use the same form of ID when entering or exiting Kuwait. If not, your arrival and departure records may not match, and you could be subject to a travel ban and/or fines.
Arms Prohibition
Regardless of your status in Kuwait – official, diplomatic, military, contractor, or private citizen – you may not bring weapons, ammunition, or ammunition clips into the country when flying into KWI on commercial flights.
These items will be confiscated, and you may be arrested. Import/export of these items in Kuwait is illegal.
Iraq Travel
When traveling to or from Iraq, be prepared for delays at land crossings. Kuwaiti officials are extremely sensitive about such travel and may detain you for questioning or deny entry into the country. Kuwaiti authorities have delayed, temporarily detained, or refused entry to U.S. citizens of Iraqi descent. The U.S. Embassy recommends all travelers to Kuwait who were born in Iraq apply for an e-VISA as far in advance of travel.
HIV Restrictions
Medical examinations are required for all individuals seeking residency in Kuwait. Any applicant testing positive for HIV/AIDS or hepatitis will have to leave the country immediately and be permanently barred from re-entry. Verify this information with the Embassy of Kuwait before traveling.