Kuwait Visa Policy

Familiarize yourself with Kuwait visa law and discover travel requirements for your nationality.

Visa Policy for Kuwait

The visa policy of Kuwait establishes the requirements, rules, and regulations for visitors of all foreign nationalities that wish to travel to Kuwait.

Almost all nationalities require a visa to travel to and gain entry to Kuwait. This may vary between an electronic visa, an embassy visa, or a visa on arrival, depending on nationality and the intended length and purpose of stay.

The electronic visa application for Kuwait is available for around 170 countries across the world. It can be submitted by completing a quick online application and it is usually sent by email to the applicant once approved.

There are around 65 other countries whose visitors are not able to apply for an eVisa and are required to apply in person and before departure for an embassy visa from the nearest Kuwaiti government diplomatic office.

Some countries have also the option to gain entry by applying for a visa on arrival at a border checkpoint once they arrive in Kuwait. However, this normally involves waiting in a long immigration queue.

Therefore, travelers are advised to obtain the eVisa before departure through the online application if available, as it greatly speeds up the process.

Kuwait visa regulations also state that all visitors must have a passport valid for 6 months, with the exemption of the other GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries.

The government of Kuwait also currently has an entry ban in place for a select few countries.

In the boxes below you will be able to learn more about these visa requirements and check which kind of visa you require to travel to Kuwait according to your nationality.

Tourist Visa Policy for Kuwait

Travelers from a foreign country that are planning to visit Kuwait for tourism need to obtain either an embassy visa, visa on arrival or an electronic visa through a simple internet application.

Nationals from approximately 170 countries across the globe that wish to visit Kuwait for tourism are eligible to apply for the tourist eVisa through an online application, to receive an approved electronic visa sent by email.

Holders of an eVisa will be able to travel to and enter Kuwait for a maximum stay of 90 days for tourism, whether they arrive by air, land or sea.

Tourists planning to travel to Kuwait who are not from an eVisa-eligible country are required to apply for an embassy visa before departure. To obtain this visa type, It is usually necessary to provide some additional supporting documentation alongside an embassy visa application form.

A Kuwait tourist visa on arrival is also required for citizens of one country (Swaziland), but this involves waiting in long lines at border control to submit an application.

Below you can check further information about the different visa types and requirements for your nationality to visit Kuwait.

Kuwait eVisa

Citizens of around 170 nations across the world are able to use an online application form to obtain an electronic visa (eVisa), which the government of Kuwait introduced in 2016.

The Kuwait eVisa is a single entry visa online that allow holders to spend a total of 90 days in the country for tourism purposes when arriving by either air, land, or sea.

Applicants are required to to complete a simple online application form with personal, passport, and travel information.

When applying for the eVisa for Kuwait, it is also necessary to submit an image of the traveler’s passport biographical page. The passport used to apply must be valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of arrival in Kuwait.

Once approved, the eVisa is electronically linked to the holder’s passport and is will valid to enter Kutiat for 30 days from issue. The Kuwait visa online processing time is usually between 1 to 3 business days.

eVisa nationals who wish to spend more time in Kuwait or visit for other purposes, such as for business, or to work or study, will need to acquire the correct type of embassy visa to gain entry to the country.

Find below a complete list of the countries who need to apply for an eVisa to travel to Kuwait.
if there are any special conditions/exemptions for this visa type in this country

Kuwait eVisa for GCC Residents

opcional
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional political and economic union formed by Arab states of the Persian Gulf (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). Nationals of these countries can enter Kuwait visa-free for short stays.

The visa regulations of Kuwait also allow all foreign citizens who have a residence permit of a GCC country to apply for an electronic travel visa.

Applicants will need to submit an image of their residence permit of one of those countries during the eVisa application, alongside their passport biographical page image and their basic personal, passport, and travel information.

However, only GCC residents from a limited number of professions are able to submit a Kuwait eVisa online form. The eligible occupations are as follows:

Consultants
Doctors
Engineers
Lawyers
Judges & Members of Public Prosecution
University Teachers
Press & Media Staff
Pilots
System Analysts & Computer Programmers
Managers
Businessmen
Diplomatic Corps
University Graduates (owners, Managers and Representatives of Commercial Companies and Establishments)

Additionally, those who wish to apply for any dependents (spouse, children, or domestic labor) will need to submit a copy of the main applicant’s GCC residency. Dependents of GCC residents can only gain entry to the country if the main applicant is present when arriving in Kuwait.

Kuwait eVisa: Country list

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bermuda
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China
  • Colombia
  • Comoros
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Czech Republic
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Denmark
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Estonia
  • Falkland Islands
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • Gabon
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Ivory Coast
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macau
  • Macedonia
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mali
  • Malta
  • Martinique
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Namibia
  • Nepal
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • North Korea
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Puerto Rico
  • Republic of Cyprus
  • Romania
  • Russian Federation
  • Rwanda
  • Saint Helena
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Uruguay
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican City
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Kuwait eVisa for GCC Residents

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional political and economic union formed by Arab states of the Persian Gulf (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). Nationals of these countries can enter Kuwait visa-free for short stays.

The visa regulations of Kuwait also allow all foreign citizens who have a residence permit of a GCC country to apply for an electronic travel visa.

Applicants will need to submit an image of their residence permit of one of those countries during the eVisa application, alongside their passport biographical page image and their basic personal, passport, and travel information.

However, only GCC residents from a limited number of professions are able to submit a Kuwait eVisa online form. The eligible occupations are as follows:

  • Consultants
  • Doctors
  • Engineers
  • Lawyers
  • Judges & Members of Public
  • Prosecution
  • University Teachers
  • Press & Media Staff
  • Pilots
  • System Analysts & Computer
  • Programmers
  • Managers
  • Businessmen
  • Diplomatic Corps
  • University Graduates (owners, Managers and Representatives of Commercial Companies and Establishments)

Additionally, those who wish to apply for any dependents (spouse, children, or domestic labor) will need to submit a copy of the main applicant’s GCC residency. Dependents of GCC residents can only gain entry to the country if the main applicant is present when arriving in Kuwait.

Visa on Arrival

The visa on arrival for Kuwait is a type of travel document that can be obtained once the traveler arrives in the state of Kuwait by air at the immigration checkpoints of the airports.

Currently, nationals of Eswanti (Swaziland)are the only citizens who are required to queue on arrival to obtain a Kuwait visa on arrival.

A number of nationalities are eligible for both the visa on arrival and online visa, but are recommended to obtain a Kuwait eVisa in advance to avoid waiting in border lines upon arrival.

The visa on arrival for Kuwait is a single entry travel document valid for tourist visits, and grants a maximum stay of 90 days in the county with its single entry.

To obtain a Kuwait visa on arrival, citizens of the Kingdom of Swaziland are required to go directly to a border checkpoint and wait in an immigration queue to be given a visa on arrival application to complete.

It is then necessary to fill in in the form with a variety of personal and passport information. Before the visa can be approved, applicants will also need to need to pay a visa on arrival fee.

Find below a complete list of the countries which are currently required to apply for a visa on arrival to enter Kuwait.

Visa on Arrival: Country list

  • Swaziland

Embassy or Consular Visa Required

Among the nationalities that require a visa to travel to Kuwait, there are around 60 countries which need to apply for an embassy visa in advance.

This kind of visa can be obtained from a government diplomatic office of Kuwait. An embassy visa can be granted for different periods of permitted stay and for a variety of purposes, whether for work, to study, or for business, transit, or tourism.

Travelers are required to apply for the Kuwait consulate visa well in advance as it may take up to 2 weeks or more for an embassy visa to be processed and approved.

The protocol of applying for an Kuwaiti embassy visa requires the traveler to make a visa appointment at the nearest Kuwaiti embassy or consulate. After the date and time are confirmed, applicants are usually required to print and complete an embassy visa form to bring to the appointment.

Applicants are also required to select the visa type and provide some additional supporting documentation they need according to the purpose of the stay in Kuwait.

Browse the list below to discover if your nationality needs an embassy visa to travel to and enter Kuwait.

Embassy or Consular Visa Required: Country list

  • Aland Islands
  • American Samoa
  • Anguilla
  • Antarctica
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Bangladesh
  • Bonaire
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cape Verde
  • Cayman Islands
  • Christmas Island
  • Cocos Islands
  • Congo
  • Curacao
  • Dominican Republic
  • Faroe Islands
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • French Polynesia
  • Gambia
  • Gibraltar
  • Greenland
  • Guam
  • Guernsey
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Isle of Man
  • Jersey
  • Kiribati
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mayotte
  • Montserrat
  • Nauru
  • New Caledonia
  • Niue
  • Norfolk Island
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Pakistan
  • Palau
  • Palestinian Territory
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Reunion
  • Saint Barthelemy
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Martin
  • Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Sint Maarten
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • South Sudan
  • Sri Lanka
  • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
  • Syrian Arab Republic
  • Timor Leste
  • Togo
  • Tokelau
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Tuvalu
  • United States Virgin Islands
  • Wallis and Futuna
  • Yemen

Visa Not Required

The current visa policy of Kuwait determines that there are 5 countries whose citizens do not need a Kuwaiti visa.

At the moment, all of the Kuwait visa-exempt countries are fellow memebers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Nationals of these countries are able to gain entry for an unlimited stay at any port of entry in Kuwait, by presenting a valid ID Card from a GCC territory.

Nationals of China holding an ordinary passport endorsed for public affairs are also able to enter Kuwait without a visa according to the current visa rules.

Foreign citizens who are resident in GCC countries are not granted visa-free travel to Kuwait, but they are eligible to apply for an eVisa to expedite the application process.

See below the list of the countries for which a visa is not required according to Kuwait visa regulations.

Visa Not Required: Country list

  • Bahrain
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • United Arab Emirates

Admission Refused

Admission to Kuwait is usually only refused when there is a entry ban in place against nationals of certain territories from entering the country.

A Kuwait visa is currently unavailable for foreign nationals that hold an Israeli or Ethiopian passport.

That means that the Kuwait visa policy currently bans citizens of these countries from obtaining a visa or entering the country under any circumstances.

However, passport holders from these countries are advised to periodically check Kuwait visa regulations for updates, as visa requirements are prone to frequent change.

Find below a complete list of current admission refused countries for Kuwait.

Admission Refused: Country list

  • Ethiopia
  • Israel

Visa requirements checker

Select nationality
Kuwait

Disclaimer
Handyvisas.com is not owned by, or affiliated with any government agency. We are a private, online agency that provides assistance in submitting applications for tourist visits to different countries around the world. Applications can also be made directly through government websites.