Visa Information and Requirements for Citizens of Kuwait

Visa Requirements for Kuwaiti Citizens

Visa requirements for Kuwaiti citizens are administrative entry restrictions placed on nationals of Kuwait by the authorities of other countries around the world.

At the moment, the Kuwaiti passport is ranked 57th on the Henley passport index in terms of travel freedom, as citizens of Kuwait are currently permitted visa-free entry or entry with a visa on arrival to around 75 countries worldwide.

As Kuwait is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Kuwaiti citizens are permitted visa exemption and freedom of movement to other GCC countries (Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates).

Additionally, visa requirements for citizens of Kuwait do not apply when visiting an additional 40 countries around the world for varying periods of stay between 15 days and 6 months. Travelers from Kuwait are simply able to present a valid passport to gain entry to these destinations for the allocated period of visa-exempt stay.

Over 25 destinations have an electronic travel visa authorization for Kuwaiti passport holders. To obtain an eVisa or online visa waiver for these countries, individuals from Kuwait are able to complete a simple electronic application from the comfort of their own homes in advance of travel.

To visit an additional 30 countries for short stays, it is possible to obtain a visa on arrival for citizens of Kuwait at select entry points of the destination. However, this option often requires having to wait in long border queues upon arrival to submit an application.

Finally, there are over 140 countries around the world that require nationals of Kuwait to obtain a visa from an embassy or consulate of the destination in advance of travel, no matter the length of the intended stay or the motive for the visit.

You can find further information about visa requirements for Kuwait passport holders below.

List of Visa Countries for Kuwait Passport Holders

There are over 185 countries around the globe for which a visa is required for Kuwaiti passport holders

To visit approximately 25 countries for short term stays, Kuwaitis are able to obtain an electronic travel visa authorization through a simple online application. This electronic application process eliminates the need to visit a diplomatic government office in person or wait in long immigration lines to submit a visa on arrival form.

Electronic travel visa authorizations for Kuwaitis usually permit the holder to enter the desired territory for purposes of tourism, business or trade activities, or to transit to an onward destination, and often permit expedited entry to the destination at border control points.

To travel to these same destinations for long term stays and purposes such as to work or study, it is necessary to submit an embassy visa application at the nearest government diplomatic mission of the territory.

Additionally, many countries require Kuwaitis to obtain an embassy visa regardless of the travel purpose or the period of expected stay.

Read on to learn more about the different visa requirements for citizens of Kuwait to visit destinations around the world.

Electronic Travel Visa Authorization

Worldwide visa requirements for Kuwaiti citizens dictate that travelers from Kuwait are able to obtain an Electronic Travel Visa Authorization through to travel to over 25 countries around the globe.

The protocol of obtaining a eVisa or electronic travel authorization for nationals of Kuwait involves simply completing an online form which usually takes only a few minutes to fill in, eliminating the need for an extended in-person application at an embassy or consulate, or the requirement to wait in long border lines for a visa on arrival.

Once approved, many digital visa waivers or electronic visas for citizens of Kuwait are electronically linked to the traveler’s Kuwaiti passport, removing the need to print a paper document to present to border control authorities.

In some cases, an electronic visa waiver or eVisa for Kuwaitis is granted for a single entry , while in others it is granted for multiple entries, depending on the country of destination.

They permit a stay of between 16 days up to 1 year, depending on the destination country, most usually for purposes of tourism, business or trade, or transit.

To visit electronic travel visa authorization countries for other purposes, travelers from Kuwait are required to apply for an embassy visa for their destination.

A full list of countries for which an Electronic travel visa authorization is available for Kuwaitis can be found below.

Visa on Arrival

At present, Kuwaiti passport visa requirements identify 30 visa on arrival countries for nationals of Kuwait.

These territories permit Kuwaiti visitors to obtain a visa at border checkpoints upon arrival, which permits a stay of between 7 and 90 days depending on the country of destination.

The application protocol for this visa type requires the traveler to wait in an immigration queue upon arrival to be given a visa on arrival application to complete by border officials.

It is then necessary to fill in the form with a range of personal, passport, and travel information, and to pay a visa on arrival fee before the application can be approved.

It is usually necessary to make the payment in local currency and in cash, as credit or debit card payments are not accepted at border checkpoints in many countries.

As applying for a visa on arrival for Kuwait passport holders often involves long waits at the border, travelers are advised to use the eVisa system for the country if available, as this will greatly expedite their entry.

Discover the complete list of visa on Arrival countries for Kuwaitis below.

Angola
Bangladesh
Bolivia
Brunei Darussalam
Comoros
Gabon
Guinea-Bissau
Macau
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mozambique
Pakistan
Palau
Samoa
Senegal
Solomon Islands
Somalia
Timor-Leste
Tuvalu
Yemen
Zimbabwe

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Embassy Visa Required

There are currently over 140 countries for which an embassy or consular visa for Kuwait citizens is a mandatory requirement, regardless of how much time you plan to spend in the territory or the purpose of the visit.

To apply for a visa from an embassy, it is necessary to make an appointment at the nearest diplomatic government office of the destination in Kuwait or the traveler’s current country of residence.

It will then be necessary to fill in an embassy visa application with mandatory personal, passport, and travel data, including the visa type you require, whether a business visa, tourist visa, student visa, work visa, resident visa or other visa option.

Depending on the visa option selected, you will be required to present a range of supporting documents at the embassy appointment and to pay a visa fee before the application can be processed.

It is usually necessary to begin the application protocol well in advance of the intended departure from Kuwait, as it can take several weeks for an embassy visa to be approved.

Browse the list below to discover the Consular or Embassy Visa Required countries for Kuwait nationals.

Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Antarctica
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bonaire
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Canada
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos Islands
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Curacao
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gambia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guernsey
Guyana
Hungary
Iceland
India
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jersey
Kiribati
Latvia
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Mali
Malta
Martinique
Mayotte
Monaco
Montserrat
Namibia
Nauru
Netherlands
New Caledonia
Niger
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Republic of Cyprus
Reunion
Romania
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
San Marino
Seychelles
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Spain
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Sweden
Switzerland
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
United Kingdom
United States
United States Virgin Islands
Uruguay
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna

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Visa Not Required

Kuwaiti passport visa requirements do not apply for travel to approximately 45 countries worldwide.

Kuwait is a member state of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which also includes Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (United Arab Emirates). Because of visa exemption agreements between GCC states, citizens of Kuwait are granted freedom of movement to these countries without the need to obtain a visa.

Kuwaitis can enjoy a visa-free stay of between 15 days up to 6 months in a number of territories, depending on the destination. Short term visa exemption is usually granted for purposes of tourism, transit, or business activities, and, in some cases, for medical treatment.

To gain entry to these visa-exempt destinations, it is only necessary to present a valid Kuwaiti passport upon arrival at border checkpoints.

However, to visit these same territories for longer periods than those permitted visa-free, or for purposes such as to undertake employment or participate in a study program, it is necessary to apply for an embassy or consular visa from a diplomatic mission of the destination.

Browse the list below to discover all of the visa not required countries for Kuwait passport holders.