Kuwait opens visas for all nationalities

Kuwait has opened its door to visitors from all over the world and everyone is welcome to visit Kuwait, provided they adhere to the rules and regulations set by the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs.
Revealing this new openness to visitors, Director of the Special Services Department in the Residency Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Interior (MoI), Brigadier Hamad Al-Ruwaih, stated:“Kuwait is now open to anyone wishing to visit, which was not the case in the past. Today, we are open to the world, and anyone can apply for a visa, whether for tourism or in connection with residents who wish to bring their families. This is facilitated according to the conditions for visiting or joining family members.”
He added that the new residence law has streamlined visa processes for tourism, commercial, and family visits, making it easier for visitors. However, he clarified that this broad welcome of visitors to Kuwait was not applicable to citizens of Israel and they would continue to be banned from entering Kuwait.
On the diplomatic front, the MoI officer explained that the Department of Special Services “specializes in handling the transactions of diplomatic bodies and embassies within the country. These transactions are governed by agreements between countries and are subject to different fees accordingly.” He added that his department was also responsible for issuing government visas.
Elaborating on the speed in delivering visas to eligible applicants, Al-Ruwaih stated that the department processes transactions either in person or online through the government ‘Sahel’ application, in addition to a dedicated platform for receiving transactions. Processing times range from as little as one minute to a maximum of 24 hours, as some cases require heightened security audits.
He highlighted that those eligible for an e-visa and wishing to visit Kuwait must apply through the Kuwait e-Visa website The application is then reviewed according to specific regulations, and the visa is approved or rejected accordingly. Al-Ruwaih also pointed out that tourist visas can be granted at border ports for residents of Gulf countries working in approved professions. The visa covers the applicant and their family. For citizens of 52 countries, visas can also be obtained directly upon arrival at the airport under this mechanism.
Al-Ruwaih emphasized that the new residence law has significantly reduced the chaos and violations that were previously common. These issues had led to frequent breaches of residence regulations by both visitors and residents, resulting in financial penalties and deportations.
He stated, “Since the introduction of tourist, commercial, and family visas, we have ensured compliance with the law for both visitors and sponsors. Violators face fines and binding legal measures, including deportation and a permanent ban on re-entry into Kuwait.”
Emphasizing that the influx of expatriates through the newly opened visa channels has made it necessary for the state to impose high fines on certain violations to ensure legal compliance, Al-Ruwaih said that these fines for visa violations have come into effect from 5 January, of this year. “We do not aim to collect fines,” he said, “but we want visitors and residents to respect and abide by the law without violating it.”
Brigadier General Al-Ruwaih highlighted that some fines can reach up to a maximum of KD2,000. He explained, “For example, failure to report the birth of a newborn used to previously incur a fine of KD2 per day and was capped at a maximum of KD600.
The new law now stipulates that the fine, which starts at KD2 per day for the first month, will go up to KD4 per day during the second month of non-reporting, and escalate further if the unreported period exceeds four months, which could then lead to the accumulation of a severe penalty.Regarding domestic labor violations, he noted that the fines remain unchanged, with a maximum penalty of up to KD600.
He concluded by noting that website for visa applications to Kuwait is at: ‘https://kuwaitvisa.moi.gov.kw/