Kuwaitis exempt from $15,000 U.S. Visa Guarantee Program

The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait has confirmed that Kuwaiti citizens are not subject to a new pilot program requiring a financial guarantee of up to $15,000 for certain U.S. tourist and temporary work visas.

Embassy spokesman Stuart Turner said the U.S. State Department has introduced the program for B-1/B-2 visitor visas to evaluate whether requiring a refundable financial guarantee improves compliance with U.S. immigration laws, reports Al-Rai daily.

Turner clarified that the countries included in the pilot were selected based on overstay rates, security screening concerns, citizenship-by-investment loopholes, and foreign policy factors. He emphasized that Kuwait is not on the current list, which is publicly available and updated periodically based on evolving data.

The pilot program launches on August 20 and will run for approximately one year. It is expected to involve around 2,000 applicants, with an average guarantee amount of $10,000. The funds will be fully refunded to applicants who comply with their visa conditions and depart the U.S. on time.