More than a week after Kuwait DGCA announced the opening of direct flights from India to Kuwait with limited passenger capacity, Indian carriers Air India, Air India Express, Indigo, Spice Jet and Go Air have announced their flight schedule from various destinations in India.
While Jazeera had begun bookings almost a week ago with their first direct flight with 176 passngers arriving last week from Kochi, all other carriers including Kuwait AIrways will begin their first flights from Tuesday Sept 7.
Air India is quoting fares of approximately KD 240 (Rs 60,000) a great relief for passngers who were being quoted fares upto KD 1000 for some flights.
The huge demand meant that passengers were willing to pay a premium to return back to Kuwait after being stranded for several months in India.
The opening of the flights has brought a relief to both emloyers and employees who have been hard hit becasue of the stoppage of flights from India.
Kuwait is slowly opening up and retuning back to normalcy after almost 18 months of stringent measures and successfully curbing the spread of coronavirus.
Daily arrivals from India for the month of September is limited to around 758 passengers per day by all the carriers flying direct which includes Kuwait Airways, Jazeera, Air India Express, Air India, Spice Jet, Go Air and Indigo.
Meanwhile, Kuwait DGCA has issued travel guidelines for passengers arriving from India who are Non-Kuwaiti passengers with valid visas/residences. Immunized Category and non-immunized minor below 16 years provided they are traveling with their Immunized parents.
The most important of the guidelines are the following-
- Passengers showing any symptoms of COVID-19 (High Temperature/Cold/Cough/
Sneezing etc.) will not be accepted on the flight to Kuwait. - No visa on arrival facility is available at Kuwait International Airport.
- Kuwait Residence permit holders who overstayed (more than 6 months) outside Kuwait: a) Persons exited the State of Kuwait on/after Sep 01, 2019 are permitted to enter Kuwait, provided they are in possession of a valid residence permit/visa. b) Persons who exited the State of Kuwait on/before Aug 31, 2019, are not permitted to enter the State of Kuwait even though traveler holds a valid residence.
- Screenshots/printouts/photos of IMMUNE or Kuwait Mobile ID application will not be honored. It should be verified by using the application from the passenger’s smartphone.
- Passengers shall travel to the State of Kuwait by presenting their valid digital civil ID using the Kuwait Mobile ID App.
- GCC Nationals must only use their passport to enter the State of Kuwait. Travel with ID is suspended.
- GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries are; the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, State of Qatar, and State of Kuwait.
Immunization/Vaccination Conditions
The following falls under Immunized Category-
- Travelers who have taken State of Kuwait Approved Vaccinations according to the mentioned course as follows:
a. Two doses of Pfizer BioNTech Vaccine.
b. Two doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford Vaccine.
c. Two doses of Moderna Vaccine.
d. One dose of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine. - Additionally, travelers who have taken the following unapproved vaccinations according to the mentioned course:
a. Two doses of Sinopham
b. Two doses of Sinovac
c. Two doses of Sputnik - Provided they have received at least one dose of one of the State of Kuwait approved vaccinations after taking the unapproved vaccinations.
Proof of Vaccination in the State of Kuwait
Option 1: Using Kuwait Mobile ID (GREEN status only)
Option 2: Using Kuwait IMMUNE App (GREEN status only)
Option 3: Using Kuwait Mosafer – Verify the same using KM Admin Portal (Fully vaccinated)
2. Vaccinated outside the State of Kuwait
Option 1: By presenting Vaccination Certificate issued byrespective authorities which must contain the following: a. Name matching with the valid passport.
b. Type of vaccination received.
c. Date of doses administered.
d. Name of vaccine.
e. Electronic readable QR code – Agents must verify the authenticity of the certificate by scanning the QR code. Do not accept any passengers without verifying the certificate.
Option 2: If no QR code available on the certificate: certificate must be uploaded to the following Kuwait MoH website for approval.
Website: https://vaxcert.moh.gov.kw/
Once approved, same will reflect as GREEN color status in IMMUNE or Kuwait Mobile ID application or using KM admin portal.
Passengers are allowed to enter by meeting the following requirements:
a) Negative RT-PCR (swab) test valid 72 hours from the time/date of test to the time of acceptance on the flight obtained from a local government accredited lab.
b) This does not apply to children below 6 years old.
Non-immunized Category Not Allowed to enter. But this does not apply to:
- Passengers with exceptional entry approval issued by Kuwait Counsel of Ministers – such approval must be verified before acceptance.
- Government and private medical staff, their accompanied or unaccompanied first-degree relatives (husband/wife/children) by submitting proof their profession and proof of relationship and their accompanied domestic worker.
- Foreign diplomatic missions and approved diplomats and their accompanied or unaccompanied first-degree relatives (husband/wife/children) provided that their Diplomatic ID is being presented and their accompanied domestic worker.
- Negative RT-PCR (swab) test valid 72 hours from the time/date of test to the time of acceptance on the flight obtained from a local government accredited lab.
- This does not apply to children below 6 years old.
- Complete registration in SHLONIK application
- Complete registration in KM platform according to the flight number and date
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