Despite announcing a review on 10 September for the list of 32 banned countries from where expats are not allowed to enter Kuwait over coronavirus fears, the list is still pending evaluation from health authorities, according to a local daily, quoting informed sources.
However, the entry of nationalities from the countries which are not mentioned on the ban list after a stay for 14 days is still allowed, with no change to the requirements in this regard.
Many view the continuation of this 32 country ban as wasting an opportunity to revive the economy and ignoring huge losses to the state treasury. Meanwhile, neighboring countries were quick to fill the untapped market with various companies offering promotional tourism offers to facilitate their stay in the countries for more than two weeks to ease their travel to Kuwait, while taking advantage of the fees for mandatory medical tests for travelers and other expenses.
The concerned authorities in Kuwait had previously prepared a special study in this regard to take advantage of this opportunity to stimulate the economy in various commercial, medical, tourism and other sectors while adhering to all health requirements, but it was not adopted.
According to a local daily, last week, there was a possibility for adjusting the list to remove some countries within the framework of a gradual return to normalcy plan based on health conditions in those countries with a decreasing infection rate. After careful evaluation, each will be removed from the ban list to permit flights from those countries.
It appears the review is pending, and expats are awaiting the announcement for the removal of some countries from the ban list as many wish to return to Kuwait as their jobs are in jeopardy, and they wish to resume their normal lives.