Tourist Visa In Kuwait: A Simple Guide

Imagine strolling along the Corniche or exploring the grandeur of Kuwait’s skyscrapers.

To fully dive into this Arabian jewel’s wonders, the right key is the tourist visa.

Join us on this journey to ensure your Kuwaiti adventures begin without a hitch.

What Is A Tourist Visa For Kuwait

A tourist visa for Kuwait is an “electronic travel authorization”, which means that it can be applied for online. Kuwait is a member of the “Gulf Cooperation Council” (GCC). This is an economic and political alliance between Middle Eastern countries.

The countries that form this alliance are Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The national of a country that is a member of the GCC is not required to have a visa to enter or visit Kuwait.

All other nationals except the above-mentioned countries are required to have a visa to enter or visit Kuwait. All foreign nationals residing in GCC countries are also required to apply for an e-visa to enter Kuwait.

Countries Eligible For Kuwait Visa

Some countries are given access to e-visa by the Kuwaiti government. E-visa is the online visa submission that is provided to only some of the countries. A list of some of these countries is as follows:

Andorra	Canada	France	Japan	Monaco	Singapore
Australia	Croatia	Georgia	Laos	Netherland	Spain
Austria	Cyprus	Germany	Vatican	New Zealand	Sweden
Belgium	Czech Republic	Greece	Latvia	Norway	Switzerland
Bhutan	Denmark	Hungary	Lithuania	Poland	Turkey
Brunei	South Korea	Iceland	Luxembourg	Portugal	Ukraine
Bulgaria	Estonia	Ireland	Malaysia	Romania	United Kingdom
Cambodia	Finland	Italy	Malta	Serbia	United States

Types Of Visas For Kuwait

To apply for a visa in Kuwait the applicant has certain options. It depends on the applicant for what purpose he is visiting Kuwait. Each visa type has certain steps that should be followed.

Tourist Visa: For tourism or visit purposes tourist visa is chosen usually.
Visit Visa: This visa type is for business purposes or for the relatives/family to visit. The host residing in Kuwait sponsors the visa for the visitor.
Student Visa: Foreign students who want to study in Kuwait apply through this visa type.
Residence Visa: This visa type provides and covers, a work permit, domestic visa, and dependent visa.
Transit Visa: For people who are transiting through Kuwait apply for a transit visa to enter Kuwait.

How To Apply For A Tourist Visa In Kuwait

For Kuwait, the applicant must contact the Kuwaiti embassy or consulate or visit the official website of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Kuwait to check the requirements for his/her nationality. Kuwaiti visa requirements differ for different countries.

To apply for a tourist visa in Kuwait, the applicant must submit their visa application along with the required documents to the Kuwaiti embassy or the consulate in his/her country. Visa fees must be paid on time too.

Once the application form has been submitted, a copy of the visa is sent to the applicant via email. To enter Kuwait, the applicant shows a copy of the visa and passport to the border authorities of Kuwait.

Documents Required For Tourist Visa In Kuwait

The applicant is required to have the following documents submitted at the immigration center or Kuwaiti embassy when he/ she is applying for a tourist visa. The list of some of the required documents is as follows:

Passport: A passport with a validity of at least 6 months is required.
Visa Application Form: The applicant is required to fill out an application form for a tourist visa that is either provided by the embassy or consulate or is available online on the official website of Kuwait.
Passport-Sized Photos: 2 or more passport-size pictures are needed with either a white or a blue background.
Accommodation Proof: The applicant must submit proof of their stay in Kuwait such as a hotel reservation or any invitation letter from someone residing in Kuwait.
Travel Itinerary: The applicant must provide proof of his travel itinerary such as a copy of flight tickets etc.
Proof Of Financial Stability: The applicant is required to provide proof of his financial stability, that he has enough financial means to support his visit to Kuwait. This usually requires a copy of his bank statements, his assets, etc.
Other Documents: Documents such as birth certificates, and marriage certificates are also required especially if the applicant is visiting along with his/her family.
E-mail ID: A valid e-mail address is also provided by the applicant.
Visa Fee: The applicant must submit the required fee for the tourist visa according to his nationality.

What Is A Kuwaiti Sponsorship

A visit visa for Kuwait usually requires a letter of invitation from a Kuwaiti sponsor. In such a case, a Kuwaiti sponsor is needed to obtain a visa for the applicant. Any friend or family member living in Kuwait can act as a sponsor for the applicant.

The applicant faxes his/her passport copy to the sponsor in Kuwait. The sponsor obtains a visit visa with the help of the applicant’s passport copy. The sponsor faxes a copy of the visa to the applicant.

Upon arrival in Kuwait, the applicant submits the visa papers at the special counter made for this very purpose. The applicant must collect his original documents inside the immigration area to help him complete entry formalities.

It usually takes up to 2 days to get a Kuwait visit visa. Hotels can also arrange visit visas for their business clients but it takes around 7 days.

Documents Required For Kuwaiti Sponsorship

The sponsor will be required to submit the required documents along with a letter of guarantee to the Kuwaiti authorities. The following documents are required for a Kuwaiti sponsorship:

A Kuwait sponsor or a company for business purposes is required.
A Kuwait visa application and security form that is filled out and submitted by the sponsor.
A copy of the applicant’s/visitor’s passport that is faxed by the applicant himself/herself.
For business purposes, a copy of the sponsor’s signature is required.
A copy of the sponsor’s letter of invitation is required that states the purpose of the visit.
If a relative or friend is sponsoring, his/ her proof of kinship/relationship is required.
A copy of the civil ID of a sponsor, in case of a relative or friend.

Fee Requirements For Tourist Visa In Thailand

The visa fee for a tourist visa in Kuwait varies for different nationalities. Normally visas for Kuwait cost up to KD 3.00. The entry permits for Kuwait are usually free.

The fee for a Kuwaiti tourist visa also depends on the processing time period that the applicant chooses. The price list for processing time is as follows:

Standard Processing time	6 days	USD $ 100.99
Urgent processing time	3 days	USD $ 177.99
Super Urgent processing time	2 days	USD $ 269.99

The processing time for a tourist visa usually depends on the nationality of the applicant. It varies for different nationalities.

Approval Of Visa

After the processing time of the visa, the visa is approved/granted by the authorities. The visa approval grants the permission to enter Kuwait.

The applicants who have their visa approved or granted receive an electronic visa or a visa sticker. Upon entering Kuwait the applicant shows the electronic visa or sticker to the authorities.

The applicant must check his visa validity time period or other specific conditions that should be met before entering Kuwait.

Stay In Kuwait

The e-visa availability is provided to almost 55 countries by Kuwait. The e-visa of Kuwait allows the tourist to enter Kuwait within in period of a maximum of 90 days or 3 months. It is a single-entry visa. The visa provides a stay for up to 30 days or a month.

The multiple entry visa provides a stay of up to 1 year but is usually provided for business purposes. For this ministry of Defense sponsors the visit. Not all Westerners but Americans are able to have a multiple entry visa, sometimes extending the stay for up to 10 years with unlimited entries.

The transit visa for Kuwait provides an entry of 7 days in Kuwait.

Extension Of Visa

To extend the stay in Kuwait as a tourist, the applicant must apply for an extension of visa through the immigration authorities of Kuwait. The extension of the visa must be applied before the expiry date of the previous visa.

Either the applicant applies for the extension of the visit visa or they can also apply for a temporary stay or residence in Kuwait. Both of these will help the applicant to extend their stay in Kuwait.

Visa Extension Fee

The applicant can extend their visa while in Kuwait if they wish to by visiting the Kuwait immigration center and applying for an extension after paying the required fee. The visa extension can extend their stay period for up to 1 month in Kuwait

To extend the stay in Kuwait the applicant must pay KD $10.00 per day. If the visa of the applicant is expired before applying for an extension of visa, then he must pay the penalty or fine at the immigration center of Kuwait.

The applicant is not allowed to leave the country until the fine is paid. The fine increases with each passing day.

Conclusion

With the intricacies of Kuwait’s tourist visa unraveled, the allure of the Persian Gulf beckons. Whether it’s modern marvels or desert escapades, Kuwait is waiting to enchant.

Gulf Gazing!

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