Welcome to the Kuwait Visas website! In this website you will find information concerning the different types of Kuwait Visas, where you can apply for a Kuwait visa online, a brief Kuwait Travel Guide, and other Kuwait resources including some of the important downloadable forms required to apply for a specific visa.

Sources for the content came from several government sites such as the Kuwait e-visa website and Kuwait Government Online. The Ministry of Interior of the State of Kuwait has completed its e-Visa issuing service where it provides a list of fifty nationalities that are allowed to use the e-Visa system.  Therefore, tourists from the listed nationalities can now obtain a tourist visa from the State of Kuwait Interior Ministry Website.

The Ministry of Interior is one of the governmental agencies of the State of Kuwait. Its current minister-in-charge, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, is a member of the Cabinet of Kuwait. On June 16, 1929, he was born in Kuwait. His Excellency is a member of the Organizational Body of the Higher Council and member of the Building and Construction Council. On January 29, 2006, he was unanimously proclaimed as Amir of the State of Kuwait.

Apart from the e-Visa issuing service, the primary responsibilities of the Ministry of Interior are focused on providing law and order as well as public security. The national police is the chief internal security organization under the Ministry. This government body is also imbued with the responsibility to maintain and manage the election processes while working in accord with the Ministry of Justice.

The Ministry of Interior has 62 police stations and 48 service centers in the Ahmadi, Hawalli, Jahra, Farwaniya, Capital, and Mubarak Al Kabir regions. In 2008, the Ministry launched a rehabilitation center in order to cope with the issue of Kuwaiti citizens holding radical religious views. It also created special teams comprising of several members of non-governmental organizations to address and eradicate vote buying before the 2012 general election.

The Interior Ministry website provides information on the latest news, e-services, procedures, e-forms, and new archives. The Ministry of Interior (MOI) E-Services include the sections of Personal Inquiry, Tourist Electronic Visa Application, Driving License Test Online Booking Services, Short Message Service (SMS), and Violation & Fees Payment Gateway. Other sections of the MOI website include the following:

Procedures

• Criminal Evidence General Department Procedures

• Traffic Licenses General Department Procedures

• Immigration Affairs General Department Procedures  

• Sentences Enforcement General Department Procedures

• Kuwaiti Traveling Documents Procedures

• Citizenship Procedures

E-Forms

• General Directorate of Traffic

• Citizenship and Travel Documents

• General Department of Immigration

Other services provided on the Ministry of Interior website include Passport Data for Kuwaitis, Election Record Data for Kuwaitis, Sponsorship Data, Residency Data with Immigration fines once the residency of Non Kuwaitis Expire, Visa Data, Driving Licenses Data, Vehicle Licenses Data, Traffic Violations and their Details, Travel Ban Data, and Judgments Execution Data. Furthermore, the Ministry of Interior website also provides for the list of Kuwait Embassies Abroad.

Kuwait offers different travel visas to anyone who is planning to visit the country. These visa types differ in the lengths of stay, entry requirements, and the travel purpose of every visa applicant. Thus, this Kuwait Visas website aims to provide updated information on how, where, and when an applicant can acquire his Kuwait visa.

About Kuwait

The country of Kuwait is a constitutional emirate that is small yet rich in oil. The nationals are approximately 1.1 million out of 4.2 million of the total population. However, its international workers compose 90% of its labor force.

Kuwait has several tourist attractions which include but are not limited to beach resorts, long retreats, modern shopping marinas and complexes, profligate restaurants, combed beaches, and excellent museums. However, few attractions are found outside of the city.

As for travelers, it is essential that you have basic knowledge of the rules and laws while you are in Kuwait. Also, it is necessary to strictly follow the rules in order to prevent any cultural mistakes in order to ensure that the locals will not be offended.

For travelers with special needs and female travelers, it is best that you travel in the country with a companion. Otherwise, traveling alone may cause problems when entering and leaving Kuwait. Before traveling to the country, you must check with your local Kuwaiti Consulate to guarantee that everything you need for security purposes, such as name and contact number, are in order. It is also essential that women maintain a low profile and dress modestly to prevent harassment.

As for travelers with special needs, accommodation and accessibility will be easy. Kuwait laws give importance to people with disabilities and seek to provide schools and employment training programs.

The best time to visit Kuwait is from February to April during the spring season because the weather is pleasant and cool. However, you can also visit the country in November when the city is beginning to cool down from the scorching heat.

The transport system in Kuwait is cheap with intercity buses and local transportation available to serve both tourists and locals 24/7. Taxis normally charge a flat rate from the airport to the city and vice versa. However, there are local taxis without meters when you are in the city. Bear in mind that before riding a taxi, check if it has an International Driving Permit.

Kuwait Government

Civil ID Card

The Bitaqa-Almadaniyah, commonly known as the Civil ID Card and issued by Kuwait’s Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI), is a prerequisite for any resident or expatriate, irrespective of the kind of residence one has. The information on the Civil ID Card includes the full name, date of birth, civil ID number, local address, type of visa, sponsor’s name, blood type, and card expiration date.

The Civil ID Card is exclusive for each resident or expatriate. It will remain as it is despite the fact that the owner returned to Kuwait after staying for several years in other countries or even if there are changes in sponsors.  

According to Kuwait Government Online, the following are the requirements for Civil ID Card eligibility:

Residents

• Applicants or any of their parents must attend the procedures

• Newborn applicants must be added to the passport or have an independent passport

• Newborn applicants must be registered within 60 days of the date of birth or within a month of the date of entering Kuwait

• If the newborn applicant is not registered within 60 days of the date birth or within a month of the date of entering Kuwait, a fine of 20 KD will be imposed

Expatriates

• Applicants or their representatives with a power of attorney from the Ministry of Justice must attend the procedures.

• If expatriates fail to register within a month of the date of obtaining the residency stamp, a fine of 20 KD will be paid.

The documents required before an expatriate or resident can be granted or issued a Civil ID Card are as follows:

•   Birth Certificate and a copy

•   Two (2) recent colored personal photos (4×6 cm)

•   Photos should be taken without eyeglasses 

•   Face length should range from 2:2 to 2:5 cm and should be at the center of the photo

•   Photos should not be taken in military uniform

•   Photos should not be taken for the face profile

•   Photo background color should not affect the clarity 

•   Fingerprint notification for applicants who are 18 years old or older

•   Proof of address

•   Off records from the ministry of Interior for aged applicants for whom no birth should be stated in the off records.

•   Nationality certificate for minors born outside of Kuwait

•   Envelope

•   Letter of no objection against registration from the ministry of Interior for aged applicants 

•   Nationality certificate and a copy for applicants who are 18 years old or older 

•   Power of attorney from the Ministry of Justice in case the applicant does not attend in person

In applying for a Civil ID Card, the expatriate or resident must first visit the Public Authority of Civil Information (PACI) Headquarters at Zahra, first floor, Citizens’ Office and submit the above-mentioned documents, complete the service application form, and pay the required fees.

•   Variable Fees – 0 KD

•   Fixed Fees (Smart Card Acquisition Fees) – KD

•   Fixed Fees (Envelope) – 0.250 KD

Employment Basics

Anyone who plans to work in Kuwait must know or at least be familiar with the latest Kuwait Labor Law. There are three primary legal codes that govern the Kuwait labor conditions of employment.

• Labor Law for Government employees – employment conditions of civil servants

• Labor Law of Oil Sector – employment in the oil industry

• Labor Law of Private Sector – employment in the private sector

Once an expatriate receives a job offer, the next step is to sign a letter of agreement or contract. It must contain the detailed job description, performance standards, responsibilities, and other relevant employment conditions.

On arrival, the applicant must see to it to get this contract or letter of agreement formalized at the Ministry of Interior in Arabic. Although a verbal agreement is acceptable, a written and notarized agreement is preferable.

Customarily, most expatriate employment contracts only have a two-year validity. However, it is becoming a common practice to draft an open-ended contract in terms of its validity. Apart from the validity period, the contract can also be renewed and extended by mutual consent between the employer and employee since it is quite common for expatriates to remain employed in Kuwait for twenty years or more.

All expatriates are required to undergo a government-controlled medical examination before issuance of a work residence visa. Health certificates obtained from the local doctor certifying that the patient is in good health and free from any contagious diseases is mandatory. The same medical examination must also be undertaken before a work visa can be renewed.

Civil ID Renewal

For Kuwaiti Citizens

The Civil ID Renewal allows Kuwaiti citizens to renew their expired Bitaqa-Almadaniyah. According to the PACI, applicants less than 18 years old can renew their cards over the phone or online. In this case, applicants who are 10 years old or older must provide a personal photo. On the other hand, applicants who are 18 years old or older and have obtained Kuwaiti nationality can renew their cards over the phone or online. In this case, applicants must provide a personal photo if they do not already have a scanned one.

The procedures for Civil ID renewal are as follows:

1. If you are 18 years old, you can personally visit the Public Authority of Civil Information Headquarters at Zahra, ground floor, Citizens’ Office and submit the required documents. You can also renew your card through one of your parents, over the phone, or online. If you are less than 18 years old, you can renew your card through one of your parents, over the phone, or online. If you are 10 years old or older the you must provide a personal photo.

2. Complete the service application form

3. Pay the required fees

4. Receive your new card at the Public Authority of Civil Information Headquarters, Zahra, first floor, Checkers’ Building, Reception Hall.

For Non-Kuwaiti Expatriates

Applicants must visit the Public Authority of Civil Information Headquarters, Zahra, Checkers’ Building, ground floor, Reception Hall to receive the new card. Expatriates can renew their Civil ID Card online or over the phone.

Online Renewal

1. Go to Civil ID Renewal link on the website of the Public Authority for Civil Information.
2. Enter your civil ID number and then follow the instructions.
3. Receive your new card at the Public Authority of Civil Information Headquarters, Zahra, Checkers’ Building, ground floor, Reception Hall.
4. Pay the card acquisition fees.

Lost ID Card Replacement

For replacements, it is mandatory that applicants or their representatives with a power of attorney from the Ministry of Justice must attend to the procedures cited below. For applicants less than 18 years old, a parent in cases of marriage or a custodian in cases of divorce must attend the procedures.

Procedures:

1. Visit the Public Authority of Civil Information Headquarters at Zahra, ground floor, Citizens’ Office and submit the required documents.
2. Fill the service application form.
3. Pay the fees due.

•   Variable Fees – 0 KD

•   Fixed Fees (Replacement for Loss) – 20 KD

•   Fixed Fees (Individual Details Certificate) – 1 KD

Expat Jobs

The ease of searching for a job in the State of Kuwait varies greatly depending on the field of interest or profession. Many expats looking for work in Kuwait have applied for a position from his or her home country. Several Kuwaiti companies conduct interviews via Skype or other means of online communication. In some instances, there are also companies that require a highly-qualified applicant to visit Kuwait for additional personal interviews. The process of becoming an expat starts from the moment the company makes a job offer and the applicant accepts the same.

Since the State of Kuwait is an Arab country, fluency in Arabic is sometimes a requirement if an applicant applies in the public sector. Below are some resources you might find useful when searching for a job in Kuwait.

• Gulf Talent 
• Bayt
• Gulf Jobs Market
• Monster Gulf
• Career Jet
• Indeed
• Naukri
• Learn 4 Good

For Teaching English, expats can search jobs on the following sites:

• ESL Employment 
• Total ESL
• ESL Café
• Tesall
• Footprints Recruiting