What to carry and what to expect at the border

Prepare these before you travel:

  1. 1

    Step 1: Passport with sufficient validity

    Carry the passport linked to your GCC residency, with at least six months of validity.

  2. 2

    Step 2: Valid GCC residence permit

    Bring your residence card or digital residency proof showing at least six months remaining. A permit close to expiry is the most common reason for refusal.

  3. 3

    Step 3: Return or onward ticket

    Have proof that you will leave Kuwait within the permitted stay.

  4. 4

    Step 4: Accommodation details

    Have a hotel booking or your host’s address in Kuwait ready to give at the visa counter.

What changed

Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior issued Ministerial Decision No. 1386 of 2025, published in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm and effective immediately in August 2025. It allows foreign nationals who hold a valid residence permit in another GCC state to receive a tourist visit visa on arrival at any Kuwaiti entry point.

The decision replaced a 2008 rule that limited visa on arrival for GCC residents to certain professions, such as doctors, engineers, lawyers and business managers. Under the new decision, service workers and others previously excluded can also apply, as long as they meet the residency condition.

Who qualifies

You can use the visa on arrival if you are a non-GCC national who lives in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain or Oman and your residence permit there has at least six months of validity left on the day you arrive.

GCC citizens do not need a visa to enter Kuwait. Rules can still differ by nationality and individual circumstances, and Kuwaiti border officers have the final decision on entry.

Prefer to arrange it before you fly? The e-visa route

Kuwait also offers electronic visit visas through the Kuwait Visa platform run by the Ministry of Interior. Getting an e-visa in advance can reduce uncertainty at the airport. Eligibility for the e-visa is assessed separately and can include profession and nationality criteria, so check the platform for your case.

Use only the official Ministry of Interior platform. Third-party sites that charge extra fees for “Kuwait GCC visas” are not official channels.

Staying within the rules

A tourist visa does not allow work in Kuwait. Leave before your permitted stay ends; overstaying can lead to fines and future entry problems. If your plans change, contact the Ministry of Interior before your visa expires.