Kuwait Eases Visa-on-Arrival Rules for GCC Residents: What It Means for Business Travel and Investment Opportunities
Kuwait’s Interior Minister, Sheikh Fahad al Yousef al Sabah, has announced a new directive permitting all foreigners residing in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to enter Kuwait by obtaining a tourist visa upon arrival at any entry point, according to the Kuwait Times.
This decision is effective immediately and grants a tourist visa valid for 90 days. To qualify, GCC residents must hold a residency permit in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, or Bahrain that is valid for at least six months.
The new regulation replaces the 2008 rules, which restricted tourist visa-on-arrival eligibility to specific categories of GCC residents, such as doctors, engineers, judges, and executives.
Approximately 25 million foreigners living in the five GCC member states are now eligible to benefit from Kuwait’s visa-on-arrival scheme.
Previously, nationals from most European countries, North America, select Latin American nations, and key Asian countries — including China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore — have enjoyed access to tourist visas on arrival for several years.
This change is part of Kuwait’s ongoing efforts over the past 15 months to relax visa restrictions, encouraging tourism and business travel by making it easier for hotels to sponsor visitors and for companies to secure business visas for their foreign partners.
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Kuwait’s new policy allowing all GCC residents to obtain tourist visas on arrival significantly boosts regional mobility and tourism potential, creating a larger pool of visitors and business travelers. For Omani businesses, this opens opportunities in hospitality, retail, and travel services by tapping into increased Kuwaiti-GCC tourist flows. Smart investors should consider strengthening cross-GCC partnerships and targeted marketing strategies to capitalize on this seamless travel facilitation.
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