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GCC residents, including Indians, can now avail visa on arrival in Kuwait

Any foreigner national residing in any of the GCC member states, holding a valid residency permit, can now avail the visa on arrival in Kuwait.

GCC residents can avail visa on arrival in Kuwait

To avail visa on arrival, applicants must hold a residence permit in a GCC country valid for at least six months. (Photo: Unsplash)

In a move that could benefit millions of foreign nationals living and working in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, Kuwait has rolled out visa on arrival for residents of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain.

Effective immediately

The scheme, which came into effect immediately, was announced on Sunday via the publication of the official gazette, Kuwait Alyoum. The policy was announced by First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef and replaces the 2008 regulations around the entry of foreign residents from other Gulf states into Kuwait for tourism purposes.

Travel between GCC countries

While traveling across boundaries for citizens of GCC countries has always remained hassle-free, it was not the same for foreign residents, who make up more than half of the region’s total population of over 61.2 million as of the end of 2024. As per the 2008 rules, only certain categories of GCC residents, including doctors, engineers, judges, and executives, were eligible to avail of the tourist visa on arrival.

Eligibility for visa on arrival

According to the visa on arrival facility rolled out on Sunday, any foreigner national residing in any of the GCC member states, holding a valid residency permit, can now avail the visa on arrival in Kuwait.
To avail visa on arrival, applicants must hold a residence permit in a GCC country valid for at least six months.
The visitors will be issued a tourist visa on arrival directly at the port of entry, upon verification of their residency status by the immigration officials.

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