Kuwait Opens Visa-On-Arrival to Expats Living in GCC Countries

Kuwait has just made travel a little easier for expatriates living across the Gulf countries. In a move to streamline its border policies, the Ministry of Interior announced a major update: expats who hold valid residency in any GCC country can now get a visa-on-arrival tourist visa to Kuwait, right at the border or airport.

Here’s how the new visa-on-arrival policy works, who qualifies, and why it matters.

What’s Changed?

On August 6, 2025, Kuwait officially scrapped an older rule from 2008 and replaced it with Ministerial Resolution No. 1386 of 2025, signed by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Yousef Saud Al-Sabah.

The new rule now allows eligible GCC residents, regardless of nationality, to obtain a tourist visa on arrival at any Kuwaiti airport or land border crossing.

Who’s Eligible?

To get the visa-on-arrival, travellers must meet two basic conditions:

• Hold a valid passport
• Have a valid residency permit from any GCC country, with at least six months left before it expires.
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE
  • Qatar
  • Oman
  • Bahrain
  • Kuwait

That’s it. No need to apply online beforehand or go through embassies. Show up at the border with your documents, and you can enter Kuwait as a tourist.

Who Benefits from This?

This policy is a game changer for:

• Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, and other expat nationals who live and work in the GCC
• Frequent business travellers who hop between Gulf countries
• Families of expats looking for short holidays or visits within the region
• Weekend travellers from nearby cities like Riyadh, Dubai, or Doha

Previously, many of these travellers faced unclear rules or lengthy processes to enter Kuwait for a short trip. This move simplifies that and brings Kuwait in line with the more open travel policies seen elsewhere in the Gulf.

Requirements for Visa-On-Arrival in Kuwait

Here’s what you’ll need at the border:

• A valid passport
• A residency permit from any GCC country
• At least 6 months of validity left on your residency
• Purpose of visit must be tourism

No pre-approval or paperwork needed, just show up with the right documents.

What’s the Bigger Picture?

Kuwait’s visa-on-arrival move follows Decree-Law No. 114 of 2024, part of a wider effort to ease entry rules and boost tourism, especially for the large expat population in the Gulf.

For context, countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia already offer visa-on-arrival for GCC residents. Kuwait joining them could attract more short trips, weekend visits, and business travel from around the region.

More Visa Reforms to Boost Tourism

Kuwait has recently relaxed several other visa rules to make travel easier and more accessible:

• No more university degree requirement for certain visa categories
• Visit visa validity extended, making short stays more flexible
• Airline restrictions lifted, reopening Kuwait’s skies to a wider range of international carriers

These changes are part of Kuwait’s broader push to attract more tourists and strengthen its role as a travel hub in the Gulf.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a resident of any Gulf country and your residency is valid for at least six more months, you can now travel to Kuwait without jumping through pre-travel visa hoops. Just bring your passport, show your residency proof, and you’re in.

This is a practical win for millions of expats, and a sign that Kuwait is slowly, but surely, opening up.