Kuwait on track for Schengen Visa exemption

Kuwait’s Foreign Minister, Abdullah Al-Yahya, has announced that ongoing talks are underway to finalise the Schengen visa liberalization agreement, a long-standing goal of the Kuwaiti government.

The upcoming Gulf-European summit in Brussels, scheduled for mid-October, will address the issue with authorities, as reported by Schengen News.

In 2023, Kuwaiti nationals submitted 179,444 Schengen visa applications, with 166,598 visas granted and 12,069 rejected.

This represents an impressive approval rate of 92.8%, one of the highest among third-country nationals.  France, Germany, and Italy were the most popular destinations, accounting for 40,712, 35,611, and 31,142 visa requests, respectively.

Top Destinations for Kuwaiti Applicants:

– France: 40,712 visa requests

– Germany: 35,611 visa requests

– Italy: 31,142 visa requests

Approval Rates:

– Italy: 97.10%

– Germany: 95%

– France: 94.9%

– Norway: 72.2%

– Belgium: 84.4%

– Croatia: 85.3%

Currently, Kuwaitis can receive 5-year multiple-entry visas from Schengen countries, thanks to facilitated visa rules adopted by the EU Commission.

Germany granted the highest number of multiple-entry visas to Kuwaiti nationals in 2023, with 153,608 out of 435,623 issued by all Schengen states. Italy and France followed with 85,005 and 53,106, respectively.

The Foreign Minister is working to find efficient solutions to address issues until the agreement is settled.