Kuwait opens visa on arrival to GCC foreign residents

Interior Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah has announced that all foreigners residing in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states can now obtain a tourist visa on arrival at any entry point.

The decision, published in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm on Sunday, takes immediate effect.

Under the new policy, tourist visas will be valid for 90 days, and applicants must hold a residency permit in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, or Bahrain valid for at least six months.

This move replaces a 2008 regulation that restricted the visa-on-arrival facility to specific professions such as doctors, engineers, and executives.

The change opens the door for approximately 25 million foreign residents in the GCC to visit Kuwait more easily.

Nationals from many European, North American, Latin American, and major Asian countries — including China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore — have long enjoyed the same privilege.

Over the past 15 months, Kuwait has progressively eased visa rules to attract more visitors, including relaxing family visa restrictions, allowing hotels to sponsor guests, and simplifying procedures for companies to bring in foreign business partners.

Earlier, the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC), operating under the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OP&HRD) announced new job openings in Kuwait following the Gulf nation’s decision to restore its visa policy for Pakistan.

According to APP, the development presents a major opportunity for Pakistani professionals, as Kuwait labor market is seeking skilled workers from Pakistan, encouraged by the government’s proactive and business-friendly policies that have boosted global demand for the country’s workforce.