Kuwait Travel Guide
Visa summary
247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Kuwait.
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Guide
Kuwait treats how you arrive as part of the visa rules. Citizens of the EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and several other countries can obtain a visa on arrival valid for three months, or an eVisa before entry, but only if they arrive by air. Passengers arriving by land or sea must obtain a visa in advance. Guides put the visa on arrival fee at 10 Kuwaiti dinars for tourist stays under 90 days, and say passports should be valid for at least six months.
The eVisa, for holders of a valid Schengen, UK, or US tourist visa, or residence permits from GCC states, Schengen countries, the UK, or the US, allows a stay of up to 30 days, with the visa itself valid for up to a year. GCC citizens can enter with a national ID card, and since August 2025, foreign residents of GCC states can get a tourist visa on arrival at any entry point if their residence has at least six months left. Israeli nationals are banned from entry.
Border crossings
- Nuwaiseeb and Salmi, into Saudi Arabia
Nuwaiseeb, linking with Khafji, is the main coastal crossing between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and Salmi is the other Saudi crossing. Because land arrivals need an advance visa, arrange yours before you drive.
- Abdali, into Iraq
The border crossing with Iraq in the north. It is a designated port of entry like the others, and land arrivals again need a visa in advance.
- The ports and the airport
Kuwait lists designated entry points including Kuwait International Airport, Abdali, Salmi, Nuwaiseeb, and a series of sea ports such as Shuwaikh, Shuaiba, and Al-Zour.
Transit routes
- Fly in if you want a visa on arrival
The visa on arrival is an airport option, so a road trip from Saudi Arabia needs the visa arranged beforehand.
- Cross at a designated point only
Entry and exit are limited to the listed ports, so a crossing elsewhere is not an option.
Entry point notes
- Air and land are different rules
The same passport can get a visa at the airport and be turned away at a land border, so read the entry method as part of the rule.
- Check the list for your nationality
The visa on arrival, eVisa, and advance visa lists differ, and the eVisa has conditions based on other visas you hold.