Visit visas may be obtained from Kuwaiti Consulates abroad by producing a supporting letter from a Kuwaiti sponsor, or the Kuwaiti sponsor can obtain the visa in Kuwait using a faxed copy of the visitor's passport. Visitors to Kuwait can also procure a visa by filling an application at any office of Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) in the world. This will take about two working days. The sponsor can then fax a copy of the visa to the visitor, enabling her/him to travel to Kuwait. The entry will be stamped in the passport on arrival, when the Kuwaiti sponsor presents the original at the airport. The actual visit visa consists of two sheets of paper; one is taken up on arrival; the other must be retained to be handed in when the visitor is leaving. Hotels can also arrange visit visas for businesspersons but they take about a week or more to do so. Persons in Kuwait on a visit visa are not allowed to work.
An application form stating the reason for the visit should be completed and submitted to the Embassy along with two passport size photographs of the candidate. The application must also be accompanied by two letters - one from the sponsor (containing an invitation) and the other, a letter of introduction from the candidate's organisation.
If a month's stay is insufficient and needs to be extended, then the Immigration Department must be contacted to request an extension (three months initial visa is under consideration). Alternatively, you can also travel to one of the neighbouring GCC countries and re-enter Kuwait on a new visitor's visa. If the date of exit expires you might be required to pay a fine (KD10 per day) as a penalty before the exit stamp is issued. This fine cannot be paid at the point of departure. It must be paid at the relevant Immigration Department.
Kuwait has also agreed in principle to issue multiple entry visas to certain categories of people such as businesspersons, which allows the holder to enter the country any number of times within a specified 12-month period for up to one month stay per visit.
Entry permits must be obtained well in advance since resolving a problem at the airport upon arrival is usually not possible.
Visit visas and entry permits are valid for entry within 90 days of issue and then for a stay of up to 30 days only after entry, A visit visas costs KD 3/- . Entry permits are free.
A visit to Kuwait must be sponsored by a Kuwait individual or company, or a resident foreigner who is relative of the visitor while he or she is in Kuwait.
To obtain a visit visa for a business, visitor, a Kuwait sponsor or company will require:
Visa application and security from completed by the sponsor Copy of the visitor's passport Copy of the sponsor's signature as registered for business purposes Copy of the letter of invitation from the sponsor to the business visitor stations the purpose of the visit. Visa application and security form completed by the sponsor Copy of the visitor's passport Original and copy of the sponsor's passport Original and copy of the sponsor's civil ID Original and copy of the sponsor's work permit (Private sector empolyees) Recent salary certificate from the sponsor's employer Authenticated proof of the family relationship Usually the sponsor of a relative is expected to be earning at least KD 450 per month if he works for the government and at least KD 650 if he work in the private sector.
Normally a visitor goes to a Kuwait embassy to have his visa processed and passport stamped before travelling to Kuwait. However a Kuwait sponsor can use a faxed copy of the visitor's passport to obtain the visa in Kuwait. The sponsor then faxes a copy of the visa to the visitor (to enable him to travel to Kuwait) and meets him at the airport with the original visa. The sponsor deposits the visa papers at a special counter in the arrival hall and the visitor must pick these up at a similar counter inside the immigration area in order to complete entry formalities. Either way, obtaining a visit visa takes about two working days, Hotels can also arrange visit visas for business but they take about a week to do so, naturly enough, expect the visitor to stay with on arrival.
The fine for staying more than 30 days on a visit visa is KD 10 a day. A visitor whose visa has expired is not allowed to leave until the fine has been paid, The fine must be paid at the immigration Department in Shuwaikh during government working hours and not at the airport. Fines however may be paid a few days in advance and, unless this is done, the flight out is invariably missed.
An expatriate may obtain two one-month extension to a visit visa or temporary residence provided application is made to the immigration Department before the visa has expired. A pleasant solution for visitors wishing to extend their stay is to obtain a second visit visa in Kuwait, travel to Bahrain on a morning flight and re-enter Kuwait in the evening round trip ( 40 minuets flying time ) only costs about KD 45.
Original Visa (received from Kuwait) Original agreement (received from Company in Kuwait). The agreement must be signed by the Employer as well as the applicant Police clearance certificate issued by Passport Office and attested by the Ministry of External Affairs. The date of the P.C.C (Police Clearance Certificate) must be after the date of the issuance of the visa (received from Kuwait). Experience Certificate of cooking attested by the Ministry of External Affairs (ONLY FOR COOKS) Driving license and experience certificate attested by the Ministry of External Affairs (ONLY FOR DRIVERS). Those candidates having driving license from Gulf countries are exempted from attestation. Dully filled Visa application form (with one passport size photograph)
Photocopies of all above mentioned documents (Visa copy after medical check-up) Each set must be attached with medical certificate from approved centers
Visa endorsement fee : Rs. 3000/- PCC Attestation fee : Rs. 1000/- Original Visa (received from Kuwait) Police clearance certificate issued by Passport Office and attested by the Ministry of External Affairs. The date of the P.C.C (Police Clearance Certificate) must be after the date of the issuance of the visa (received from Kuwait). Dully filled Visa application form (with one passport size photograph)
Photocopies of all above mentioned documents (Visa copy after medical check-up) Each set must be attached with medical certificate from approved centers
Applicants below 18 years are exempted from P.C.C Visa endorsement fee : Rs. 3000/- PCC Attestation fee : Rs. 1000/- Fill the required form completely Attach all the required documents Attach your current and old (if any) passports Submit the application at the VPS center's submission desk We will check for any shortcomings in your documentation and guide you for fulfilling the same You will be issued a printed ICR as acknowledgement of the receipt of your documents and the required fees and service charges The ICR will contain the tentative date of the collection of your documents and the contact details of the center Letter addressed to Kuwait Embassy, New Delhi, requesting for PCC with a copy of the letter of the emigrating country's Embassy / Consulate requiring for PCC. (the application should include full postal address of candidate with tel./fax numbers and email etc.) Photocopy of the passport Photocopy of the Civil ID in Kuwait Four passport size photographs Original finger prints (each finger separately, clearly) on the Special Format provided by the Police Headquarters and attested by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India The fee for P.C.C is Rs. 2000/- (Two Thousand Indian Rupees) by cash which will not be refunded whether the P.C.C is issued or not Visit visas may be obtained from Kuwaiti Consulates abroad by producing a supporting letter from a Kuwaiti sponsor, or the Kuwaiti sponsor can obtain the visa in Kuwait using a faxed copy of the visitor's passport. Visitors to Kuwait can also procure a visa by filling an application at any office of Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) in the world. This will take about two working days. The sponsor can then fax a copy of the visa to the visitor, enabling her/him to travel to Kuwait. The entry will be stamped in the passport on arrival, when the Kuwaiti sponsor presents the original at the airport. The actual visit visa consists of two sheets of paper; one is taken up on arrival; the other must be retained to be handed in when the visitor is leaving. Hotels can also arrange visit visas for businesspersons but they take about a week or more to do so. Persons in Kuwait on a visit visa are not allowed to work.
An application form stating the reason for the visit should be completed and submitted to the Embassy along with two passport size photographs of the candidate. The application must also be accompanied by two letters - one from the sponsor (containing an invitation) and the other, a letter of introduction from the candidate's organisation.
If a month's stay is insufficient and needs to be extended, then the Immigration Department must be contacted to request an extension (three months initial visa is under consideration). Alternatively, you can also travel to one of the neighbouring GCC countries and re-enter Kuwait on a new visitor's visa. If the date of exit expires you might be required to pay a fine (KD10 per day) as a penalty before the exit stamp is issued. This fine cannot be paid at the point of departure. It must be paid at the relevant Immigration Department.
Kuwait has also agreed in principle to issue multiple entry visas to certain categories of people such as businesspersons, which allows the holder to enter the country any number of times within a specified 12-month period for up to one month stay per visit.
Entry permits must be obtained well in advance since resolving a problem at the airport upon arrival is usually not possible.
A transit visa, valid for a maximum stay of seven days, can be obtained from a Kuwaiti Consulate abroad or from a Port Authority in Kuwait. The applicant must have a valid entry visa for his next country of destination.
A visitor can also enter Kuwait on a No Objection Certificate (NOC). The certificate is issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (for domestic employees) or by the Chamber of Commerce (for businessmen). This has to be arranged in advance by the Kuwaiti sponsor or employer. The NOC can be arranged for in the following ways:
The Kuwaiti Consulate or Embassy based in the employee's country is sent the intimation to issue the NOC which is collected by the employee. S/he can then enter Kuwait directly for employment. A residence visa is then issued once the s/he has entered the country.
The employee enters Kuwait on a Business visa, after which an application is made for an NOC for employment. Once this is obtained the person has to leave and re-enter Kuwait with the NOC.
Once the employee has arrived on an NOC, the process of stamping the residence or the 'Iqama' starts. This can, in some instance, take weeks. The formalities have to be completed within 60 days of entry, otherwise a daily penalty fee of KD 2 will be levied. It is important to note that after a person has entered the country on an NOC, he or she cannot leave the country until the residence permit has been issued. Also he or she will not be able to drive a vehicle in Kuwait until a valid Kuwaiti Driving Licence is issued, unless, of course a temporary licence is obtained in the interim. One can only apply for a Driving Licence once the Residence Visa has been obtained and the Civil ID has been issued.
Spouses and dependantsExpatriate employees working for the Government sector whose monthly salaries are not less than KD 450 per month (a lowering of the salary limit is under consideration) are granted a residence permit for their spouses and children. The employee acts as the sponsor and has to pay the following annual fees for the family:
Spouse: KD 100 for the first year and KD 10 renewal fee for consecutive years plus KD 40 per year for Health Insurance fees. Up to 3 children: KD 100 each for the first year and KD 10 renewal fee for consecutive years plus KD 40 per year for Health Insurance fees. Fourth child onwards: KD 200 each for the first year and KD 10 renewal fee for consecutive years plus KD 40 per year for Health Insurance fees. Similarly, the salary limit for employees in the private sector is KD 650. The rates for the residence fees are the same as above except that the KD 100 fee is limited to two children and not three --from the third child onwards the fees go up to KD 200 each for the first year.
Employees are allowed to sponsor one domestic servant, provided both parents are working and there is a necessity to have someone to look after the children.