While not as well known as fellow Middle Eastern hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Kuwait City attracts millions of international tourists annually looking to experience futuristic architecture and luxury. Much of the city was built during the region’s oil boom over the last four decades.
Visiting Kuwait requires a visa for Americans and citizens of many English-speaking Western nations, such as Canada and the United Kingdom. Over the last year, the country has been transitioning from a system where travelers apply for one upon arrival to an entirely virtual system.
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Middle Eastern nation temporarily suspends e-visa program for ‘enhancement purposes’
Kuwait’s e-visa system, which functions similarly to the electronic travel authority required from certain nations but still requires travelers to present themselves to an immigration officer at the airport, was initially launched in 2017 for citizens of a select number of countries.
Rollout, however, has been slow. This week, the Kuwaiti government announced that it is temporarily suspending e-visas for citizens of 53 countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Kuwaiti government's online visa portal has a banner saying that the "electronic visa issuance service is currently suspended for development and enhancement purposes."
While what are most likely technological rollout kinks are worked out, citizens of these 53 countries will go back to the visa-on-arrival program in which they have to present themselves at an immigration checkpoint to clear customs at Kuwait International Airport (the tiny country only has two other airports that are used exclusively for military purposes).
Assuming a visitor does not have a record of criminal activity or problems with immigration, this process usually takes just several minutes. Other countries included in the 53 that can get visas upon arrival are European nations like France, Finland, and Ireland, as well as Asian nations such as Japan, Laos, and Malaysia. Middle Eastern neighbors from countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates can generally travel to Kuwait visa-free, while citizens of other nations have to apply for a traditional visa at their local embassy or consulate.
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To qualify for a visa upon arrival, visitors must have a passport with at least six months left before its expiration date and a return ticket proving planned departure from Kuwait.
A specific date for the return to e-visa has not yet been announced. With the number of North American travelers to the Middle East rising, several local airlines have launched new routes to different cities.
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In November 2024, United Arab Emirates-based Etihad announced a new route between Abu Dhabi and Atlanta (as well as flights to Toronto, Hong Kong and Taipei among others) that it will start in July 2025. Qatar Airways also started running a flight to its 14th North American city with a pilot Doha-Toronto route on Dec. 11, 2024.
The flight is run on a Boeing 777-300ER (BA) plane with 42 business and 312 economy seats. Such flights are explicitly tailored to luxury travelers and, therefore, have a high proportion of business and first-class seats.
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