Braniff

I've seen the horrible stories about Kuwait Airport being a dump and all that and am keen to get through it quickly! Or has the airport improved ??

Can anyone tell me how efficient the visa on arrival service is ? Will I be among a few using it and end up being the very last in an immigration line ? How efficient is the immigration line itself ? My flight gets in late evening from Abu Dhabi.

Or would you recommend getting the e-visa which presumably allows you to bypass the visa on arrival line...

BuildingMyBento

I think KWI is getting a new terminal by the end of the year/early next year.

When I visited in 2008, it was rubbish, but I didn't have high expectations anyway. Don't recall the visa queue being too orderly. Lots of people forming their own/cutting queues.

troyb

My experience with VOA last October was bad. Real bad. Hands down the worst experience I've had entering any country. Total mayhem.

As I waited for about two hours I learned that there is some "Halla Halla" service that costs about $30 and gets you right through. Seems like it's worth looking into.

SMFlagg

I have been going to Kuwait basically monthly for three years now. Their eVisa service is very new, started in July and I have no experience with it. Frankly I would not trust it until there are some positive reviews here. I have limited confidence in their government to process things efficiently and effectively. Regardless, the airport, particularly on Thursday and Saturday nights, is absolute chaos. If you are arriving on Saturday night, I would highly recommend the Hala service previously mentioned. 10KWD well spent. Otherwise you could indeed wait up to 2-3 hours. Typically with the service, you can be out of the airport entirely about 10 minutes after exiting the aircraft so long as you don't have to wait for checked baggage.

If you are arriving at off times, the visa on arrival service actually isn't that bad. Depending on your passport, it actually might be free. Fill out a little postcard, take a photocopy of your passport, grab a number, and wait. In my experience at non busy times, it takes 5-20 minutes. Once your passport and visa is stamped, wall right through immigration downstairs. don't wait in those lines unnecessarily.

PM me if you have any questions.

Braniff

Thank you very much for your advice. In Kuwait currently. My host arranged for the visa so I did not end up using the electronic visa. However, I needed to pick up the actual visa by giving them a copy of the official visa approvalal letter from the Ministry of the Interior. I now have two A4 pieces of paper with several actual postage-type stamps fixed on them attached to my passport. Not exactly a model of administrative efficiency! To top it off, the computer system was down and everything was done by hand and written in a ledger. The lines were HUGE. If I had not taken the good advice here and ordered the Hala service, I fear I may still be there !!! Thank you !!!!! I may use it for leaving the country which I fear may be equally bureaucratic.

headingwest

I have a bit of a dilemma. I'm arriving at KWI at 5am on a Turkish Airlines flight and will be departing with Qatar Airways at 10pm. I obviously need a Visa or e-visa to visit the city. I tried to apply online for the e-visa as I figured it would be simpler, but the form requires an 'expected address' (Area, Governorate, Block, Street, Building Type, etc). If I'm not staying at a hotel during the visit, what can I put on the form?

I suppose I'll have to apply at the airport if all else fails.

TheMadeTraveler

You can enter Kuwait without a visa if you are from GCC national. If not, you can obtain a visit visa on arrival in Kuwait.

Sometimes it would take more time for the visa to be stamped. You will have to pay a small fee of 3 Kuwaiti Dinars.

headingwest

Thanks TheMadeTraveler. I'm British, so I'll get it on arrival.

TheMadeTraveler

You are most welcome

extramileage

If asked on your forms, just put down any major hotel as your place of stay. No supporting documentation is requested.

El Puerco Volante

I can see there are multiple "meet & assist" services. Pearl Assistance, Maraheb and some others. Which one can be reliably used ?
Thanks & regards,
El Puerco Volante

DirtyDan

My first couple times through I used Hala and they were fine. I imagine they are all "reliable" but the real value in a meet and greet service is their ability at jumping the queues! This is really important if you're arriving during the end of the weekend at the same time as the other 3 million Kuwaiti residents are returning from their escapades in the other GCC nations

pafnyc

The Embassy in DC's website seems to be down. Is the VOA free for US Citizens? If so, do US Citizens still need to get "stamps" etc or just proceed straight to immigration?

SMFlagg

Free for U.S. citizens. Go to the immigration counter, follow the signs for visa issuance. Take a number from the little machine, a photocopy of your passport, and fill out the postcard-sized form. No stamps. Wait for them to call your number. Proceed to the desk to get your visa issued and stamped. If you have never been in Kuwait before, there is a second desk that is usually staffed in which they will register you. Digital finger prints and some digital photos. They make a note at the end of your passport, and you'll never need to do it again (until you get a new passport)

pafnyc

thank you - so helpful.