Kuwait travel guide: everything you need to know as the country gets set to ease restrictions
Kuwait travel guide: everything you need to know as the country gets set to ease restrictions
All arriving passengers will need to quarantine in a hotel for seven days from Sunday
Kuwait airport is set to reopen to more travellers on Sunday, when current travel restrictions will ease.
Commercial passenger flights will once again be allowed to accept non-Kuwaiti citizens.
Airlines will have to bear the cost of Covid-19 testing for passengers, according to a circular from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Travel to Kuwait has been restricted since February 7 when authorities closed borders to all travellers except Kuwaiti nationals and their first-degree relatives, domestic workers and medical professionals.
With the country set to loosen restrictions, here’s a guide to what you need to know before you go if you’re planning to fly to Kuwait.
Who can fly to Kuwait from February 21?
The country will reopen to non-Kuwaiti citizens on Sunday.
Non-citizens holding valid residency permits and GCC citizens will be allowed to fly into Kuwait from this date. Citizens and their relatives or domestic workers, diplomats and medical professionals can continue to travel to Kuwait.
Travellers who have been in or transited through any country on the restricted list cannot enter Kuwait unless they spend 14 days in a non-restricted destination. This does not apply to Kuwaiti citizens.
List of restricted countries
- Afghanistan
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Bangladesh
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Dominican Republic
- Egypt
- France
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Italy
- Kosovo
- Lebanon
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Nepal
- North Macedonia
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Philippines
- Serbia
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- United Kingdom
- Yemen
Kuwait remains closed to tourists. No visitors have been permitted to travel to the country since March 2020 and visa on arrival facilities are suspended.
What do I need to do before I fly to Kuwait?
Anyone planning to fly to Kuwait must have a negative PCR test. The PCR test must be conducted no more than 72 hours before acceptance on any flight to Kuwait and the result should be in English.
Passengers must also download the Shlonik contact tracing app and the Kuwait Mosafer app before travelling to Kuwait. Negative PCR certificates need to be scanned on the Kuwait Mosafer app.
When checking in for any flight to Kuwait departing on or after Sunday, travellers will have to pay KD60 (Dh729) for two subsequent PCR tests, as requested by Kuwaiti authorities.
What rules are in place at the airport?
Passengers arriving in Kuwait will be required to go through thermal screening and then undergo the first of their two prepaid Covid-19 PCR tests.
Kuwait Airlines has also reminded travellers of mandatory rules in place at the airport including compulsory face masks, social distancing and hand sanitising every 30 minutes.
Which airlines are flying to Kuwait?
Commercial flights to and from Kuwait are operating at a reduced capacity of 35 passengers per flight. Several airlines continue to fly to and from the country including Kuwait Airlines, Emirates, Flydubai, Etihad and Jazeera Airways.
Until Sunday, only Kuwaiti nationals, their relatives and those on the exemption list will be accepted for boarding.
Do I need to quarantine in a hotel?
From Sunday, anyone arriving in Kuwait will have to undergo self-funded compulsory quarantine for seven days in a designated hotel, followed by a further seven days of home isolation.
This has changed from the previous rule which demanded 14 days of home isolation. Both citizens and residents need to complete hotel quarantine, which will be bookable in advance, via the Ministry of Health.
How much will quarantine cost?
The Kuwait Hotel Owners Association (KHOA) has announced recommended prices for each hotel category, according to local media.
For three-star hotels, the room rate has been set at KD20 (Dh243) per night for a standard single room and KD30 (Dh364) for a double room with breakfast and airport transfer.
Four-star hotels will cost KD30 (Dh364) per night for a standard single room or KD40 (Dh486) for a double room with breakfast and airport transfer.
Those looking to quarantine in luxury look set to pay KD45 (Dh546) per night for a standard single room and KD55 (Dh668) for a double room with breakfast and airport transfer in a five-star hotel.
The hotel quarantine policy will run until at least Sunday, March 21, when it will be reviewed.
