KUWAIT: Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah issued a decision on Sunday allowing all foreigners residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to enter Kuwait by obtaining a tourist visa on arrival at all entry points. The decision was published in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm on Sunday and is effective immediately. Under a recently issued decision, a tourist visa is valid for 90 days. According to the decision, GCC foreign residents must have a residency permit in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain valid for at least six months.

The decision also abolishes regulations issued in 2008 and which allowed only certain categories of GCC residents like doctors, engineers, judges, executives and others to avail of the tourist visa on arrival. Around 25 million foreigners residing in the five GCC member states can benefit from the Kuwaiti visa on arrival. Nationals of most countries in Europe, North America, some Latin American countries and leading Asian nations like China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and others have been allowed to obtain tourist visas on arrival for many years.

Over the past 15 months, Kuwait has eased restrictions on visas to foreigners in a bid to open up for visitors. It has eased restrictions on family visas allowing expats working in Kuwait to bring their close relatives like spouses, children, parents and others to visit them for a maximum of one month. It has also made it easier for hotels to sponsor visitors and for companies to obtain business visas for their foreign partners.