Foreigners visiting Kuwait on family visit visas are now required to utilize designated airlines for their travel to and from the country, as per directives from Kuwaiti civil aviation authorities. According to reports from Alseyassah newspaper, the Kuwaiti Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) has made it mandatory for holders of family visit visas to exclusively use Kuwait Airways and Al Jazeera Airways for their arrivals and departures.
The recent regulations come as part of Kuwait’s efforts to streamline and regulate its visa issuance process, including family, commercial, and tourism visas. The DGCA emphasized that failure to adhere to these airline restrictions will result in visitors being sent back to their departure destination.
Sources cited by the newspaper revealed that these instructions were issued in correspondence with the Interior Ministry, outlining specific arrival and departure protocols for family visit visa holders. Under the new regulations, applicants must meet income requirements, with a minimum of KD400 for sponsoring first-degree relatives and KD800 for other relatives.
Additionally, the duration of stay for family visit visa holders is capped at one month, with a written commitment that the visa will not be converted into residency permits. Visitors are also assured medical treatment during their stay, with access to both private and government healthcare facilities.
This development follows Kuwait’s previous suspension of family visit visas in 2022, which was subsequently partially lifted to allow for the issuance of dependency visas for children aged five years and below.