Kuwait Visa for UAE Residents: Visa on Arrival for All Professions

The short answer: since August 2025, Kuwait has given a tourist visa on arrival to residents of any GCC country, whatever their job. You need UAE residence and a passport each valid for at least six months, and the visa allows a stay of up to 90 days. Since December 2025, expect a visa fee of about KWD 10 plus a KWD 5 health-cover fee. Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals cannot use the online e-visa and should check with the Kuwaiti embassy first. Emiratis need no visa.

Kuwait City is about two hours from Dubai. Until 2025, UAE residents could only get a Kuwaiti visa if their profession was on an approved list, which is why many older guides say most expats cannot visit. That rule has gone.

Kuwait visa for UAE residents at a glance

Question	Answer (October 2026)
Visa for UAE residents	Tourist visa on arrival for GCC residents, or the e-visa online
Profession list	No longer applies to the visa on arrival
UAE residence validity	At least 6 months
Passport validity	At least 6 months
Length of stay	Up to 90 days
Cost	About KWD 10 for the visa plus KWD 5 for health cover; check when you apply
Emirati citizens	No visa needed

The GCC resident visa on arrival

In August 2025, Kuwait's Interior Ministry opened tourist visas on arrival to foreign residents of all GCC states, replacing a 2008 rule that limited them to listed professions such as doctors, engineers and managers. The conditions reported at launch:

• A GCC residence permit (your UAE residence) valid for at least six months
• A passport valid for at least six months
• A return or onward ticket
• A stay of up to 90 days

Or apply online first

GCC residents can also apply for an e-visa in advance on the Interior Ministry's portal, kuwaitvisa.moi.gov.kw. An approved e-visa means no questions at the arrival desk. Nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen cannot use the e-visa and are directed to apply at a Kuwaiti embassy.

What it costs

Under a ministerial decision in force since 23 December 2025, visit visas cost KWD 10 per month, and the Ministry of Health added a KWD 5 health-insurance fee for entry visas. Some sources still quote lower or older fees, so check the amount on the portal or at the airport when you travel.

Visa on arrival on your passport

Citizens of about 50 countries, including the UK, the US and most of the EU, can get a visa on arrival in Kuwait on their passport alone, whatever their residence. India, Pakistan and the Philippines are not on that list, so their nationals use the GCC resident route.

Family visit visas are different

If a relative in Kuwait is inviting you, that is a family visit visa, sponsored from Kuwait and governed by separate rules on the sponsor's salary and the airline you fly. This guide covers tourist visits only.

Getting from Dubai to Kuwait

Emirates, flydubai, Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways fly non-stop between Dubai and Kuwait in about two hours. By road you would cross Saudi Arabia, which needs a Saudi visa; see our Saudi visa guide for UAE residents.

Frequently asked questions

Do UAE residents need a visa for Kuwait?

Yes, unless they are GCC citizens. Since August 2025, residents of any GCC country can get a tourist visa on arrival, or apply for an e-visa online in advance.

Can Indians in Dubai visit Kuwait?

Yes. India is not on Kuwait's passport-based visa on arrival list, but an Indian national with UAE residence valid for six months can use the GCC resident route.

Can Pakistanis in the UAE get a Kuwait visa on arrival?

Pakistani nationals are excluded from Kuwait's e-visa and are told to apply at a Kuwaiti embassy. Confirm with the embassy before you book; do not rely on getting a visa at the airport.

How much is the Kuwait visa for UAE residents?

Expect about KWD 10 for the visa plus a KWD 5 health-cover fee, under rules in force since December 2025. Check the current amount when you apply.

Is there still a profession list for the Kuwait visa?

Not for the GCC resident visa on arrival, which Kuwait opened to all professions in August 2025.

How long is the flight from Dubai to Kuwait?

About two hours non-stop.

Planning a trip to Kuwait

A long weekend covers the Kuwait Towers, the Grand Mosque, Souq Al Mubarakiya and the waterfront. See Kuwait visa services for help with the visa, or talk to us about flights and hotels.

Related guides

• Bahrain visa for UAE residents
• Qatar visa for UAE residents
• Saudi visa for UAE residents
• Visa on arrival and visa-free countries for UAE residents

Last checked 8 October 2026 against Kuwait Interior Ministry announcements as reported by Gulf News and other Gulf media. Kuwait's visa fees and categories changed in 2025 and may change again; this guide is general information, not immigration advice. Confirm the current rules before you travel.