First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah said Kuwait has no restrictions on any nationality visiting the country. Sheikh Fahad added that Kuwait's entry visas are among the fastest in the world to obtain, with issuance possible “within five minutes". He stressed that all foreign nationals are welcome to visit Kuwait provided they respect its laws and regulations, noting that “procedures to obtain residencies and visit visas have been made easy".
Sheikh Fahad said Kuwait is undergoing continuous legislative development aimed at improving service and security systems across the country. He stated that reforms cover all sectors of the interior ministry, saying citizens, residents and visitors “will soon feel its results” and affirmed that “the best is yet to come".
Commenting on the two platforms, Kuwait Visa and Visit Kuwait, Sheikh Fahad explained that they are complementary systems, one for issuing entry visas and the other for obtaining permits to organize events of all kinds. He also announced that a new traffic law featuring “an alternative penalties system has been approved and will be implemented in the near future”, adding that Kuwait “has benefited from the experiences of some Gulf Cooperation Council countries in developing a model compatible with local laws".
Regarding regional cooperation, Sheikh Fahad said interior ministries of the GCC states operate through “an integrated system for information exchange and top-level coordination” to maintain security and stability across the region. He expressed appreciation for the strong support that Kuwait’s security sectors receive from HH the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
The minister revealed that HH the Amir has signed the new anti-drugs law introducing harsher penalties, including expanding the application of the death penalty. The law will be published in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm soon to take effect. Sheikh Fahad said Gulf countries have “succeeded in greatly reducing the smuggling of drugs into their countries by foiling major smuggling attempts”, adding that Kuwait’s advanced radar system, which covers its maritime and land borders, has prevented large quantities of narcotics from entering the country.
Meanwhile, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Adel Al-Zamel said the ministry is still studying the issue of raising electricity and water charges. “This issue is still under study”, he said, stressing that the ministry is working to protect low-income consumers while discouraging excessive consumption of water and power.
Al-Zamel did not specify a timeframe for completing the study or the scope of potential increases but noted that the production cost of electricity and water remains higher than the prices charged to consumers. He also confirmed ongoing negotiations on a power storage battery project with a capacity of 1,000 to 1,500 megawatts, expected to be implemented in 2027 to meet national needs.
He added that Kuwait maintains an agreement with the Gulf power grid to import electricity from neighboring Gulf states during summer months when temperatures exceed 50 degrees Celsius. A new connection with the grid will be completed later this month to expand import capacity and address potential surges in consumption. Last year, Kuwait imported about 1,000 MW of electricity through the grid, which helped meet demand, while the country continues developing projects to increase its own production capacity.