Cairo: A Kuwaiti government decision to re-issue all types of entry visas to the country, as part of recent relaxed measures, is expected to take some time before coming into effect, according to a press report, citing security sources.
“The decision requires taking several steps to be put into effect,” the sources said, according to Al Rai newspaper.
“It is necessary for senior security officials at the Interior Ministry to meet to work out a vision and a mechanism for applying the decision in coordination with the Public Authority of Manpower,” a source said.
During the COVID-19 crisis, Kuwait has increasingly depended on digital services.
“The trend is to continue and boost this online mechanism and consequently issue online visas, particularly for foreign residents,” the source added. “Controls will be set for in-person showing to get the visa. This will be specified during the security meetings due to be held soon,” the source said.
The sources said Kuwait is likely to resume issuing the entry visas early next month.
Kuwait is experiencing labour shortages in some professions as a result of restrictions prompted by the global pandemic and the departure of many foreign workers from the country as a result of economic fallout.
After a seven-month ban, as of August 1, Kuwait has allowed the entry of expatriates as long as they have received two doses of an approved vaccine. They are the Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
Passengers who have taken two doses of Sinopharm, Sinovac and Sputnik vaccines can only enter the country if they take a third dose of one of the vaccines recognised by Kuwait.
