‘Get e-visa in 24 hours’ – Service launched officially

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KUWAIT CITY, July 31: Head of the Public Relations and Moral Guidance Department and the Acting Manager of Security Media Department Colonel Adel Ahmed Al-Hashash stated that there will be no more paper work and inconvenient complications for visitors due to the implementation of the electronic visa (e-visa).

In a press conference held at Kuwait International Airport Sunday morning, the e-visa application service from the Ministry of Interior (MOI) was officially announced, and “that all you have to do is to go into the MOI website and everything will be clear and easy,” said Colonel Al-Hashash. Head of the Public Authority for Visa Affairs Major General Talaal Al-Maarafi asserted that for those who land in Kuwait with an e-visa, procedures and paperwork will be easy, which will significantly contribute to decreasing the rush at airport terminals.

He noted that the service currently caters to 52 countries in addition to members of the GCC, and that there are 14 professions that will enjoy special services such as the issuance of visas for the spouse, children and even their maids. Major General Al-Maarafi explained that when applying for the e-visa one will have to simply fill in the application online and submit it alongside a picture of the passport, the applicant will then receive and e-mail confirming that the application is underway.

From the  MOI’s side, the application is taken in and processed, if everything is in order and there are no legal or criminal complications, a visa reference number will be e-mailed back to the applicant. Upon arriving in Kuwait the individual will need nothing more than to give the reference number to the visa officer in order to print out a hard copy of the visa. He further asserted that Kuwait is an open country and that there are no restrictions as to what nationalities can and cannot apply, “as long as legal and criminal terms are met, you can apply.”

Meanwhile, Head of the Information Technology Department at MOI General Ali AlMaeli stated that the service is linked to all the systems of MOI, making the process of acquiring information quick and easy, it has also been coded with security measures preventing any kind of misuse.

He also pointed out that the service will also help avoid any kind of travel complications, explaining that there are numerous travelers who land in Kuwait only to find out from the visa officer that they are banned from entering due to certain issues.

The service will save the trouble of flying to Kuwait and being forced to fly back as the e-visa will not be issued to you in the first place. Lastly, General Al-Maeli said that it currently takes 24 hours for one to receive an approval and alongside the visa reference number, but MOI is working towards bringing it down to one hour only, and integrating the service with the MOI application on smart phones.

By Ahmed Al-Naqeeb Arab Times Staff

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