The country’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Salem Al Sabah, welcomed on Tuesday the European Union (EU) decision to offer Kuwaitis a five-year, multiple-entry, Schengen visa.
The move was hailed as a breakthrough and a by-product of bilateral cooperation.
Expressing his appreciation for EU-wide efforts that helped facilitate the new visa rules, the minister said more cooperation on the matter would ultimately pave the way for citizens to be granted visa-free entry to the Schengen zone.
Exempting citizens from visa requirements to travel to the Schengen area is one of “multiple efforts” on the foreign ministry’s part, as it seeks to cater to the needs of nationals, he emphasized.
The move was adopted on September 8, 2023, to offer Kuwaiti nationals more favourable rules for issuing Schengen multiple-entry visas valid for five years, the EU Delegation to Kuwait announced on Tuesday.
This new visa ‘cascade’ regime for Kuwaiti nationals applying for Schengen visas in Kuwait will see all eligible applicants, including first-time travellers, being issued with visas valid for 5 years if the passport validity allows.
Where the validity of the visa would exceed that of the passport, a multiple-entry visa shall be issued with a period of validity ending three months before the expiry date of the passport. During the validity period of these visas, holders enjoy travel rights equivalent to visa-free nationals.
This new rule will ease Kuwaiti nationals’ travel to the 27 Schengen countries for business, tourism, and family purposes, allowing multiple stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period within the Schengen area, the EU delegation in Kuwait noted.
