Middle East: Kuwait may introduce electronic visa for Russians
Russians should be able to apply for an electronic visa to Kuwait. This issue is currently being worked out with the emirate, the Russian Embassy told Izvestia. By the end of 2025, the country entered the top 30 destinations for Russians, and the tourist flow there increased by 27%. The conflict in the Middle East has suspended direct flights, but the sides hope to resume them soon, the diplomats said. In September, Jazeera Airways may reopen flights on the Moscow– Kuwait City route. In general, the region is becoming a popular destination for our travelers: the UAE and Qatar are in the greatest demand, and other Gulf monarchies are striving to repeat the example of these countries.
Will there be visa-free travel between Russia and Kuwait
In the Arabian Peninsula, Russia already has a visa-free regime with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar, followed by Bahrain and Kuwait. Izvestia found out that in the case of Kuwait, we are not talking about the complete abolition of visas, but only about the simplification of the regime in connection with the specifics of the monarchy.
— The fact is that this country has no visa-free travel agreements as such, with the exception of its closest partners in the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf. In such circumstances, we are working with the Kuwaiti side to simplify the bilateral visa regime," the Russian Embassy in Kuwait explained to Izvestia.
Therefore, the issue of an electronic visa for tourists from the Russian Federation is still being worked out. At the moment, Russians are forced to apply to the consulate at least a week in advance for a visa, the length of stay for which varies from 30 to 90 days, and the consular fee is $ 100.
— In fact, back in 2023, the Russian side provided citizens of Kuwait with the opportunity to use a simplified visa regime. This refers to the registration of so-called electronic visas. The issue of granting similar preferences to our citizens is still, admittedly, being worked out by the Kuwaiti side," the diplomatic mission said.
The introduction of electronic visas looks more attractive due to the reduction of the registration period to three days and a fee of only $10. This greatly facilitates both trip planning and the trip itself.
The opening of direct flights to Kuwait from Moscow and Sochi in 2023 and 2025, respectively, significantly increased the tourist flow and increased the interest of tourists in Russia. The cost of one-way flights started from 20 thousand rubles, flights were operated by Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways. However, the conflict in the Middle East put regular flights on hold in 2026. But despite the protracted crisis, the issue of resuming flights remains of paramount importance for both countries.
— We hope for their resumption as the situation in the region stabilizes. Both Kuwaiti air carriers are interested in this," the embassy added.
Jazeera Airways plans to resume direct flights from Moscow starting in mid-September. Such information appeared in the seasonal flight schedule.
The Middle East is gaining popularity among Russians
Kuwait attracts tourists with a combination of ancient traditions and modern technology. The skyscrapers there are adjacent to historical monuments, and the oriental flavor is complemented by a European high level of service. There is another eclecticism. The country, whose symbol is considered to be futuristic Kuwaiti towers, in addition to historical bazaars and impressive mosques, luxurious malls and modern museums, also offers to visit the ruins of ancient Greek temples on Failaka Island.
The tourist flow from Russia to Kuwait has already increased significantly by the end of 2025 — by 27%, and the country has entered the top 30 most popular destinations among Russians. Last year, as follows from the data of the FSB border service, 6.9 thousand travelers went there.
The Emirate has not yet become as popular a tourist destination for Russians as the neighboring UAE and Qatar. Dmitry Arutyunov, CEO of the Art-Tour tour operator, explained to Izvestia that our fellow citizens often use this monarchy as a transit hub. This status encourages the emergence of profitable offers from local carriers. Kuwaiti airlines offer a wide route network that extends far beyond the Middle East and includes European countries. For example, Russian citizens actively flew to Greece on Jazeera Airways flights.
The tourism sector in the Middle East it shows steady growth. In just 50 years, the UAE has transformed from a desert into a key technological center in the region and, apart from Turkey, firmly holds the leadership in the tourist flow from the Russian Federation. At the same time, new players are gaining ground in the market: for example, exotic Oman entered the top 15 countries popular with Russian tourists last year, largely due to the introduction of a visa-free regime.
Given Kuwait's tourism potential — its coastline, for example, is 500 km — the country has every chance of becoming a more popular tourist destination. And visa-free travel and direct flights always contribute not only to humanitarian, but also to business ties. It is worth noting that the Gulf states - the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia — have been the guest countries at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum for four years in a row.
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