Kuwait extends bar on entry to non-citizens indefinitely

Medical personnel and diplomatic corps exempted from ban imposed to contain coronavirus infections

Kuwaiti buildings are illuminated in the colours of the national flag on February 20, 2021, as the country prepares to celebrate their 60th Independence Day and the 30th anniversary of the end of the Gulf war with the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation. AFPShow less

Kuwait has extended its bar on entry to non-citizens indefinitely as part of coronavirus containment measures.

The suspension of entry will remain effective for non-Kuwaiti passengers until further notice, the civil aviation authority said.

The ban will not apply to medical personnel from the private and public sector, or to members of the diplomatic corps and their immediate relatives and domestic workers, the Kuwaiti news agency Kuna said.

Citizens are allowed to enter, but they must spend seven days in quarantine at a hotel and another week at home.

The civil aviation authority said no passenger would be accepted on incoming flights to Kuwait without first registering on the government travel platform kuwaitmosafer.gov.kw.

Travel restrictions had been set to ease on Sunday, with plans to allow more travellers to land at Kuwait airport and commercial passenger flights gearing up to to accept non-Kuwaiti citizens.

But restrictions will now remain in place at the borders, which have been closed to most foreign travellers since February 7.

Tourist have not been permitted to travel to the country since March 2020 and visa on arrival facilities are suspended.

Kuwait's ministry of health announced on Saturday 862 new cases, five deaths and 934 recoveries over 24 hours, bringing the total of recovered cases to 171,260.

Kuna added that the percentage of total recoveries from Covid-19 in Kuwait – as of Saturday, was 93.4 per cent.

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Kuwaiti Parliament debates Covid-19 measures

Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid attends a special National Assembly session to review the government’s measures to control Covid-19 and its emerging strains in the capital, Kuwait City. EPA

Kuwaiti National Assembly speaker Marzouq Al Ghanim, centre, attends a special National Assembly session in Kuwait City. EPA

Minister of Health Dr Bassel Al Sabah held a special session on Tuesday to highlight the importance of taking the vaccine and adhering to social distancing regulations. EPA

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Kuwaiti MPs attend a special session at the National Assembly headquarters in Kuwait City to review government measures to limit the spread of Covid-19. AFP

Kuwait announced that non-citizens would be barred from entering the country for two weeks from February 7 and the measure is scheduled to end next week. The nation celebrates its national day at the end of the month.

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