Think twice.
Score capped: two or more governments advise against non-essential travel.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Kuwait
The advisories disagree by 2 level(s) — read all four before you decide who to trust.
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Think twice.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Harassment of solo women
In some suburbs, cars pull up to demand that western women get in. This behavior is threatening, so avoid walking alone in these areas.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Restricted photography
Taking pictures or videos of government buildings, airports, or oil fields can lead to detention by authorities.
Photographing locals
Recording videos or taking pictures of Kuwaiti citizens without their explicit permission is prohibited.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Under normal circumstances, visitors to Kuwait must obtain a visa unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or countries eligible for visa on arrival/eVisa. All visitors (except Gulf Cooperation Council citizens) must hold a passport valid for 6 months.
Passport validity required: 6 months beyond entry.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
In the context of regional escalation, Iran-aligned militia groups have threatened to target US interests across the region and have claimed attacks in Jordan and Iraq. US bases in Kuwait have also been hit by missile and drone fire. These groups are very likely to continue to carry out these attacks in Kuwait. As was the case before the recent regional escalation, terrorists may try to carry out attacks in Kuwait. Terrorists have threatened to carry out attacks in the Gulf region, including on: residential compounds restaurants and hotels beaches shopping centres mosques military, oil, transport and aviation interests Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities. Examples of recent significant incidents include: in 2020, 6 minors were arrested in Kuwait on suspicion of links with ISIS in 2024, 3 individuals were arrested on suspicion of an alleged ISIS plot against a place of worship Red Sea military activity
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
Dress code
Dress and behave modestly in public, particularly in downtown or conservative areas. Women should avoid wearing shorts or tight-fitting or revealing clothing. Do not expose body piercings or tattoos that may be perceived as extreme or offensive – for example, you could be accused of violating religious sanctity for a tattoo of verse from the holy Quran in Arabic.
Source: UK FCDO →LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex activity is illegal. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Kuwait, by and large, is a very safe country to visit.
- •Emergency telephone number (police, fire, ambulance) is 112.
- •Middle Eastern situation and terrorism threat: Kuwait is a Gulf State and may be affected during times of heightened tensions in the Middle East, and there is often a heightened risk when travelling to or being within Kuwait, during times of crisis.
- •Terrorist attacks have been threatened on Gulf countries and cannot be ruled out, especially threats to carry out attacks on Western interests.
- •Extreme weather: Perhaps the biggest danger in Kuwait is the hot climate. Be sure to hydrate often when walking out during the day, and wear appropriate clothing to deal with the heat.
- •Crime: The crime threat in Kuwait is assessed as low.
Staying healthy
- •Public health is entirely supported by the government at local clinics and hospitals, with a KD 5 fee paid by foreigners visiting Kuwait and KD 1 for expats with a resident visa, or a visitor's visa.
- •Tap water is drinkable, although most of it is desalinated and not particularly tasty, and in summertime, you may have a hard time telling apart the hot and cold taps.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers consistently describe Kuwait as safe but boring. There are no reports of violent crime or specific street scams targeting visitors in the provided discussions. The primary concerns for travelers center on cultural adjustments rather than physical danger. Photography is restricted in many public locations, so keep your camera tucked away to avoid trouble. While the lack of alcohol is a reality, the country remains secure for business travelers. Focus on respecting local norms, especially during Ramadan, and ignore the alarmist headlines from home; your biggest risk is likely just boredom rather than any actual threat to your personal safety.
“The impression I've been getting online is safe but boring, plus no booze of course.
— r/travel
“Also what are the rules on photography? I've heard it is prohibited is most public locations
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / G · 240V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 112 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 112
SIM / Data
LTE is available nearly everywhere. if there's no LTE, the connection will be changed to HSPA+, which is very fast. VIVA offers LTE for the same price as 3G. However, their network is relatively slow. Zain's and Wataniya's LTE prices are different from the 3G prices, but their network is fast.
Cash vs. Card
The national currency is the Kuwaiti dinar, denoted by the symbol " د.ك" or "KD" (ISO code: KWD). It has the distinction of being the world's strongest currency.
Zoom in
One Kuwait city on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (9 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09