Kuwait’s long awaited e-visa system for the UK will be introduced by June next year, six months later than planned, the Kuwait Times reported.
Under the new system, Kuwaitis travelling to the UK for tourism can apply online for a visa waiver just 48 hours before travelling. This will allow for a single entry visit to the UK for up to six months, similar to visa waivers that are being introduced next month for Qatar, Oman and the UAE.
The Director of Middle East and North Africa at Britain’s Foreign Office Edward Oakden told the paper: “The delay in Kuwait is because the computer program that underpins it had some problems when we introduced it (the system) in the three other countries. It relates to, in particular, how people put in their name and the spelling of their names in Arabic and English, such that when people were using it for the first time, 40 percent of the applications were getting thrown out.”
“We have amazing relations with Kuwait and Kuwaitis in particular who always visit the UK. The e-visa will be free for those wishing to travel once for a period of 6 months for tourism to Britain,” added British ambassador to Kuwait Matthew Lodge,
The visa waiver will not be granted for business, academic or healthcare purposes of travel.
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