Categories
Kuwait

Trying to get back to Kuwait?

Yesterday residents who have been stuck outside Kuwait for over 7 months were finally allowed to come back home. Based on the video above it looks like the procedures on arrival is really smooth which is encouraging.

But, a lot of people are facing difficulties either trying to get their vaccination approved by MOH or having difficulty trying to register in the immune app.

If you’re stuck outside of Kuwait and trying to come back in but are facing issues, let us know about them in the comments. Maybe we can help!

68 replies on “Trying to get back to Kuwait?”

Have uploaded my vax certificate in the month of June for approval,
till now its pending for approval.

Dear Mark,

Yes finally Kuwait airport is open. I am from India and I had uploaded my vaccination certificate in MOH website on July 11th, but unfortunately no approval yet. My visa is expiring on August 11th. I am already in Qatar since August 25th , I was anticipating 14 days quarantine for Indians , hence reached here prepared , but sadly no approvals yet. No idea what to do.

Send someone you know to the Public Health Administration in Shuwaikh and request them to approve it, they will assist and do the needful. I am talking from own experience. They will need to carry copy of vaccine certificate, civil id and flight ticket and tell them you’ve already registered since this date and needs to travel back.

Below is their location and they are open 8am-2pm.

https://goo.gl/maps/eBnkthUnQiw2z4qf6

Nick , I got the approval, though not through Public Health , because we did send someone and it did not work out. They did not allow him inside. But I got approval 2 days back. What about you ? Any luck ?

Hello, Thanks for the info. I had gone to Public Health Center near MOH Office and they told me that there is only online submission mode and physical submission is not allowed. The above incident happened on Aug 1st. Can you confirm when did you get this done and your message says Shuwaikh. Can you please confirm.

First instance was on July 29 and then on Sunday, Aug 1. There is no physical submission — it’s only to get the approval that you need to go for. Shuwaikh I meant is the Sabah health region. A proper arabic speaker could help tbh. Also, what was the travel date? They are prioritizing people with closer travel dates and what I heard is also that the 5 countries that are currently banned are least prioritized (no surprise as usual)

Hi Naina

Am also currently in Qatar and planning to visit Kuwait, can you tell me where to upload vaccination certificate?

Thanks

Hi,
I am too stuck in India, have uploaded my certificate on MOH site but till date no update on approval. No clarity on how indians are suppose to enter kuwait. Even though when they fully vaccinated.

As per latest guidelines, spend 14days in a third country and then fly to Kuwait provided vaccine status is showing Green

Covishield has not yet been approved by MoH so I’m not sure how the majority of Inidan exapts will be able to return

The Ambassador just mentioned there was no difference between Ox-Az and Covishield as Covishield is the Indian brand name for Ox-Az. However, many EU countries have granted separate approval for Covishield alongside the Oxford vaccine.

I would assume Kuwait would do the same or at least clarify it. In recent press releases from the various authorities, there is no mention of it.

Regarding the Indians that arrived yesterday, it’s possible they received the currently approved vaccines or they got vaxxed up before they left Kuwait.

Mostly speculation here but let’s see how it develops

I have a friend whose wife’s covishield vaccine was approved. So yes they are approving covishield vaccines.

Covishield is approved. A friend of mine’s wife got her vaccine certificate (Covishield) approved. I had a friend of mine show me a screenshot of the approval email and a screenshot of his wife’s immune app. So yes it is getting approved. He had applied on the vaxcert link 20 days ago. I am waiting for my wife’s approval as well, and looks like the approvals are finally coming in. So fingers crossed!

Idk if anyone can help but I’m stuck in Dubai since Jan 2021 as a visitor and I can’t travel to Kuwait now because UAE does not vaccinate visitors. Flying to my home country isn’t an option.

I was in a similar situation but I’m stuck in Bahrain. My employer sorted out residency for me here so I can get vaccinated and then can eventually get back into Kuwait.
Can your employer do something similar?

try going to Abu Dhabi. It’s a 2 hour hop from Dubai to AUH. But they’re vaccinating visitors and tourists at the moment. Yes, its a hustle traveling between the two cities but its worth it.

I’m not sure how much this helps, but Abu Dhabi has been offering vaccinations to tourists since June. Here is an article with some details: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/abu-dhabi-opens-up-free-covid-19-vaccines-tourists-2021-06-22/

Here’s a key info blurb from the article: “Visitors with visas issued by Abu Dhabi and passport holders eligible for tourist visas when they arrive in the UAE through Abu Dhabi can book free vaccines, according to information provided by the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), which operates the emirate’s public health infrastructure.

Holders of expired residency or entry visas are also eligible for free vaccinations, Abu Dhabi Media Office said on June 11.”

See what the requirements are to enter Abu Dhabi from Dubai, call in to see what you need to get vaccinated there and make sure the vaccine you get is one of the four recognized by Kuwait [Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson]. I believe Abu Dhabi is offering Sinopharm and Pfizer, so you need to get both doses of Pfizer done, submit your certificate to Kuwait’s MoH, wait for your Immune app tab to turn green and only then can you come back to Kuwait.

I know it’s convoluted and time-consuming, but it’s a way. Hope it helps!

Thank you all for the informative responses but unfortunately, after having a chat with DHA and SEHA, they said it’s not available for visitors. Their vaccine booking app asks for an Emirates ID which I believe a visitor does not have since they’re not a resident. Also, this headline followed up five days later: https://www.timeoutdubai.com/news/469799-abu-dhabi-no-tourist-vaccine &
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/uae/abu-dhabi-covid-19-app-removes-vaccine-option-for-visitors/articleshow/83889771.cms?from=mdr

To get the vaccines which were received abroad approved, is a major challenge ! Which documents with which information need to be uploaded is completely unclear. Follow up and review is not possible. And there are only the messages “vaccines not approved and rejected”

Dear Mark,
Anxiously awaiting to return to Kuwait. I am vaccinated and uploaded the certificates in June itself. Still not approved on the immune app. Can you please suggest any agency or person who can visit the health department on our behalf, since our company mandoub will not go. Thank you very much

Hey. I am a Canadian and I got my Pfizer vaccine jabs in Canada. I have uploaded the certificate and filled out all information. It’s been about a month still no green status. Anyway to call them or speak with them regarding this issue?

I have a quick query, say I get my second (final vaccine) , can I travel the next day or do I wait 14 days

Why do I need to wait 14 days, I can travel anyways after the vaccine , the immune app gets updated after 14 days, so say I’m in another country for 15 days, it automatically turns green and I can return back to Kuwait

Also have the same question , I think they just need arrival to have 14 days after 2nd dose. So we could leave Kuwait anytime after the 2nd dose just need to wait for 14 days to be back?

I received the J&J vax in South Africa but they only provide a paper receipt. There is no system for QR code or digital certificate. Has anyone been able to register their overseas vaccination without a QR code???
Thank you

I got a J&J vaccine in the United States, and was given a white paper card from the CDC with no QR code or anything on it. All you need is a card or receipt that clearly shows your name, vaccine, date of administration and preferably lot number; upload those details into the MoH portal along with a PDF scan of your card/receipt, and it should get approved in a few working days. I got my approval within two days of upload.

Good luck!

Did you return back to Kuwait?
How did you deal with the QR rule that states the vaccination card needs a QR code in order to come back

I’m Kuwaiti, live outside Kuwait and haven’t been in the country since October 2020, but I wanted to upload my details and have them in the system in case I had to travel back for whatever reason.

As mentioned, I uploaded a scan of my CDC card and filled in the required details, clicked submit and that was it. It was approved two days later, I downloaded the Immune app and the color tab around my name was orange. It turned green a month later, and I also have the little green tab next to my vaccination status on my Mobile ID. It is my understanding that now that I’m green and have a unique QR code on the app tied to my ID details, I shouldn’t have problems getting into the country in the future.

I don’t recall there being a QR code requirement for vaccine certificates when I submitted my details but even if there was, my details were accepted regardless; perhaps the American CDC cards are accepted as is because they’re a known and recognized format?

Hi
Maybe it was approved quickly because you are Kuwaiti national?
I uploaded my vaccination records in June and nothing yet. I am vaccinated in Canada.

I gave them the cdc card and still didn’t get a response or anything from them, I am not trying to be racist or anything, Did you receive an email response confirming that you are approved ? Because I haven’t received anything.

Regarding the I am not trying to be racist part, I think you were approved because you are Kuwaiti, I haven’t seen one American yet get approved.

My Immune App status changed from Green on one day to displaying “civil ID is not registered in Covid-19 Vaccination system” the next day with the Green status disappearing and back again later in the day… look out for this as you don’t want to be arriving only to find the app status has changed.

Vaccinated with Covishield. Uploaded on the app and waiting for approval from MOH. Happy that they’ve put a 14 day quarantine in a third country too. Can’t wait to spend all that extra money I earned by starving myself while being out of work and stuck out of this country.

I am currently in canada. Country that is ranked 1st in the world for vaccination rate. I had to cancel my ticket which was non-refundable. Although I am fully vaccinated but canada does not provide QR and I have not heard back from monistry of health in kuwait since I uploaded my documents and god knows when I will hear back!
Not to mention that kuwait ministry of health website does not open in Canada. I had to ask a friend in kiwait to upload my documents 🙁

I’ve been waiting since beginning of July to have my vaccine certified from the UK. Due to fly back in two weeks and getting stressed. I’ve tried resubmitting, I’ve tried modifying, I’ve tried emailing the help address that others have suggested.

The whole process is a joke, why would you open the airports and advertise the websites and not even respond to the requests…

The sad part is a lot of people don’t get how much stress this thing has added to there life instead of making things easier. The rules broke so many families, destroyed houses and made some people not even say goodbye to there love ones.

Hoping that I don’t get deported after posting this

@Diego: I second to that. I have no interest in Kuwait but my family is impacted heavily. My mom came to Canada for a visit and she couldn’t return to Kuwait. My elderly father is in Kuwait and we want to just return to help him to sell everything and close his shop and leave Kuwait permanent after 65 years living in Kuwait since he is over 60 and his residency might not renewed.

Anyone here heard first hand stories or know if airlines would let passages board without green immune or howiati?

Specially connected flight through Frankfurt.

I was recruited from outside Kuwait back in Jan 2020. Since then I have been waiting for a chance to bring my wife and children to Kuwait. The last 18 months have taken a tremendous toll on my mental health and my family. I highly doubt I will see them anytime in the near future thanks to these inhuman policies towards expats.

@Ras: “ban” countries is another stupid decision! I am a Canadian-Iranian who have not been in Iran in last 3 years but I can’t travel to Kuwait with my Canadian passport because visitors are not allowed yet, therefore I have to use my Iranian passport and Kuwait Iqama. Does it mean that I won’t be approved and my vaccinations is not accepted just because my passport is issued by Iran?

Because I was not sure what are the process to move iqama from one passport to another. I became citizen end of 2019 and was going to let my iqama expire and only enter Kuwait as visitor with my Canadian passport but then COVID hit and visitors suddenly were not allowed to enter Kuwait so I kept renewing my iqama while I was outside Kuwait in a hope to keep my access for visiting my father.

Hello dear,

Is there any update regarding the QR code?
My sister is back in Iran and she got vaccinated but doesn’t have the QR code as Iran don’t provide it.
So yesterday she got the email that her vaccination is not approved.
At this point we honestly don’t know what to do!
Please let me know if anything new happened with you or you were able to figure it out.

I have the same situation, you can find the vaccine info in national government website but there is no qr code. How to deal with this problem? They keep rejecting my certificate. I am stucking outside kuwait for long. And my family is in Kuwait. It is hard to get the vaccine, then the certificate but then it is not approved. I am desperated. Any advice what to do next?

After reading all the comment, it seems that there is no solution for vaccination certificate without QR code, except the CDC us certificate of one Kuwaiti was approved. If anyone had a certificate without QR code and somehow got approval, could you please share how did you get it approved. I am currently really desperate, I was stuck outside Kuwait for more than a year with a family and my kids back there in Kuwait, I have tried both from my country side to request for QR code but my country system doesn’t provide it, and from Kuwait side to ask for help but there is no response yet.

It is getting confused. Circular 2021/31 stated that you have to present a vaccine certificate with qr code. If there is no qr code, they have to register on moh website. So…. But when I register through moh, it really need a qr code. So how about country that issues vaccine certificate without qr code, they never have change to return?

Even certificates with a QR code don’t seem to be sufficient. I’ve scanned, rescanned, uploaded, reuploaded a both-dose Covishield cert over 50 times, and it gets repeatedly rejected. Whoever is scanning at MOH apparently has no idea what they’re doing, as the code scans fine on my phone. Guess they’re incapable of zooming in on a computer screen to get the code to scan.

Leave a Reply to Lonestar Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *