Just Landed in Kuwait? Your First 7 Days

Three operators cover Kuwait with fast 4G and widespread 5G, and coverage across Kuwait City, the coastal suburbs and southern towns is excellent. Prepaid SIMs are sold on arrival with just a passport, while a permanent postpaid line and home broadband require your Civil ID. Home internet is generally fibre or 5G-based, installed by the same operators.

Typical cost: Prepaid SIM from around 3 KWD with data bundles on top; monthly postpaid plans with generous data roughly 8 to 20 KWD; home fibre or 5G broadband commonly 15 to 30 KWD per month.

Kuwait is largely cashless in cities, and the KNET debit network is accepted almost everywhere, including small grocers and cafes. The dinar is high-value, so always confirm whether a price is quoted in dinars or fils. There are no currency restrictions on residents, and remittances home are easy through the many licensed exchange houses.

Opening an account: Opening an account needs your Civil ID plus a salary certificate or no-objection letter from your sponsor, and some banks apply a minimum-salary threshold. National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), Gulf Bank, Burgan Bank, Kuwait Finance House (KFH, Islamic) and Boubyan (Islamic) are the common choices, and NBK and Boubyan have particularly strong mobile apps for transfers and bill payments.

Cash: KNET card payment is the default and preferred method for almost everything, and contactless and Apple Pay or Google Pay are widely supported. Keep some cash for small local eateries, taxis, tips and the building haris. Cheques, including post-dated ones, are still common for annual rent and large deals.

Tipping: Tipping is optional and modest: rounding up or leaving about 10 percent at restaurants, a few hundred fils for baggage porters and petrol attendants, and small tips for delivery riders and the haris who helps with your flat.

Every resident must obtain a Civil ID from the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI), which records your official address and is the master identity document for all of Kuwaiti life. Your sponsor first initiates and stamps the residency (iqama), then you complete biometric fingerprinting and the government medical test, after which the Civil ID is produced. Your address is registered through the PACI system, so keep it updated if you move.

Deadline: The residency (iqama) must generally be stamped within 30 days of entry on a work visa, and the Civil ID application follows immediately. PACI typically issues the card within one to two weeks, and you can track and later renew it through the Kuwait Mobile ID and Sahel apps.

Where: Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI), accessed via the Kuwait Mobile ID and Sahel apps or PACI service centres, together with the Criminal Evidence department for fingerprints and a designated government health centre for the medical fitness test.

Kuwait is built around private cars and has no metro or rail, so most newcomers either drive or rely on ride-hailing from the start. Public buses run by KGL/CityBus, KPTC and Citybus are cheap at a few hundred fils per ride but slow, limited in coverage and mainly used by lower-income workers. Residents can obtain a Kuwaiti driving licence only if they meet salary, degree and job-title criteria, which pushes many to buy a car once eligible.

From the airport: Kuwait International Airport (KWI) is about 15 to 20 km south of central Kuwait City. Careem is the most reliable option (typically 4 to 8 KWD to central and coastal areas), with Uber also available, official airport taxis at the rank, or a hotel or company pickup. If you use a metered street taxi, agree the fare before you set off, as many do not run the meter.

Most expats rent flats in Salmiya, Hawally, Jabriya, Mahboula, Mangaf and Fahaheel, ranging from shared blocks and older buildings to modern serviced apartments. Leases are usually annual and handled by a real-estate office or directly with the building haris (caretaker), who also collects rent and manages maintenance. Listings appear on platforms like Bayut, Dubizzle Kuwait and 4Sale, and landlords generally require a copy of your Civil ID before signing.

Typical rent: A one-bedroom flat runs roughly 200 to 350 KWD per month unfurnished, and 350 to 550 KWD furnished in popular areas like Salmiya. Larger family flats in sought-after districts run 400 to 700 KWD, higher for furnished, serviced or seafront options.

Deposit norm: Expect one month's rent as a deposit plus the first month upfront. Some landlords ask for post-dated cheques covering the full year, and utilities such as electricity and water are sometimes included in older buildings but billed separately in newer ones.

Public healthcare runs through government hospitals and polyclinics, but expats pay a compulsory annual health insurance fee plus small per-visit charges, and public facilities can be crowded with long waits. Private hospitals such as Dar Al Shifa, Al Salam International, Royale Hayat and New Mowasat offer faster, English-speaking care at higher cost, and are where most expats go for anything non-trivial.

How to access it: Register at your local government health centre using your Civil ID, which routes you into the public system covered by the mandatory expat insurance. Carry your Civil ID to every appointment, and for quicker service walk into a private hospital and pay directly or use employer-provided private insurance. Pharmacies are plentiful and many medicines are available over the counter.

Insurance: The government Afya health insurance scheme is compulsory for residents and paid as an annual fee (around 130 KWD) tied to your Civil ID and usually collected at residency renewal. Many employers add private insurance on top; if you have both, keep both cards and use the private one for faster access at private hospitals.

• Kuwait is a conservative Muslim country, so dress modestly in public by covering shoulders and knees, especially in malls, souqs, government offices and traditional areas.
• During Ramadan it is illegal to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours, even for non-Muslims, so keep it discreet and indoors.
• Greet and eat with the right hand, and use it for giving and receiving, as the left hand is considered unclean.
• Accept hospitality such as Arabic coffee (gahwa), tea or dates graciously, as refusing outright can seem rude; a small cup shake signals you have had enough.
• Respect prayer times, when some shops briefly close and colleagues step away, and be patient rather than pushy.
• Use titles and a warm, unhurried greeting in business settings, and avoid rushing straight to business before some polite small talk.
• Avoid public displays of affection between couples, which can attract complaints or worse.

• Alcohol is completely illegal in Kuwait: possessing, drinking, importing or being drunk in public carries heavy fines, jail and deportation, and there are no licensed bars or shops anywhere.
• Photographing people (especially women), government buildings, military sites, oil facilities and the airport can lead to serious trouble, so always ask before taking photos.
• Criticising the ruling family, Islam or the state on social media can result in fines, imprisonment or deportation, so keep public posts neutral.
• Cohabitation between unmarried couples is technically illegal, and some landlords will only rent to married couples or single-gender groups.
• Your residency depends entirely on your sponsor, so never work outside your visa terms or hand your passport to anyone with no legitimate reason.