KUWAIT: All expatriates living in Kuwait can bring their extended families on a visit visa to Kuwait as the salary requirement has been abolished, a top interior ministry official has said, as Kuwait eases restrictions for foreign visitors and tourists. The validity of the family visas however remains just one month, Director of Electronic Services at the Department of Residency Affairs Col Abdulaziz Al-Kandari told state-run Kuwait Television late on Monday.

According to new regulations, family visas have also been extended to include up to fourth-degree relatives and third-degree relatives through marriage, he said. In the past, family visas were limited to almost only spouses and children in addition to parents. Col Kandari said that family and other types of visas can now be obtained through online application at the newly-established Kuwaitvisa platform and application. Kandari said that if the application is complete, the visa will be issued within just five minutes.

In addition, Kuwait has also abolished the requirement that visitors to Kuwait must use Kuwaiti carriers, either Kuwait Airways or Al-Jazeera Airways. “All types of visitors can now come by sea, land or air using any carrier” Kandari said. The official said that four types of visas are issued on Kuwaitvisa platform or application; tourist, family, business and governmental.

As for tourist visas, Kandari said visitors are divided into four categories. The first covers nationals of 53 mostly Western countries based on the strength of their passport and income.

These countries include about 41 European countries including Turkey, eight Asian nations; Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. In addition to the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Nationals of those countries are issued all types of tourist visas on arrival and online through the platform, said Kandari, who advised applicants to apply online to avoid negative security screening which could result in turning them back. This category needs to fulfill no condition.

The second categories include foreign residents of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, those who have valid residency permits in the United States, Canada, Britain and those who have the Schengen visa to Europe. As for the second category, they must hold “medium to high professions” but they are not required to submit a salary certificate or a bank account, Kandari stressed, although a decision by the interior minister issued on Sunday removed the profession requirement.

However, to avoid disappointment, applicants should apply online by uploading their passport copy, a personal picture, a confirmed air ticket and a hotel reservation. Members of these two categories can apply for a single entry visa valid for one month, two months and three months or a multiple entry visa for three months, six months and one year provided that each single stay does not exceed one month, Col Kandari said.

He said that the third category, which covers people not included in the first two categories, is currently under consideration, adding that members of this group must produce a bank account to prove they are financially capable. The fourth category includes people who can visit Kuwait to attend certain sports and entertainment events who can apply at the time of the event, he said. As for business visas, any local company can apply to bring any foreign business partner or visitor, he said. Col Kandari said fees on visas depend on each nationality.

KUWAIT: Kuwait University, represented by the Academic Advising Department at the Deanship of Student Affairs, organized an orientation forum for new students for the academic year (2025-2026) on Tuesday, under the title “Towards a Distinguished University Journey” at the Conference Center in Sabah Al-Salem University City.

“The entry of students into the university not only represents a transition from one educational stage to another, but rather the beginning of a journey filled with opportunities, challenges, and experiences that will contribute to shaping their professional future,” said Dean of Student Affairs Dr Jassim Al-Hamdan.

Al-Hamdan explained to the students that “university life is not just about lectures and exams, but rather a comprehensive experience that refines personality, builds relationships, and nurtures energies.” He urged them to find balance between studying, participating in university and volunteer activities, discovering themselves, and taking care of their physical and mental health.

He emphasized the importance of students taking the initiative to ask questions and seek clarification when needed to understand their rights and duties, and to review university regulations to ensure they are aware of what is expected of them. Al-Hamdan also highlighted the benefits of utilizing the services and centers provided by the university in academic, social, and psychological fields, noting that the university’s doors are always open to listen to them and support them in their various needs.

Mashael Al-Failakawi

KUWAIT: Students explore services offered by Kuwait University’s various departments during an orientation forum held on August 12, 2025. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Mashael Al-Failakawi, Supervisor of the Academic Guidance Department at the Deanship of Student Affairs at Kuwait University, said the annual forum aims to be an enlightening meeting that introduces new students to the services provided by the deanship and explains key terms that students need to know at the beginning of their academic journey.

The forum includes extensive participation from many service and academic entities from Kuwait University in the accompanying exhibition, said Al-Failakawi. which contributes to providing students with information that facilitates their integration into the university environment.

She added that the forum includes various workshops that enrich the experience of new students. Students can also issue their university IDs and conduct necessary medical examinations at the forum, which helps them complete their academic and administrative procedures early in the enrollment process.

One of the services available to all Kuwait University students is the E-Learning Center, which specializes in delivering e-learning solutions. This includes overseeing the implementation and management of the Moodle Learning Management System.

“Used by more than 45 million people in over 160 countries, the platform provides users with access to a large library of educational materials and training courses in various fields such as information technology, business, leadership, and personal development,” said Acting director of the E-Learning Center Huda Al-Omani.

She added that the university has long invested in expanding and restructuring the E-Learning Center to strengthen its role in supporting digital education and fostering skill development.

KUWAIT: Acting Director General of Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) Dr Faisal Al-Humaidan announced Tuesday the launch of the Integrated Kuwait Advanced Research for Ultra-Scale Computing System (IKARUS).

The system is the first fully integrated national platform in Kuwait for high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI), aimed at supporting the scientific and research communities and strengthening Kuwait’s standing in advanced technologies.

In a press statement marking the occasion, Al-Humaidan said that IKARUS offers advanced processing and data capabilities, including a computing performance of 244 teraflops (244 trillion calculations per second), with storage capacities of up to 500 terabytes for temporary storage and five petabytes for permanent storage, enabling it to address research challenges in environment, energy, water, petroleum, biomedical engineering, and climate change.

He noted that the platform serves as a practical tool for researchers and engineers to tackle large and complex problems and develop solutions with higher efficiency, lower cost, and shorter time compared to traditional computing methods, thus contributing to sustainable development goals and Kuwait?s Vision 2035.

Al-Humaidan stressed that IKARUS is not merely a technical project but an investment in Kuwait?s scientific and technological future, opening new horizons for local and international cooperation and reinforcing the country?s role as a regional hub for research and innovation in line with leadership directives toward a knowledge-based economy.

For her part, the system’s technical lead engineer, Tahani Hussein, said in a similar statement that IKARUS was designed to balance high computing power with energy efficiency, featuring parallel and sequential workload management. She added that the platform combines big data technologies and artificial intelligence on a single infrastructure, enabling data analysis, running simulations, and handling various research workloads.

Among the key benefits of the platform, she said, are accelerating research in energy, environment, water, and medical technologies; supporting decision-making through advanced simulations and big data analysis; enhancing risk management; training national talent in HPC and AI; and helping place Kuwait among countries possessing advanced computing technologies. – KUNA