KUWAIT CITY, June 23: Director of the Airport Security General Department at Kuwait International Airport Brigadier Bader Al-Shaya said the preparation for the travel season, which coincides with the summer vacation, is ongoing to ease the departure and arrival procedures, reports Al-Rai daily. Al-Shaya affirmed the department is working hard to remove obstacles that travelers might face during the summer vacation season, which lasts for 105 days -- from the beginning of June until Sept 15. He said the total number of passengers within this period is estimated at 5.5 million -- 2.7 million departures and 2.8 million arrivals on board 42,000 flights.

He added all the passport control counters have been activated, especially during the peak period (16 in Terminal Four, 20 in Terminal One, and eight in Terminal Five; indicating it takes only seven seconds to stamp a passenger’s passport and 20 seconds in case the employer is under training. Regarding citizens and expatriates banned from traveling for not paying debts and fines, Al- Shaya confirmed the establishment of centers at the airport for those who cannot pay online. He revealed the concerned institutions with payment centers at the airport include the Ministry of Electricity and Water, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Communications, and the General Traffic Department in the Ministry of Interior. He added the travel ban is nullified as soon as the debt or fine is paid. He stated the department, in coordination with airline companies, is keen on foiling attempts to enter Kuwait illegally.

He disclosed that several individuals have been arrested for illegal entry, pointing out this is a confirmation that Kuwait is not a haven for people smugglers. He cited as an example those who tried to enter the country on forged passports and those who used the passports of others. He asserted such individuals are sent back to their countries of origin upon completion of the necessary legal measures. He went on to say that those residing in other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries can obtain a visit visa upon arrival as per ministerial decision no. 2030/2008 and its amendments. He revealed the decision stipulates that the visa applicants must have a residency permit in any of the other GCC countries valid for at least six months. He clarified this is applicable to doctors, chief executive officers, owners of companies, businesspersons, engineers, pilots, diplomats and highly qualified individuals. He added the wife, children and domestic workers accompanying the concerned individual are exempted from the aforementioned requirements. Moreover, he revealed that the biometrics of almost one million passengers arriving at the airport have been taken since the beginning of the process; while a number of centers were established at the airport for this purpose.