Kuwait Officially Added to Schengen Visa Waiver List

The European Commission has officially included Kuwait in the list of countries whose citizens will be exempted from the Schengen visa, according to the Kuwait News Agency "KUNA." The Commission stated in a statement that this step paves the way for the start of a series of final official negotiations between Kuwait and the European Union to exempt Kuwaitis from the Schengen visa. It added that once final approval is granted, Kuwaiti citizens holding biometric passports will not need to obtain a prior visa for family, business, or tourism purposes in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within every six-month period from the date of entry. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, stated, "Our proposal represents a first step to facilitate the travel of people from the entire region to the Union." He noted that the ultimate goal is to ensure regional coherence and achieve visa-free travel for all Gulf Cooperation Council countries, thereby enhancing the comprehensive partnership and cooperation between the Union and the Council.