VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #0884/01 1571222
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061222Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0334
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9308

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000884 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USCIS FOR REFUGEE, ASYLUM AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KHLS CVIS ASEC
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR IMMIGRATION 
OFFICERS, JOSEPH HACKBARTH AND SANDRA ECHEVERRI 
 
REF: ROME 951 
 
 
¶1. Embassy Kuwait welcomes and grants country clearance for 
Mr. Joseph Hackbarth and Ms. Sandra Echeverri, Immigration 
Officers, Department of Homeland Security to travel to post 
o/a June 28, 2007. 
 
¶2. Visit Officer: No Embassy support has been requested 
 
Embassy point of contact is: 
 
Jared Caplan, Vice Consul 
Office: (965) 259-1505 
Cell: (965) 760-1754 
Fax: (965) 259-1438 
Unclass e-mail: CaplanJS@state.gov 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶3. Following is post's standard guidance for visitors to 
Kuwait: 
 
a. Entry Requirements: Kuwait now issues single-entry visas 
to American citizens on arrival, upon presentation of a valid 
passport.  There is a processing fee of three (3) Kuwaiti 
Dinar (KD 3.000, or USD 12.00) for each visa issued. The fee 
may be paid either in KD or USD; no fee required for 
diplomatic passports. Post strongly advises travelers to 
carry some documentation on the purpose of their visit. 
Passengers arriving on other than commercial flights should 
anticipate extra delays, because immigration services are not 
available on the military side of the airfield and passports 
have to be carried to a different location at the airport for 
processing. Airport visas are valid for 90 days after 
arrival; anyone staying beyond this period must obtain an 
extension, which should be requested 2 weeks prior to visa 
expiration.  Anyone departing Kuwait who has overstayed the 
visa will be charged a fine of KD 10.000 (USD35.00) per day 
at the airport.  All travelers planning to visit Iraq should 
make sure that they obtain the required exit/entry stamps for 
each transit through Kuwait, and be aware that they will need 
to obtain a new Kuwaiti visa upon return, even after a 
daytrip to Baghdad.  Failure to do so can result in heavy 
fines.  Travelers should obtain their visa upon arrival at 
Kuwait International Airport. 
 
b. Visitors are reminded that the importation of alcohol, 
pork products, personal firearms, and any 
suggestive/pornographic materials (videotapes, magazines or 
books) is strictly prohibited by Kuwaiti law.  Kuwait is 
still clearing mines and munitions. Visitors must remain on 
major paved roads when traveling in Kuwait. Travel north of 
Jahra toward the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border is not authorized 
without approval from the embassy and an appropriate escort. 
 
c. Embassy Kuwait's normal workweek is Saturday through 
Wednesday, and office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
The time difference with the East Coast of the United States 
is EDT plus seven hours. The embassy switchboard number is 
(965) 259-1001, and the IVG number is 4950000. The 
after-hours number which rings at Marine Guard Post One is 
(965) 538-2098.  The mission duty officer can be reached 
through the embassy switchboard, Post One or by cell phone at 
(965) 
967-7265. The embassy pouch address is 6200 Kuwait Place, 
Dulles, VA 20189-6200. 
 
d. Threat Assessment: Kuwait is a high-threat post and the 
military threatcon is currently Charlie.  We have increased 
security precautions at official U.S. installations in Kuwait 
and recommend that all Americans in Kuwait remain alert to 
their surroundings and review their personal security 
practices. 
 
e. Health Advisory for Kuwait: April through October is the 
hot season in Kuwait. Temperatures reach 120-140 degrees F in 
summer. Caution should be taken to prevent dehydration and 
heat exhaustion by 1) drinking plenty of fluids and 
2) staying indoors, especially during peak temperature hours 
of noon to 3:00 p.m. (1200-1500). Low humidity coupled with 
high temperatures creates excessive moisture loss from 
evaporation.  It is necessary to drink 2-4 quarts of water 
daily to prevent dehydration. 
 
f. Money:  Credit cards are widely accepted at hotels, 
restaurants and other establishments throughout Kuwait and 
ATM machines are also readily available. For travelers on 
official orders, the Commercial Bank of Kuwait can provide 
accommodation services (cashing a personal check drawn on a 
U.S. bank into local currency) up to a maximum of USD 300.00 
per day from noon to 2:00 p.m., Saturday through Wednesday. 
 
At the current rate of exchange, one Kuwaiti Dinar (KD) is 
equivalent to approximately USD 3.50. 
 
g. CAA Access: Visitors who need unescorted access into 
secure areas of the mission must slug cables to the attention 
of the RSO, and include the level of their clearance.  The 
cable should include the visitor's Social Security Number, 
and the name of the agency granting the clearance.  Cables 
should include the ASEC tag to ensure distribution to the RSO 
office and the Marine Security guard at Post One. 
 
h. Computer and Electronics Usage: Sensitive military 
information has been discovered recently on business center 
computers at local hotels in Kuwait City.  All U.S. 
Government personnel and contractors must remember that it is 
their responsibility to observe good computer and information 
security practices.  Information processed on computers in 
hotel business centers, through email correspondence or 
document creation, is highly exploitable.  Public computers 
located in hotel business centers, internet cafes, airport 
lounges, etc. should never be used to process, store or 
disseminate sensitive information.  Compromise of sensitive 
government or military information can result in serious 
damage to national security.  Compromises of sensitive 
personal data can result in significant personal and 
financial hardship.  Random checks are conducted by Embassy 
personnel on public PC's.  Breaches on COMPUSEC will result 
in the violator receiving security infractions and/or 
security violations.  Interagency security standards prohibit 
the introduction or use of non-USG owned computer hardware 
and software at all USG diplomatic facilities. Cell phones, 
palm pilots, radios and other convenience electronics are 
prohibited in all secure areas of the mission. 
 
i. Photography:  Tourist photography is encouraged in Kuwait. 
However, it is strictly forbidden to photograph public 
buildings, economic infrastructure, or military and other 
security-related facilities and personnel.  Confiscation of 
film and camera and even arrest may result from doing so.  A 
good rule of thumb:  If there is any doubt as to whether a 
photograph should be taken, don't take it. 
 
 
j. Action Request:  Each visitor, regardless of length of 
stay, must bring or forward fiscal data to pay for direct 
costs of the visit. Each agency, organization or visiting 
delegation will be charged for the actual costs attributed to 
their visit.  Direct charge costs include, but are not 
limited to:  American and LES staff overtime (e.g., 
expeditor, accommodation exchange, representational event 
support), field travel, lodging and meals and incidental 
expenses 
(M&IE) by embassy employees, vehicle rentals, long-distance 
telephone calls, equipment rentals, office supplies and all 
other costs that are directly attributable to the visit.  If 
fiscal data on a traveler's authorization is to be used for 
this purpose, this information must be spelled out in the 
travel orders and sufficient funding provided to meet these 
expenses.  In addition, for TDYers over thirty (30) days, 
there will be a charge for ICASS support services.  If your 
sponsoring agency is not signed up for ICASS services at 
post, please be prepared to sign an ICASS Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU) for ICASS support services upon arrival. 
The agency should provide post with written communication, 
generated by the traveler's headquarters, that confirms the 
agency will pay ICASS charges for the TDYer, provide the 
agency ICASS billing code for the TDY support to be provided, 
and authorize the traveler to sign the ICASS invoice 
generated by the TDY module.  When travel is urgent, TDYers 
should bring this document with them to ensure there are no 
interruptions in the provision of services.  Post will not 
provide any services to a TDYer staying in excess of 30 days 
without having received this documentation prior to day 31 of 
the TDY. 
 
k. Visit Kuwait's Classified Website at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
¶4. This cable was last updated on October 30, 2006. 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
 
LeBaron