VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #1534/01 2910950
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180950Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 1029
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0150

UNCLAS KUWAIT 001534 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IZ KU OTRA PBTS PREL PTER
SUBJECT: KUWAIT COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR BORDER 
SECURITY EXPERTS MEETING PARTICIPANTS 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 3440 
 
¶1. Embassy Kuwait welcomes and grants country clearance to 
Mr.Stephen Mangino, Mr. Souad Al-Atar, and Mr. Mark Samuel 
Riley to travel to post on October 19-24, 2007 to attend a 
Border Security Experts Meeting. 
 
¶2. Visit Officer: An Embassy visit officer and a 
driver/expeditor will meet and assist you at the airport. 
 
Embassy point of contact is: 
 
Agnel Berry, ISU Coordinator 
Office: (965) 259-1416 
Cell: (965)973-9854 
Fax: (965) 259-1190 
Unclass e-mail: BerryAH2@state.gov 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶3. Lodging: Three rooms have been reserved at the Movenpick 
Hotel & Resort Al Bida'a for 5 nights, October 19-24, 2007. 
The hotel telephone number is (965)225-3100 and the fax 
number is (965)225-3101. The single room rate at the hotel is 
65KD   15% tax (approximately USD 271.00) per night, which 
includes breakfast. The hotel accepts major credit cards and 
is within the per diem rate.  The daily per diem rate for 
Kuwait is USD 291.00 for lodging, plus a meal and incidental 
expense (M&IE) allowance of USD 105.00 for a total of USD 
396.00. Confirmation numbers: 116639/116640/116641 
 
¶4. 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. 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 (US 35.00) 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.  If possible, travelers should try to obtain a 
multiple-entry visa before arriving in Kuwait. 
 
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 Sunday through 
Thursday, 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. 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. 
 
 
f. 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. 
 
g. 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. 
 
h. 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. 
 
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. 
 
********************************************* * 
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/ 
********************************************* * 
MISENHEIMER