VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #0157/01 0411029
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101029Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0373
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0767
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 1151
RUEAHLA/HQ CIS IAO WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000157 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USCIS FOR REFUGEE, ASYLUM AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA CVIS ASEC KHLS KU IZ COUNTRY CLEARANCE
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR IMMIGRATION 
OFFICERS HACKBARTH AND PEREZ (April 2 to 14, 2008) 
 
REF: ROME 00156 (NOTAL) 
 
¶1. Embassy Kuwait welcomes and grants country clearance 
for Immigration Officers Hackbarth and Perez to travel to 
post April 2-14, 2008. 
 
¶2. This clearance is not/not valid for entry into Iraq; 
you must apply for Iraq clearance through Embassy 
Baghdad. 
 
¶3. Visit Officer: No Embassy support has been requested. 
 
Embassy point of contact is: 
 
Ludovic Hood, Vice Consul 
Office: (965) 259-1562 
Cell: (965) 968-6794 
Fax: (965) 259-1438 
Unclass e-mail: HoodLL@state.gov 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶4. Lodging: N/A 
 
¶5. Following is postQs 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 KuwaitQs 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 EST plus eight 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., Sunday through Thursday. At the current rate of 
exchange, one Kuwaiti Dinar (KD) is equivalent to 
approximately USD 3.650. 
 
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 visitorQs 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 PCQs.  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, 
donQt 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 travelerQs 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 travelerQs 
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 KuwaitQs Classified Website at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
Misenheimer