VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #0884/01 2461017
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031017Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3903
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 1502

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000884 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA AMGT ASEC AFIN KU
SUBJECT: WELCOME CABLE FOR CODEL LEVIN (SEPT 3-4, 2009) 
 
¶1. Embassy Kuwait welcomes CODEL Levin to travel to post September 
3-4, 2009. 
 
¶2. Visit Officer: An Embassy visit officer and a driver/expeditor 
will meet and assist you at the airport. 
 
Embassy point of contact is: 
 
 
Kristina Weiss, ISU Liaison 
Office- (965) 2259-1170 
Cell- (965) 9985-1697 
Fax- (965) 2259-1190 
Unclass e-mail: WeissKA@state.gov 
 
¶3.  Holy Month of Ramadan:  Your visit takes place during the Holy 
Month of Ramadan, which will be observed from approximately August 
22 to September 20, 2009.  It is against the law in Kuwait for 
anyone to eat, drink or smoke in public, including inside vehicles, 
between the hours of sunrise and sunset.  Business slows down for 
this month and government offices, as well as many private 
businesses, work shorter hours.  Muslims will work a full day 
without even a sip of water.  This results in people becoming tired, 
tense, and easily irritated during the normal workday, especially 
during the later weeks of Ramadan.  One must be extra alert when 
driving, particularly during the late afternoon, when many will be 
rushing home to break the fast. 
 
¶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 
approximately USD 15.00) for each visa issued. The fee may be paid 
either in KD or USD. Post strongly advises travelers to carry some 
documentation concerning the purpose of their visit.  Passengers 
arriving on U.S. military 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.  Please allow four hours for 
passport processing when arriving by milair.  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 36.00) 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.  Visitors are strictly enjoined from bringing in any 
such items, even in checked luggage or carry-on baggage, as the 
consequences can be severe.  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) 2259-1001, and the IVG 
number is 4950000. The after-hours number, that rings at Marine 
Guard Post One, is (965) 2538-2098.  The mission duty officer can be 
reached through the embassy switchboard, Post One or by cell phone 
at (965) 9967-7265. 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 4:00 PM.  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 3.60. 
 
   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 (e.g., oil facilities), 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. 
 
 
********************************************* ********** 
Visit Kuwait's Classified and Unclassified Websites at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ and http://kuwait.state.gov/ 
 
********************************************* ********** 
 
Jones