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U.S. State Department Updates Kuwait Travel Advisory: Non-Emergency Personnel Ordered to Depart

🇺🇸 United StatesTravel Advisories1 recorded versionLast change 28 Jun 2026
ConfidenceVery high · 100%

Current rules

The U.S. government has limited ability to offer services to U.S. citizens in Kuwait due to safety risks. U.S. government employees require special authorisation to travel to Kuwait. Only family members 18 years of age or older may join U.S. government employees working in Kuwait.

Overview

The U.S. Department of State has updated its travel advisory for Kuwait, issued by the U.S. government, to amend the restrictions for family members of U.S. government employees. Effective immediately upon publication, the updated advisory permits family members aged 18 or older to travel to Kuwait, while the overall 'Reconsider Travel' warning for the country remains due to security concerns.

Who is affected by the latest change

  • U.S. citizens travelling to Kuwait
  • U.S. government employees working in Kuwait
  • Family members aged 18 or older of U.S. government employees working in Kuwait

What changed in the latest version

Before

The U.S. government could offer limited help to U.S. citizens in Kuwait because of safety risks. U.S. government employees needed special permission to travel to Kuwait. The advice did not mention any age limits for family members of U.S. government employees travelling to Kuwait.

After

The U.S. government can offer limited help to U.S. citizens in Kuwait because of safety risks. U.S. government employees must get special permission to travel to Kuwait. Only family members who are 18 years old or older can join U.S. government employees who work in Kuwait.

This update mainly affects U.S. government employees working in Kuwait and their families. This is because it adds an age limit for children who can go with them. Families with children under 18 cannot now join U.S. government employees in Kuwait. This might affect decisions about where to send staff and may mean families are separated. For all U.S. citizens, the advice highlights the need to plan travel carefully. This includes having personal evacuation plans and good insurance. This is due to ongoing security and health risks. Ignoring the advice could lead to major personal danger. This is especially true given the U.S. government's limited ability to help in an emergency.

Explained simply

Imagine the U.S. government gives advice about travelling to different countries, like a warning label on a package. For Kuwait, the 'warning label' still says 'think carefully before you go' because of dangers like fighting, hidden bombs from an old war, and crime. The new thing is, if your parent works for the U.S. government in Kuwait, and you're 18 or older, you can now join them. Before, it wasn't so clear for families. So, it's still a tricky place to visit, but at least now adults in government families know they can go if they get permission.

Frequently asked

Version history

  1. v4Effective 2 Mar 2026EffectiveMedium impact
    U.S. State Department Updates Kuwait Travel Advisory: Non-Emergency Personnel Ordered to Depart

    The U.S. State Department changed its travel advice for Kuwait. The advice is still Level 3: Reconsider Travel. This is because there is a risk of armed conflict, landmines, and crime. The main change is that only family members who are 18 or older can now join U.S. government employees in Kuwait. The advice also states that the U.S. government can offer limited help to U.S. citizens. U.S. government employees must get special permission to travel to Kuwait. There are still threats like drone and missile attacks, aviation safety risks, crime in areas such as Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, and unexploded bombs in desert and northern beach areas.

Timeline

  1. Announced

    2 Mar 2026

    On 2 March 2026, the U.S. Department of State issued an order for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members to depart Kuwait due to escalating safety risks. While the overall travel advisory level remains 'Level 3: Reconsider Travel,' this directive highlights a significant deterioration in the security situation. U.S. citizens in Kuwait are advised to reconsider non-essent

  2. Takes effect

    2 Mar 2026

    The current advisory level for Kuwait remains Level 3: Reconsider Travel due to the threat of armed conflict, landmines, and crime. The advisory summary has been updated to reflect changes to U.S. embassy operations, specifically that non-emergency U.S. government employees and family members were ordered to leave Kuwait on 2 March 2026, due to safety risks. The U.S. government's ability to offer

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