Kuwait

Is Kuwait safe to visit?

On crime, very much so. UNODC's latest figure is 0.78 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people (2022), and violent crime against foreigners is rare. Roads, long Kuwait's weak point, have improved sharply since a tough traffic law in 2025.

The problem in 2026 is the Iran war. Kuwait hosts US bases, and Iranian missiles and drones have targeted the country since the first day. The US State Department rates Kuwait Level 3 (reconsider travel). We score Kuwait 73, below the United Arab Emirates and Qatar and above Saudi Arabia, with medium confidence because the situation changes quickly.

Iranian strikes and the airport

Kuwait was hit early and hard. In the two days after the US and Israel struck Iran on 28 February, the Defence Ministry detected 97 ballistic missiles and 283 drones heading towards Kuwait. One person was killed and 32 foreign nationals were injured, the Health Ministry said, and falling debris caused power cuts in the south of the country.

The worst single incident came on 3 June, when drones struck Terminal 1 at Kuwait International Airport. The Defence Ministry said the strike caused significant structural damage and injured several people; AP reported one death and dozens wounded. Flights were diverted, and Iran's Revolutionary Guard denied firing at the airport. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says the airport now runs through Terminals 4 and 5 with reduced schedules, while Terminal 1 stays closed.

After a US-Iran memorandum of understanding on 17 June, the FCDO says Iranian strikes resumed across the region from 8 July, including in Kuwait, and that US bases there have been hit by missile and drone fire. The UK advised against all but essential travel to Kuwait from 23 July until 20 August 2026. The US advisoryUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary of 28 August keeps Level 3, and its government staff still need special authorisation to travel to Kuwait.

The FCDO's practical advice is the same as across the Gulf: stay away from military sites, shelter in an interior room or stairwell during alerts, and do not touch drone or missile fragments. Debris from interceptions is the main danger.

Crime is low, with two exceptions

Kuwait City's malls, souqs and seafront are safe by any standard. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary and the US both name the same exceptions: Jleeb Al Shuyoukh, the crowded district near the airport, which Kuwaiti police call a high-crime area, and Jahra, west of the capital, where there have been robberies, petty theft and road rage. Neither is on a typical visitor's route.

Roads after the 2025 traffic law

Kuwait's roads were deadly for years; WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 15.4 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019. A new traffic law in April 2025 raised fines sharply, for example from 5 to 75 dinars for using a phone while driving. The Traffic Department says road deaths fell to 193 in 2025, from 284 in 2024. That is about 4 per 100,000 people, though national police counts usually run lower than WHO's estimates.

Pay any traffic fines before you leave, because the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says unpaid fines and bills can stop you from leaving the country.

Heat, dust and landmines

Heat is the natural hazard that matters. WMO has verified a reading of 53.9°C at Mitribah in July 2016, the highest temperature recorded in Asia. From June to August, avoid the sun in the middle of the day and carry water everywhere. Dust storms cut visibility on the roads with little warning.

The desert holds another risk. The US and UK both warn of landmines and unexploded weapons left from the 1990-91 Gulf War, especially north of the Mutla Ridge and near the Iraqi border, sometimes even on beaches. Do not drive off-road without someone who knows the area.

Strict laws for visitors

Alcohol is banned outright, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns that illegal home-made spirits can cause methanol poisoning. Drug offences carry prison sentences of 5 to 10 years even for tiny amounts, and trafficking can bring the death penalty. Many common prescription drugs need approval before arrival. Same-sex relations are illegal, and photographing government, military or oil sites is an offence.

How to stay safe in Kuwait

• Check the US and UK advice and your airline's terminal in the week before you fly.
• Sign up for embassy alerts and follow civil defence instructions during air raid warnings.
• Avoid outdoor plans at midday from June to September.
• Stay on marked roads in the desert and do not touch unknown objects.
• Call 112 for any emergency.

How we scored it

Violent crime (95) and petty crime (85) are strong. Conflict (42) is the weakest factor: people were killed by strikes, the airport was hit, and the UK briefly advised against travel in July and August. Road safety (70) sits between the new police figures and the older WHO estimateWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary, and natural hazards (62) reflect the extreme heat.