disgdy

Can someone please confirm what Kuwait is like to work.....also confirm the procedure to get your degree attested...how long it takes.....the costs...etc....Is your degree linked to your VISA as it is in Dubai with MOL....any information would be of great help.....Thanks!

Dago

Kuwait is fine to work in. You don't need a degree to work here - at least the guy who washes my car does not have one. If you do then you have to get it attested in your home country - probably by a notary and in the UK by the Foreign Office. You will need this for your driving license because it is n=one of the ways of restricting the issue of licenses. It took me 24 hours to get attested but I was in the UK. It cost a lot. The normal suite of medicals is essential.

Let me know which country you are from and I'll try and offer more help. The procedures do differ.

The only information of any value to you is that Kuwait is fine to work in. The rest is just admin! Don't go any further if you like to drink alcohol though - it is not really possible here.

disgdy

Many thanks for your reply.....I'm from the UK and have just found out the procedure.....my main concern is my partner is a doctor from India....I have to go to British Consolute and Embassy in Kuwait and get them stamped....then to Ministry of Foreign Affairs....

As far as I know my partner has to have hers sent back to India ut I don't know what else after that....I'm not sure if it's the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Health....would you be able to advise?

Many thanks for your help

Inselaffen

If by partner you mean co-habitee you might be in trouble! I guess Kuwait is a bit stricter than Dubai on unmarried couples living together.

disgdy

Thank you for your reply.....by "partner" I mean my wife.....trying to collate all information before accepting or not.

maranelloman

Accepting her for marriage?

Dago

We can't help you if you don't tell us. Are you applying for the UK and is your wife a Brit - ie holds a British Nationality and is she coming as your wife or for a job which she has arranged?

Dago

It is more strict. Women cannot be in the same car as a man unless related. If both are white Euro / American then the police will understand. If not then it is bad. The police generally cause trouble with Kuwatis.

The newspaper is full of sordid little stories of sponsors shopping their maids to the police for having affairs!! I want to go campoing in the desert with a friend from work (female, platonic). I have been advised - separate tents. So the police search the desert at night looking at tents apparantly!!

It is a nice place to live and work though and it becoming a destination of choice for those fed up with DXB pain. I love it here.

disgdy

Thank you for all your information....we are married....I have a UK passport she has an Indian passport....we both currently work in Dubai and nothing surprises me anymore with locals reporting people even though they are up to a lot more.....

Dago

Ok. For you I think that you need medicals done locally and attestation of your marriage done where you were married. I think that the marriage certificate can be attested by the Foreign Office in London. Your driving licence is not an issue provided you have a UAE license. You need your degrees attested too - simply for work permit and possibly for your wife to drive. So in summary - medical, marriage cert and degrees. Your sponsor will take care of the rest which includes the submissions to the various ministries for residence and work, and you will get medicals again when in Kuwait. The medical is specified in the UK Kuwait Embassy page. I think you need Aids, Hepatitis, Syphallis, malaria and fillaraisis, a clear chest cert, TB, and a general medical certificate saying fit to work.

I don't know about your wife but I am fairly confident that she can come in on a spouse visa for which you need the attested marriage certificate.

Don't be misled confused by correlating what the police do and what is right. The police arrest drug dealers, rapists and criminas as do other police forces. They may persue unmarried couples but trivially as far as I can make out. Where they are coming from is a respect for women which is not entirely wrong. Try giving two fingers to a lady driver and when she notes your number you'll see. All of the stuff about them doing much worse is possible but I like a lot of Kuwatis and find them good people. Ex Pats in Saudi - agree not universally, like Saudis. Look at Dubai where you can get pissed as much as you want. In Kuwait and Saudi you can't according to the law but the basis of the law is moral and religious as well as practical. It is Dubai where hypocrisy is practiced and not here in Kuwait. If you think it is that bad then don't come. This is a different ex-pat community to Dubai - not better - not worse - just different!

Good luck.

disgdy

Dago,

You have been more than informative and your information has been priceless. Thank you for taking the time out to respond to me.....we shall be weighing up the pros and cons over the weekend....Thank you