The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City has resumed operations, effective midnight on 24 June 2026, after a months-long wartime closure.
If you are a traveller or visa applicant in the Gulf, the practical detail matters more than the symbolism.
What services are available?
The embassy is back to providing limited emergency services, not full operations.
What’s available:
- Limited emergency American Citizen Services (ACS) for U.S. citizens.
- U.S. citizens can also schedule passport applications and renewals through the embassy’s official website, and those who qualify may use the drop-box renewal option.
Routine services like visa interviews and notarials are not yet available, according to the official security alert.
The State Department has said remaining services will be reinstated gradually rather than all at once.
U.S. citizens needing urgent help are directed to email [email protected], or call +965-2259-1001 (within Kuwait) or +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S.).
The embassy closed in early March 2026 after Iranian drones targeted U.S. missions in the Gulf, and reopened on this limited basis in June after a brief ceasefire.
That ceasefire has since broken down: renewed Iranian strikes hit Kuwait’s airport and utilities on 18-19 July 2026. The embassy itself has not been affected and remains open on the same limited-services basis as of 20 July 2026.
What this means for you
If you need a U.S. visa interview in the Gulf, you still cannot book a routine appointment in Kuwait or any neighbouring country right now.
Routine visa processing has not resumed anywhere in the region.
The State Department’s standing advice is to apply at a post in a country where services are running normally. Here is how to approach it:
- Visa applicants: Check whether you can schedule an interview at a U.S. post in another country where routine processing is active.
- U.S. citizens in Kuwait: You can now access emergency services and book passport appointments through the embassy website.
- Everyone: Monitor your local U.S. embassy site for service updates, as offerings are being restored gradually.
Before you book any flights tied to a visa appointment, confirm the appointment is real and scheduled. Avoid committing to non-refundable travel until your interview is locked in.
You can compare and track flights across the region using the Wego flight tracker, including routes to Kuwait City and other Gulf hubs.
Operational hours
The embassy operates 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, by appointment only, and is closed on U.S. and Kuwaiti holidays.
The rest of the Gulf: open but visas still suspended
Kuwait is, so far, the only Gulf post with a formal “resumed operations” announcement. Other U.S. missions in the region are open or partially staffed, but routine visa processing remains suspended.
The pattern is broadly consistent across the Gulf: routine visa appointments are still cancelled, with most posts offering emergency citizen services only.
- Saudi Arabia: The embassy in Riyadh and consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran are open, but routine visa processing is not available, per the U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia.
- United Arab Emirates: The embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai remain open on ordered-departure status, operating with minimal staff and suspended routine visa services, per the U.S. Mission to the UAE.
- Qatar and Bahrain: Both posts have suspended routine visa services and are offering emergency citizen services only; Bahrain issued a fresh security alert on 19 July 2026 urging Americans to stay vigilant amid the renewed strikes, but remains open.
- Oman: The embassy in Muscat has suspended routine visitor-visa appointments but is the only Gulf post still offering some visa-related services — routine American Citizen Services, limited immigrant visa processing, and emergency non-immigrant visa cases, per the U.S. Embassy in Oman.
More on this in our guide listing available U.S. embassy services in the Gulf
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I book a U.S. visa interview in Kuwait now that the embassy has reopened?
Not yet. The embassy has resumed limited emergency services only, and routine visa processing has not restarted, per the official security alert.
Did the renewed July 2026 strikes close the embassy again?
No. Despite renewed Iranian strikes on Kuwait’s airport and utilities on 18-19 July 2026, the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait has not announced a new closure and continues to operate on the same limited-services basis as of 20 July 2026.
Are other U.S. embassies in the Gulf open?
Most are open or partially staffed, but routine visa services remain suspended across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. Most offer emergency citizen services only, though Oman’s embassy in Muscat is still handling limited immigrant and emergency non-immigrant visa cases.
What should I do if I had a visa appointment that was cancelled?
The State Department advises applicants to schedule an interview at a U.S. post in a country where routine processing is running normally. Keep monitoring your local embassy website for updates as services are gradually restored.
Sources
- U.S. State Department (OSAC) — Security Alert: Resumption of Limited Operations at U.S. Embassy Kuwait
- U.S. Embassy in Kuwait — Passport Services
- The National — Iran Hits Kuwaiti Utilities After Renewed US-Iran Strikes (19 July 2026)
- U.S. Embassy in Bahrain — Security Alert, 19 July 2026
- U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia — Important Visa Information
- U.S. Mission to the United Arab Emirates — Official Website
- U.S. Embassy in Oman — Visa Services
Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.
