Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KUWAIT12
2007-01-06 13:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

KUWAIT COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR U/S

Tags:  ASEC SENV AMGT APER AA KWMN OTRA TSPL KU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1241
OO RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHKU #0012/01 0061313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 061313Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7976
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000012 

SIPDIS
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC SENV AMGT APER AA KWMN OTRA TSPL KU

SUBJECT: KUWAIT COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR U/S
DOBRIANSKY + 31

REF: SECSTATE 974

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000012

SIPDIS
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC SENV AMGT APER AA KWMN OTRA TSPL KU

SUBJECT: KUWAIT COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR U/S
DOBRIANSKY + 31

REF: SECSTATE 974


1. Embassy Kuwait welcomes and hereby grants country
clearance for U/S Dobriansky and a thirty-one member
U.S. delegation,including TDY support, to visit Kuwait
from Thursday, January 4, 2007, to Friday, January 12,
2007, to participate in and support the Conference
of Women Leaders in Science, Technology and Engineering,
to be held in Kuwait.


2. This clearance is not/not valid for entry into Iraq; you
must apply for Iraq clearance through Embassy Baghdad.


3. Visit Officer for the Conference:
Christopher Green
Phone: 965-259-1373
Mobile: 965-902-5940
Fax: 965-259-1051
Unclassified Email: GreenCR@state.gov

Visit Officer for U/S Dobriansky
Mark Rosenshield
Phone: 965-259-1690
Mobile: 965-937-0334
Fax: 965 259-1051
Unclassified Email: RosenshieldMS@state.gov

Visit Officer for A/S McMurray
Steve Conlon
Phone: 965-259-1249
Mobile: 965-942-3897
Fax: 965-259-1051
Unclassified Email: ConlonSM@state.gov


4. Per Reftel, accommodation and transportation assistance
as requested have been arranged:

JW Marriott Kuwait City
Al Shuhada Street
Phone: 965-245-5550



5. 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, approximately USD 10.50) for each
visa issued. The fee may be paid either in KD or USD. Post
strongly advises travelers to carry some documentation on
the purpose of their visit. Passengers arriving on other
than commercial flights should anticipate extra delays,
because
immigration services are not available on the miltary side
of the airfield and passports have to be carried to a
different
location at the airport for processing. 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 10.00
(USD 35.00) 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 day trip 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. 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 Saturday through
Wednesday. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The time
difference with the East Coast of the United States is EST
plus 8 hours. The Embassy switchboard number is (965)
259-1001, and the IVG number is 4950000. The after hours
number which rings at Marine Guard post one is (965)
538-2098. The mission duty officer can be reached through
the embassy switchboard, Post One, or by cell phone at (965)
967-7265. The embassy pouch address is 6200 Kuwait Place,
Dulles, VA 20189-6200.

d. Threat Assessment: Kuwait is a high-threat post and

KUWAIT 00000012 002 OF 003


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: Visitors in November
through March can expect cold winds and at times heavy
rains. Light winter clothing is suitable for Kuwait during
these months. At this time allergies and colds are more
common. Persons traveling to the area are advised to have
over-the-counter medications, such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen,
cold and cough medications with them for self-treatment.

f. Money: Credit cards are widely accepted in 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
accomodation 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 2:00pm, Saturday through Wednesday. At
the current rate of exchange, one Kuwaiti Dinar (KD) is
equivalent to approximately USD 3.50.

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 in COMPUSEC will
result in the violator receiving security infractions and/or
security violations. Inter-agency 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, 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 attibutable to the visit. If
fiscal data on visitor's travel authorization is to be used
for this purpose, this information must be spelled out in
the travel orders and sufficient funding must be 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

KUWAIT 00000012 003 OF 003


prived any services to a TDYer staying in excess of 30 days
without having recieved this documentation prior to day 31
of the TDY.

k. Visit Kuwait's unclassified intranet website at
http://kuwait.state.gov.
LeBaron