Is It Legal to Drink Alcohol in Kuwait?
No. Drinking alcohol is illegal in Kuwait, for visitors and residents alike. The Government of Canada's travel advice says possession and consumption of alcohol are illegal and that alcohol cannot be legally bought in or imported into Kuwait; the UK government lists alcohol among items that are illegal to import. Penalties include heavy fines, imprisonment or deportation.
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We use your email only for this download.In this article
- Is alcohol allowed in Kuwait?
- Can you bring alcohol into Kuwait?
- Drinking and driving in Kuwait
- Before you travel
- Is alcohol banned in Kuwait? Can you buy it in a hotel, bar or liquor store?
- Can an expat get an alcohol license or special permit in Kuwait?
- Is Kuwait a dry country, and will alcohol be allowed soon?
- What is the penalty for drinking in Kuwait? How long are you in jail if caught?
- Is homemade or black-market alcohol safer?
- Ramadan
Is alcohol allowed in Kuwait?
No. According to the Government of Canada’s official travel advice for Kuwait:
- possession and consumption of alcohol is illegal in Kuwait
- alcohol cannot be legally purchased in or imported into Kuwait
- penalties for possessing alcohol include heavy fines, imprisonment or deportation
The rules apply to foreign visitors and residents, not only to Kuwaiti citizens. There is no legal drinking age because there is no legal drinking.
Can you bring alcohol into Kuwait?
No. The UK government’s travel advice lists alcohol among the items that it is illegal to import into Kuwait, so do not pack any, including duty-free bottles bought on the way.
Drinking and driving in Kuwait
Canada’s advice says Kuwait has a zero-tolerance policy for drinking and driving, with penalties including heavy fines, imprisonment and deportation.
Before you travel
Laws and their enforcement can change. Read your own government’s current travel advice for Kuwait before you go, and check the airline and transit rules if you change planes in a country that allows alcohol.
Planning a trip elsewhere? See our laws and travel answers.
Is alcohol banned in Kuwait? Can you buy it in a hotel, bar or liquor store?
Yes, going by both governments’ advice. Canada’s travel advice says alcohol cannot be legally purchased in Kuwait, and the UK advice says “alcohol is illegal” and that buying, selling or carrying it can bring fines, imprisonment and deportation. Neither page mentions an exception for hotels, bars, shops or residents, so we found nothing official saying alcohol is served or sold in Kuwait, or that you can drink alcohol in hotels there.
Can an expat get an alcohol license or special permit in Kuwait?
We found no official page that sets up an alcohol permit or license for expats, so we cannot give permit prices. Neither the UK nor the Canadian travel page mentions one.
Is Kuwait a dry country, and will alcohol be allowed soon?
Yes, going by both governments’ current advice. We found no official announcement of a change, so check your government’s travel page before you go.
What is the penalty for drinking in Kuwait? How long are you in jail if caught?
The UK lists fines, imprisonment and deportation for buying, selling or carrying alcohol, and the same penalties for public intoxication. Canada lists heavy fines, imprisonment or deportation for possession. We did not find an official page giving a set number of days in jail, so we cannot state one.
Is homemade or black-market alcohol safer?
No. The UK warns that illegally produced alcohol carries severe health risks, including methanol poisoning, which can cause blindness, organ failure or death.
Ramadan
The UK advises not to drink in public in the daytime during Ramadan, including in your car.
People also ask
Can you drink alcohol in Kuwait?
No. Possession and consumption of alcohol are illegal in Kuwait, including for foreign visitors (Government of Canada travel advice).
Can you bring alcohol into Kuwait?
No. Alcohol is on the UK government's list of items that are illegal to import into Kuwait.
What is the penalty for alcohol in Kuwait?
Canada's travel advice lists heavy fines, imprisonment or deportation for possession, and the same range for drinking and driving.
Is alcohol banned in Kuwait?
Going by the UK and Canadian travel advice, yes: Canada says alcohol cannot be legally purchased and the UK says alcohol is illegal.
Is there alcohol sale or a liquor store in Kuwait?
No legal one. Canada's advice says alcohol cannot be legally purchased in Kuwait, and the UK says alcohol is illegal.
Can you drink alcohol in hotels in Kuwait?
Neither the UK nor the Canadian travel page mentions an exception for hotels or bars, so we found nothing official saying you can.
Can an expat get an alcohol license or permit in Kuwait?
Neither government travel page we read mentions a permit or license, and we found no official page offering one or giving prices.
How long are you in jail in Kuwait if caught drinking?
Possible penalties include fines, imprisonment and deportation, per the UK and Canadian travel advice. We found no official figure for jail time.
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