Kuwait City - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Women should think carefully about being out alone late at night. You'll probably be OK, but is it worth the risk? - May 2023
No, just be mindful while driving. Otherwise it is very safe here. - May 2023
In our time here, I have heard there has been a concern or two for terrorist threats against Americans. I have little to no fear of a criminal act against me. The older Kuwaitis seem to remember the US coming in and saving them. The younger generation where not alive and, in my opinion, they have some dislike for us. I am talking about those who are younger and wealthier. All in all we, as westerners are okay, but you always should have a certain amount of caution when you are going about your day-to-day business, just like you would anywhere else. - Apr 2022
Traffic safety. Women may be harassed by men in some circumstances. Check travel.state.gov country information for more information. - Feb 2020
Driving is a very, very serious concern to me. There seem to be many that drive crazy expensive cars fast and recklessly while sharing the road with people that have never driven a car before and are going under the speed limit. OR someone is texting while driving. Otherwise, Kuwait is very safe. - Nov 2018
This region has obvious risks, but compared to everywhere else, its very safe in Kuwait. There are bad people here, but its fairly benign in general. There is some criminal activity in areas frequented by south Asians, but otherwise, its a pretty secure place. - May 2017
Because of the location of the country, it would be wise to have situational awareness of your surroundings. For time to time, there has been a minor event linked to terrorism. Otherwise, Kuwait is a safe country. There are not big problems with crime. - Mar 2017
On the whole, Kuwait feels very safe to me, but I have heard of harassment of people of Asian or African descent, especially women driving alone. There's little petty theft here. You should be aware as you would be anywhere else. Terrorism is mainly a concern due to the country's location in the region. - Aug 2016
No real security concerns. You should always be aware of your surroundings but that is anywhere. Driving is a bit tricky. My rule of thumb was to think of the most dangerous things someone could do while driving and expect it to happen. - Jun 2015
Driving. Drivers here are reckless and incredibly rude. And the police don't actually stop anyone it seems. They just sit at traffic circles and check their phones. So no one is afraid of getting a ticket and the bad driving continues. - Mar 2015
Seems like no crime whatsoever but I read about occasional crimes of passion in the newspapers. Usually teenagers drunk, road rage (horrible driving the biggest security risk) fights, bad home-made liquor. No major gang violence, little firearm violence despite many Kuwaiti's being Dove Hunters (see them along the side of the road). An indication, big outdoor soukh's often have a money changing area. No elaborate booths with locking doors and bulletproof glass and windows and little slots. Just tables piled with cash (probably several thousand $'s) of various currencies. No cops in sight. However nobody messes with them. Can you imagine this in Houston or New York?! I suspect this is because of the justice system. Most Kuwaitis are too rich to bother, expats would be stupid to give up jobs paying higher than their homeland to be deported and banned from return or, for serious violent crimes, be thrown in prison for life with no appeal. - Dec 2013
It's the Middle East, so there's always the possibility of a regional issue impacting Kuwait, but it's very safe here, with little to no street crime. - May 2013
There have been protests in front of the U.S. Embassy at times. There are many public marches, sit-ins, and demonstrations in the ongoing political dispute betweeen the government and the opposition. They are something to be cautious around, but they are not anti-Western and are 'generally' peaceful. Do your best to stay out of Jahra. The traffic there is something to behold. There are many high-end sports cars and huge American pick-ups being driven at high rates of speed and with complete disregard for anyone else on the road. It will help if you understand that what people are doing to you in traffic is not in any way personal; they actually think it's not rude to drive this way. People do not know how to wait in a line here, and like water flowing downhill, they will try to go down emergency lanes, over curbs, over medians, or just make an extra lane where there's not one. Because the interstates are so nice, you get fooled into thinking that people will drive like they do in the West - - - but they won't. If you see someone using a blinker, they are Westerners. The many young Kuwaitis driving aggressively at high rates of speed, mixed with South-Central Asians driving older smaller vehicles at 60 km/hr below the speed limit, doesn't make for a good combination. All that being said, I never got in a wreck, and at some level it will help you to drive a little more like a Kuwaiti. If you park on a street somewhere, the people who will parallel park in front of and behind you will likely figure out how much room they have by just running into your front and rear bumper. Okay, enough about the traffic. I have a friend that came from the third world, and he thought driving in Kuwait was a dream come true. - Feb 2013
Not significant. - Jan 2013
As we are here with the US govt, and live at the embassy compound, we have security issues to face each day. The heightened tension in Iraq has not helped this. However, for the typical expat, security is not a concern. The population is 65% expat, so you don't really stand out! - May 2012
We are advised to use caution here in Kuwait. Don't engage in road-rage aggression, although you may be tempted. There are the obvious regional issues with terrorism and protests. Kuwait is safer than much of the middle east, but we are advised to stay away from Jahra, as we would stand out as the only westerner's there (although I have lots of non-embassy friends who go there to see the Red Fort). We are advised to not explore through the desert where we might encounter land mines, but we have gone out exploring in popular places where people camp a lot (around Mutla Ridge). Lots of people go desert camping, but I'd go in group. We feel very safe here, and I go out by myself to the souk, or to see shows at night by myself and feel completely safe -- other than the crazy drivers and speed demons on the road. - May 2012
Kuwait has a penal code that includes torture, so it's pretty safe, and theft is pretty rare. - Jan 2012
None. - Jul 2010
No, of course we must be aware of our surroundings, but I've had no problems in the two years I've lived here. - Jul 2010
No serious concerns. - Jul 2008
In general it feels very safe. There aren't going to be break-ins to cars or homes because it is an Arab country. But there are many, many foreign workers living here and there are parts of town that feel unsafe, especially at night. - Jun 2008
