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Viewing cable 08KUWAIT7, COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR CODEL MITCHELL

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08KUWAIT7 2008-01-03 04:57 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Kuwait
VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #0007/01 0030457
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030457Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0501
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 1100
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1010
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0327
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT PRIORITY 2554
RUEADWD/HQDA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0298
UNCLAS KUWAIT 000007 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CODEL 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN GM PK AF KU IZ
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR CODEL MITCHELL 
(January 6-15, 2008) 
 
REF: STATE 171264 
 
1. Embassy Kuwait welcomes and grants country clearance for 
CODEL Mitchell to travel to post 10-14, January, 2008. 
 
2. This clearance is not/not valid for entry into Iraq; you 
must apply for Iraq clearance through Embassy Baghdad. 
 
3. Visit Officer: An Embassy visit officer and a 
driver/expeditor will meet and assist you at the airport. 
 
Embassy points of contact are: 
 
Jennifer George, ISU Liason 
Office - (965) 259-1203 
Cell - (965)788-0364 
Fax- (965) 259-1190 
Unclass e-mail: GeorgeJR@state.gov 
 
SIPDIS 
 
And 
 
Agnel Berry, ISU Coordinator 
Office- (965) 259-1416 
Cell- (965)973-9854 
Fax- (965) 259-1190 
Unclass e-mail: BerryAH2@state.gov 
 
SIPDIS 
 
4. Lodging: Rooms have been reserved at the Movenpick Hotel 
for 4 January, 2008.  The hotel telephone number is (965) 
225-3100 and the fax number is (965)225-3101. The single 
room rate at the hotel is approximately USD 271.00 per night, 
which includes breakfast. The hotel accepts major credit 
cards and is within the per diem rate. The daily per diem 
rate for Kuwait is USD 306.00 for lodging, plus a meal and 
incidental expense (M&IE) allowance of USD 114.00 for a 
total of USD 420.00. 
 
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, or USD 12.00) 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 military 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 10.000 (US 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 daytrip 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 Sunday through Thursday, and 
office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The time difference 
with the East Coast of the United States is EST plus eight 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 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: April through October is the hot 
season in Kuwait. Temperatures reach 120-140 degrees F in summer. 
Caution should be taken to prevent dehydration and heat exhaustion 
by 1) drinking plenty of fluids and 
2) staying indoors, especially during peak temperature hours of 
noon to 3:00 p.m. (1200-1500). Low humidity coupled with high 
temperatures creates excessive moisture loss from evaporation.  It 
is necessary to drink 2-4 quarts of water daily to prevent 
dehydration. 
 
f. Money:  Credit cards are widely accepted at 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 accommodation 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 11:00 am 
to 1:00 p.m., Sunday through Thursday. At the current rate of 
exchange, one Kuwaiti Dinar (KD) is equivalent to approximately 
USD 3.650. 
 
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 on COMPUSEC will result in the violator 
receiving security infractions and/or security violations. 
Interagency 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 attributable to 
the visit.  If fiscal data on a traveler's authorization is to 
be used for this purpose, this information must be spelled out in 
the travel orders and sufficient funding 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 provide any services to a TDYer staying in excess of 30 
days without having received this documentation prior to day 31 
of the TDY. 
 
k. Visit Kuwait's Classified Website at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
Misenheimer