Kuwait's Negative List: Cabinet Decision 75 of 2015
What the negative list is, where the official document lives, and why an activity-by-activity check matters before applying for a KDIPA investment license.
Foreign Investment in Kuwait · By Fahad Alhaddad Law Firm · Published 2026-11-05 · Updated 2026-11-05
Kuwait's direct investment regime does not open every activity to foreign investors. The exclusions live in a 'negative list' issued by Cabinet Decision No. 75 of 2015. Because the list decides whether a project can even apply for a KDIPA license, it deserves careful treatment — and honest labeling of what has and has not been verified.
What the negative list is
Under the direct investment framework established by Law No. 116 of 2013, activities not on the negative list may in principle be licensed for direct investment, while listed activities are excluded. The list is therefore the first document to check when assessing whether a proposed activity can use the KDIPA route at all.
Where the official text lives
The decision is linked from KDIPA's official website as a PDF, and it appears in the Authority's law-and-decisions index alongside Law No. 116 of 2013 and its executive regulations. The link is live and the document is reachable.
What we have not verified
The text of Decision 75 of 2015 — and any later amendments to it — has not yet been read and signed off line by line by our lawyers. We therefore do not reproduce or summarize its activity list here. Secondary summaries of the negative list circulate widely; some are outdated. The only reliable check is against the current official text, read together with any amending decisions.
Why the check must come first
An investment plan built on a misclassified activity can fail at the licensing stage after real money has been spent on documents, legalizations and advisory fees. The correct sequence is: define the activity precisely, classify it, check it against the current negative list, and only then choose the entry route.
Professional assistance
Fahad Al-Haddad Law Firm & Legal Consultants performs the activity classification and negative-list check as the first step of any Kuwait entry assessment, using the current official texts rather than secondary summaries.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kuwait's negative list?
It is the list of activities excluded from the direct investment regime under Law No. 116 of 2013, issued by Cabinet Decision No. 75 of 2015 and linked from KDIPA's website.
Which activities are on the negative list?
The official PDF is reachable from KDIPA's site, but its text and any amendments have not yet been reviewed line by line by our lawyers, so we do not summarize its contents. The check should be made against the current official text.
If my activity is not on the list, is a license guaranteed?
No. Absence from the negative list means the activity may in principle be considered for direct investment licensing; it is not an approval, and KDIPA's evaluation decisions and conditions still apply.
Related guides
Sources
This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not replace consultation with a lawyer licensed in Kuwait. The official Arabic legal texts prevail over any English explanation.