Kuwait launches a temporary extension for citizenship revocations

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior has commenced a four-month temporary extension for revocations, letting individuals whose Kuwaiti citizenships were cancelled due to the “Outstanding Services” clause travel using their Kuwaiti passports and start the process of authorising their residency status.

The step has been taken on account of a comprehensive crackdown on fraudulent nationality claims.

According to the new rules issued on July 10, the individuals whose citizenship was acquired through dependency have to contact their countries’ embassies to get valid passports or authentic travel documents.

These documents are imperative to qualify for legal residency in Kuwait. Proof of starting this process is compulsory to maintain restricted access during the temporary extension period.

During this interim period, individuals will sustain the advantages from select rights such as employment, access to higher education, and housing.

However, those who gained citizenship through dependency are not entitled to rectify their status and will face legal consequences.

The official journal, Kuwait Al-Youm, is likely to start publishing the names of affected individuals, starting with its July 19 edition, following a temporary extension for revocations.

According to the sources, hundreds of files are under Cabinet consideration, with many cases involving fraudulent acquisition of citizenship violations.

In July 2025, over 1,060 individuals were deprived of citizenship in what officials mention as the largest Kuwait citizenship revocation in the history of the nation.

Investigations throughout two decades uncovered schemes involving fake identities, customised family trees, and dual-nationality defilements.

The Supreme Committee for Kuwaiti Nationality Investigations, in association with the Ministry of Interior, depended on genetic analysis, record audits, and cross-border verification to uncover the fraud.

Some cases were backdated to 2008, including one where the identity of a deceased individual was used to naturalise 440 people.

While the government supports the operation as essential for fighting corruption, opponents have raised concerns about statelessness and human rights implications.

Nevertheless, the temporary extension for revocations offers a temporary path for affected individuals to regularise their status and avoid instant displacement due to Kuwait citizenship revocation.