Kuwait tightens nationality rules over fraudulent additions

Kuwait has introduced amendments to its nationality law that could have consequences for the descendants of individuals found to have deliberately included unrelated persons in their nationality records.

Under the new decree-law, action may be taken when the Supreme Committee for Investigating Kuwaiti Nationality or a final court judgment establishes that a person intentionally added someone who was not their child or descendant to their own nationality file or another person’s file.

In such cases, the nationality status of the person’s children or descendants may also be subject to withdrawal.

The amendments also introduce changes to the documentation of Kuwaiti nationality.

The Minister of Interior is authorized to issue Kuwaiti nationality certificates electronically following verification in accordance with the law.

The Interior Ministry will establish the technical and technological requirements governing the issuance, storage and use of electronic nationality certificates.

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These procedures will also cover the verification, suspension and cancellation of certificates where required.

The decree-law further provides that individuals who obtain Kuwaiti nationality through naturalization will not be eligible to vote, run for election, or be appointed to representative bodies.

The amendments represent a further tightening of Kuwait’s nationality framework, particularly in cases involving inaccurate or fraudulent information in nationality records.