KUWAIT CITY, Nov 6: The Undersecretary of Ministry of Interior Lieutenant-General Ahmed Al-Rujaib has issued an order to install electronic fingerprinting machines at all entry - road, sea and air — points to fingerprint all incoming ‘passengers’ starting from next week, reports Al-Rai daily. Al-Rujaib stressed even those entering the country on visit or commercial visas will also be fingerprinted. A security source said the decision was taken after the Criminal Investigation Department discovered three Asians who were deported from the country for trading in alcohol had re-entered the country after changing the personal information on their passports.

Meanwhile, the General Criminal Evidence Department has started the implementation of the second phase of a project to link its systems electronically with that of the General Immigration Department, reports Al-Rai daily quoting Brigadier General Eid Busaleeb, the department director. Busaleeb explained the second phase includes stopping the issuance of paper security clearance certificates to male expatriates applying for visa number 20.  He said the department will scan the fingerprints of the applicants to facilitate procedures for sending their criminal records to the General Immigration Department electronically.