KUWAIT CITY, July 14: After issuing a new decree to withdraw citizenship from 30 individuals, potentially including those who acquired it through dependency, as published in today’s issue of the official gazette Kuwait Al- Yawm, a government source disclosed to the Al- Qabas daily that there are currently 409 files under review by the Supreme Committee for Nationality Investigation, reports Al- Qabas daily. The source indicated that this review process is a preliminary step before submitting names of individuals found guilty of fraud and forgery to the Council of Ministers for decisions on citizenship withdrawal.

Since mid-March, the Ministry of Interior’s Nationality Investigations Department has received approximately 719 reports via a hotline regarding Kuwaiti nationals suspected of possessing forged or dual citizenship. Highlighting the seriousness with which the government is treating this issue, the source, under the guidance of First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Fahd Al- Yousef, emphasized that strict measures will be taken against all responsible parties, regardless of the reasons behind the forgery.

Withdrawals
The government is preparing to issue new decisions soon regarding citizenship withdrawals, underscoring the meticulous examination and multiple reviews of each case by the Supreme Committee. This effort is a top priority for the government, and is aimed at cracking down on forgery and improper acquisition of nationality through misinformation. The efforts are being intensified to ensure accountability and uphold the integrity of Kuwaiti citizenship.

Meanwhile, as part of the government’s efforts to audit Kuwaiti nationality acquisitions, the official gazette recently published decree No. 118/2024 for the withdrawal of the Kuwaiti nationality of 30 women, reports Al-Rai daily. According to the decision, acquired citizenship has also been revoked. Decree No. 118/2024, issued on July 8, 2024, cited constitutional provisions and the Amiri decree of May 10, 2024, along with Amiri Decree No. 15/1959 on Kuwaiti citizenship law and its amendments as the basis for the withdrawal of these citizenships.

This decision was presented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Interior Sheikh Fahd Yousef Al-Sabah and approved by the Council of Ministers. In the meantime, the Civil Services Commission (CSC) provided one of the ministries with a list containing the names of individuals subject to investigation by the higher committee tasked with examining citizenship issues. CSC revealed that there are five employees who are still in office even though their Kuwaiti citizenship has been revoked. These employees were born in 1968, 1965, 1992, 1995, and 1979, and were hired in the years 2011, 2017, and 2019. It stressed the need to initiate legal procedures to enforce the committee’s decision.