KUWAIT CITY, March 25: Minister of Justice Nasser Al-Sumait issued a ministerial decision on Monday aimed at enhancing transparency in real estate transactions by requiring proof of payment via bank transfer or certified check.

In a press statement, Minister Al-Sumait explained that Resolution No. (194) of 2025 regulates the payment methods for amounts due in all documents, contracts, official debt statements, and mortgages issued by the Ministry of Justice. He emphasized that this decision is part of the government's ongoing efforts to combat money laundering through real estate transactions and to reduce the occurrence of fictitious debt statements and mortgages.

The decision, according to Al-Sumait, also seeks to address legal loopholes that previously allowed illegal transactions to slip through the cracks. He noted that the new regulation will help protect the real estate market from financial manipulation, boost transparency, and shield both buyers and sellers from fraud and fictitious sales.

Furthermore, the decision grants real estate registry employees the authority to refuse to document contracts unless they receive banking proof of payment, thus ensuring that all transactions are officially documented and bolstering the confidence of real estate stakeholders.

Al-Sumait clarified that the decision excludes contracts concluded before August 2021, as well as transactions involving the exchange of real estate without cash payment. Additionally, it does not apply to cases where a debt declaration is used in place of a cash payment, nor to real estate mortgaged to settle an outstanding debt owed by the seller.