Implementation of ‘e-passports’ in final stages, says Al-Bahwah
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‘1.29 million docus have been issued’
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 13: Assistant Director General of Immigration Colonel Khalid Al- Bahwah affirmed the implementation of e-passport project is in the fi- nal stages, and 1.29 million biometric passports have since been issued, reports Al-Jarida daily. Al-Bahwah pointed out that Kuwait issues three categories of passports; ordinary, diplomat and special, and “all of them meet the specifi- cations of International Civil Aviation Organization”.
He added biometric passports are issued by the Ministry of Interior or Ministry of Foreign Affairs based on the type. He also said the centers designated for issuance of e-passports across the six governorates are working hard to accomplish the task. Meanwhile, Director General of Immigration Department Brigadier Yusuf Al-Senein stated the biometric passports have 70 hidden security features that cannot be seen with the naked eye unless exposed to Ultra Violet radiation, reports Al-Qabas daily.
Al-Senein stressed that security features of the biometric passports cannot be forged, because the electronic slide on the cover is connected to the page containing full data of the holder. He added the biometric passport is costly due to its highly advanced features and quality, and Kuwait won the first prize for the best passport at a recent forum in Holland. He affirmed that granting citizenship to the children of Kuwaiti widows and divorcees in batches depends on decisions by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. He explained whosoever loses his Kuwaiti citizenship ID card must visit the General Immigration Department for interrogation before an announcement is published in the Gazette about the loss of the citizenship card. He added the citizen will only be issued a new citizenship card after three months, and the same procedure will be followed by a citizen who loses his passport. However, new passports can be replaced after 5 months.
In case a citizen is unable not register a child on his file in the first six months of birth, DNA testing must be conducted to prove paternity. He noted the procedure must be carried out within 3 months if the child was born outside Kuwait, noting special committees in Bahrain, Iraq and Iran have been tasked to conduct DNA for the children of Kuwaitis who were not registered on the files of their fathers within the first three months of birth. He urged citizens to take care of their passports to avoid losing them while abroad, because they might be prevented from obtaining new passports for years. He added the decision of retaining the passports of few citizens involved in security cases and drugs-related lawsuits that taint the image of the country is in the hand of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
He stressed the department receives about 500 applications from citizens applying for Kuwaiti citizenship on behalf of their non-Kuwaiti spouses annually. He noted the decision of granting citizenship to the expatriate spouses of Kuwaiti men is solely made by the Minister of Interior, adding some citizens have filed complaints with the department regarding delay in granting their wives the Kuwaiti citizenship. According to citizenship law, citizenship is granted to the foreign spouse of Kuwaitis five years after submitting an application and not from the date of marriage as some citizens believe.
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