‘Issuance of Article 17 passports continues as per earlier decision’

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KUWAIT CITY, Feb 16: The Director of the Passports Department at the General Administration of Nationality and Travel Documents, Colonel Abdullah Al-Amhouj, said the disbursement of Article 17 passports, which are granted to illegal residents, continues in accordance with previous decisions issued by the Department. He said those wishing to obtain these passports in accordance with the aforementioned article were requested to book appointment through electronic applications. Al-Amhouj added, in a statement to Al-Jarida, that the groups allowed to apply for the passport of Article 17 are the children of female citizens, the wives of citizens, students studying abroad and the sick.

He pointed out all of these groups must bring a valid security card as a prerequisite for issuing the passport, and the students must bring the registration schedule approved by the Embassy of Kuwait in the country in which they wish to study. With regard to treatment, the applicant must submit a medical report approved by the Ministry of Health, specifying the country in which the person wishes to be treated. Al-Amhouj denied that passports are issued to, other than the aforementioned categories, pointing out that many illegal residents (bedoun) have obtained appointments to visit the General Administration of Nationality and Passports in order to obtain passports in accordance with Article 17 but the conditions do not apply to them.

In this case they were informed that passports are issued for treatment, study and the children of female citizens and the wives of citizens only, and those who do not meet the conditions will not be entertained even if they have obtained prior appointment. He stressed that the process of issuing Article 17 passports to students of unspecified nationality who are still studying and whose passports have expired during the study period, is continuing, provided that the student submits evidence of his continuation in studies approved by the Kuwaiti embassy in the country in which he is studying. He pointed out that there is no delay in issuing these passports to the beneficiaries, whether they are students or patients, and explained the process not takes more than 48 hours.

With regard to citizens’ passports, Al-Amhouj said that the administration had started issuing the electronic passport project in 2017, valid for 5 years which means it is time for renewal of these passports. He pointed out the administration is fully prepared to receive citizens for renewal of these passports. He stated, “We have a sufficient stock to renew these passports for citizens, as well as Article 17 passport holders, who also must renew their passports 6 months before their expiry date, because there are many countries that do not entertain visitors if the validity of the passport is less than six months.

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