Kuwait to Revoke Citizenship of 434 Individuals Over Fraud, Dual Nationality, and Security Concerns

01/05/2025

Kuwait to Revoke Citizenship of 434 Individuals Over Fraud, Dual Nationality, and Security Concerns

KUWAIT CITY, May 1: The Supreme Committee for the Investigation of Kuwaiti Nationality, chaired by Acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, convened on Wednesday and approved the withdrawal of Kuwaiti citizenship from 434 individuals. The cases are now set to be submitted to the Council of Ministers for final endorsement.

The decisions were made under various provisions of the Kuwaiti Nationality Law No. 15 of 1959 and its amendments, citing legal violations and matters of national interest. The breakdown of the cases is as follows:

Dual Nationality: 5 individuals were found in violation of Articles 10 and 11, which prohibit holding another nationality alongside Kuwaiti citizenship.
Fraud and Forgery: 275 cases involved fraudulent claims or forged documents under Article 21 bis A, including individuals who gained citizenship through dependency.
Public Interest (Sons of Kuwaiti Women): One case was revoked under Article 13(4), citing reasons tied to the country's higher interest.
Public Interest (Noble Deeds Clause): 16 individuals who acquired nationality based on “noble deeds,” along with their dependents, had their citizenship revoked under Article 13(4).
Public Interest (1965 Census): 137 cases linked to the 1965 census data were also annulled under the same article, including dependents.

The move reflects Kuwait's ongoing scrutiny of citizenship records, aiming to uphold the integrity of the naturalization process and safeguard national security.