08/11/2025
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08/11/2025
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KUWAIT CITY, Nov 8: A growing number of expats in Kuwait are reporting prolonged delays in the issuance of their physical Civil IDs, with many saying their cards have remained “under processing” for weeks despite the completion of residency renewals.
Sameer is among those affected. His company renewed his residency in mid-October, yet after nearly 15 days, the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) system still shows his Civil ID status as pending. “I’m not sure what to do next,” he said, reflecting the uncertainty felt by many expatriates.
For others, the wait has stretched even longer. One resident, posting under the name Jerome, said it took nearly a month to receive his Civil ID after applying in September. He added that the delays now seem widespread, indicating a systemic slowdown in processing and printing.
Families, too, are feeling the strain. Another expat reported that his daughter’s Civil ID, renewed on 30 September, has still not moved past the “under process” stage—more than a month after submission.
Currently, the issuance of physical Civil IDs is taking around 30 days or more, according to emails sent to the Arab Times by members of the expatriate community.
While PACI has not issued an official statement on the cause of the delays, user reports across community forums suggest a significant backlog in card printing and verification. For now, expats are relying on the Mobile ID app as their primary form of identification until physical cards are released.
