Kuwait to review legal status of foreign wives of citizens stripped of citizenship

Dubai: Kuwait’s Central Agency for Remedying Illegal Residents’ Status — the government body responsible for managing the affairs of individuals without proper documents, commonly referred to as Bidoon, has announced that it will begin accepting applications from foreign wives of Kuwaiti citizens who were stripped of their citizenship.

 In a statement, the agency clarified that the decision applies to two categories: Foreign women married to Kuwaiti men who were never granted citizenship and foreign wives who had previously acquired Kuwaiti nationality, but later had it revoked and now reside in the country without legal status.

While the agency did not provide details regarding the application process, eligibility criteria, or the potential outcomes of this policy shift, the move signals a tentative step toward addressing the legal ambiguity faced by certain individuals connected to Kuwaiti citizens.

 The initiative appears to form part of a broader governmental attempt to tackle long-standing issues concerning residency and documentation for stateless individuals, particularly those living in legally precarious circumstances due to their ties to Kuwaitis.

The Bidoon issue has drawn increasing attention from rights advocates and international organisations in recent years.

No further clarifications have yet been issued by the agency.