Nearly 50,000 stripped of citizenship as Kuwait continues crackdown on forgeries

Dubai: Kuwait has so far revoked nearly 50,000 citizenships as part of an ongoing crackdown on forged and illegally obtained nationalities, a top official has confirmed.

Sheikh Fahad Yousef Al Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, emphasised that all citizenship applications are subject to strict scrutiny with no exceptions tolerated.

Sheikh Fahad stressed that every citizenship file is being meticulously examined by the Supreme Committee for Investigating Kuwaiti Citizenship to preserve the nation’s identity and combat fraud.

“This work will continue until the situation is fully rectified,” he said. When asked if dossiers of former ministers, members of parliament, or other prominent figures are included in the investigation, the Interior Minister was unequivocal: “All of Kuwait is under scrutiny.”

He underscored the government’s zero-tolerance stance toward any tampering with national identity or obtaining citizenship through fraudulent means.

Highlighting international cooperation, Sheikh Fahad revealed plans to launch a new electronic version of Kuwaiti citizenship to enhance security measures.

Addressing women affected by citizenship revocations under Article 8 of the Kuwaiti Nationality Law, he confirmed that the August deadline to amend their status will not be extended.

He urged those impacted to visit designated offices if their embassies have not yet contacted them, assuring that the government will ensure they receive benefits except for citizenship, provided they maintain contact with their countries of origin. “This is part of the state’s effort to guarantee them a decent life despite the revocation,” he said.