Kuwait launches home biometric fingerprinting as deadline looms
Service targets elderly and ill who are unable to head to interior ministry’s centres
Cairo: Kuwait has introduced home biometrics for some people as a three-month deadline to undergo mandatory biometric fingerprinting is set to expire in June.
Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Acting Interior Minister Fahd Al Yousuf, has directed providing the biometrics equipment necessary for doing the service at home for the elderly and ill people, who are unable to head to the interior ministry’s centres.
The directives aim to facilitate the service for the people facing compulsory directives.
Kuwait has given its citizens and expatriates three months, starting from March 1, to undergo fingerprinting in order to continue having access to the Interior Ministry’s services.
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Failure to undergo the obligatory fingerprinting will lead to a halt to all transactions of the ministry.
The ministry said its personnel continue to take biometric fingerprints of Kuwaitis, other nationals of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and expatriates at Kuwait’s border outlets, the Kuwait International Airport and specific centres at several security premises across the country. Travellers still can leave Kuwait without the requirement of fingerprinting that will be conducted upon their return, according to the ministry. Kuwaitis and expatriates can now book an appointment for the fingerprinting via the Sahel app for the unified government electronic services, according to an official.
The booking allows choosing the site and the available timing for conducting the fingerprinting, spokesman for Sahel Yousef Kazim has said.
After getting an alert confirming the appointment, the person in question should display the “My Identity” app or the civilian identification card when showing up to undergo the fingerprinting.
Foreigners make up around 3.2 million of Kuwait’s overall population of 4.8 million.