Kuwait demands passport surrender from citizens stripped of nationality

Dubai: The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior has begun issuing formal notifications through the government’s “Sahel” app to individuals whose citizenship has been revoked under Article 8 of the nationality law, informing them that the grace period for using their Kuwaiti passports ended on Wednesday, October 1, Al Rai Arabic daily reported.

Those affected must now hand in their passports to the General Directorate of Nationality and Travel Documents. The passports are no longer valid for international travel, except for those currently abroad, who will be permitted to return to Kuwait. Upon arrival at airports, seaports, or land borders, they are required to surrender the documents immediately.

Officials said the measure is part of broader efforts to tighten enforcement of nationality regulations and ensure compliance with documentation rules. The ministry has warned that failure to submit the passports could trigger additional legal consequences.

More than 50,000 people have been so far stripped of their citizenship as part of the country’s ongoing nationwide crackdown on forged and illegally obtained nationalities.