Thousands of Kuwaitis Rush to Register Biometrics Ahead of Deadline

Kuwait has been witnessing a surge in citizens undergoing mandatory biometric fingerprinting ahead of the September 30 deadline for Kuwaiti nationals. Around 6,000 Kuwaitis have been turning up daily at fingerprinting facilities, a significant increase from the previous average of 600. At the end of last week, 110,000 Kuwaitis and 790,000 of the country’s 2.6 million expatriates had yet to comply with the biometric requirements.

Kuwaiti authorities have warned that those failing to complete the process will face restrictions on government and banking transactions.

In a move to facilitate compliance, authorities have introduced a home biometric service for elderly and ill individuals unable to visit the outdoor centers. The Ministry of Interior has also clarified that while fingerprinting offices at shopping malls will close after October 1, dedicated centers at the ministry’s identification department will remain open daily.

Kuwaiti authorities plan to restrict access to bank accounts of citizens and expatriates who fail to comply, as directed by the Central Bank of Kuwait. However, those who miss the fingerprinting deadline will not face a travel ban unless ordered by public prosecution or the General Directorate of Investigations.

The biometric fingerprinting project aims to establish a comprehensive database of all residents and visitors in Kuwait aged 18 or above. It is intended to enhance security, eliminate passport forgery, and prevent double citizenship, which is banned in Kuwait. The project is part of a broader effort to improve identification and address fraudulent practices.

It was announced last month that Kuwait authorities have used this project to apprehend hundreds of hundreds of individuals wanted for various crimes.

Source: Gulf News, Arab Times Online

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September 30, 2024 – by Ali Nassar-Smith