Kuwait revokes citizenship of 9,464 people, most of them women

Kuwait decided on Saturday to revoke the citizenship of 9,464 people, in the largest measure of its kind in the country's history.

Local media reported that the official gazette (Kuwait Today) issued 4 decrees and 2 decisions to withdraw Kuwaiti citizenship from 9,464 people.

The first decree stipulated “withdrawing Kuwaiti citizenship from 5,694 women and those who had acquired it through their dependency, while the second decree stipulated revoking Kuwaiti citizenship from 38 people, and the third decree stipulated withdrawing Kuwaiti citizenship from 3 people and those who had acquired it through their dependency.”

The fourth decree also stipulated “withdrawing citizenship from 3,724 women and those who had acquired it through their dependency, and two Cabinet decisions stipulated withdrawing citizenship certificates from 4 persons and a woman and those who had acquired it through their dependency.”

This is not the first decision taken by Kuwait in the context of reviewing the decisions of those who have obtained citizenship in the country.

Official: Major General Khaled Mudhi Al-Shammari's Kuwaiti citizenship has been withdrawn after it was proven that he committed forgery, in accordance with the law.

It is not clear how some individuals were able to reach sensitive positions in the state despite committing fraud. Therefore, the mechanisms followed when granting senior positions must be scrutinized. #Fahd_AlYousef #Decree pic.twitter.com/zK3VC9532u

— Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah (@Fahad_Alyoussef) February 15, 2025

On February 9, Kuwait issued a similar decision to withdraw the citizenship of 4,135 women, after the approval of the Council of Ministers. The decision also includes those who had acquired it through dependency with them.

In September 2024, Kuwaiti authorities launched a campaign targeting “cases of fake and dual nationality,” including those extending back decades.

The Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Investigation of Kuwaiti Nationality, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, said last December that “those whose nationality was revoked will enjoy all the previous benefits when they held Kuwaiti nationality, and this will continue until their death. They will be granted a blue Kuwaiti passport, but without Kuwaiti nationality, as well as a civil card, the same blue Kuwaiti card, and they will be treated as Kuwaiti citizens.”

The population of Kuwait does not exceed 5 million people according to the latest statistics, and expatriates constitute 69 percent, twice the number of citizens.

Source: Agencies