The Ministry of Interior has confirmed that all transactions for citizens and residents who fail to complete biometric fingerprinting by the set deadlines will be suspended. Citizens must comply by September 30, 2024, while expatriates have until December 31, 2024. Despite these deadlines, the Ministry assured that this process will not affect travel rights unless restrictions are imposed by the Public Prosecution, the General Department of Investigations, or through ministerial decisions in the public interest.

Biometric Fingerprinting: Importance and Compliance

Since the launch of biometric fingerprinting in May 2023, over 805,000 citizens have completed the process, leaving 171,000 still non-compliant. For expatriates, 1,864,000 have undergone fingerprinting, with 970,000 yet to comply. The Ministry anticipates that approximately 250,000 individuals may miss the deadline, either due to non-compliance or being wanted by authorities.

The biometric fingerprinting project, initiated in 2016, aims to create a comprehensive database for citizens, residents, and short-term visitors. This database helps combat passport forgery, addresses dual nationality issues, and assists in identifying and locating individuals of interest to authorities. The project was modeled after similar successful implementations in GCC and other countries.

Compliance for Illegal Residents

Illegal residents are also required to complete biometric fingerprinting. The General Administration of Information Systems and the Central Agency for Illegal Residents will coordinate this process, particularly when illegal residents travel, renew security cards, or conduct other official transactions.

Transaction Suspension After the Deadline

After the deadlines, any individual—citizen or resident—who has not completed the biometric fingerprinting process will face transaction suspensions in all ministries, government agencies, banks, and listed companies. Further investigations will follow non-compliance.

Special Provisions for Individuals with Special Needs

To accommodate individuals with disabilities or those bedridden, the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the General Administration of Information Systems, offers mobile biometric fingerprinting services. So far, 1,300 beneficiaries have utilized this service.

For those with moderate to severe disabilities, the Ministry announced that document submission for biometric fingerprinting can be done through WhatsApp. Once the required documents are received, appointments will be scheduled for mobile fingerprinting services.

Extended Operating Hours for Fingerprinting Centers

With only 21 days left until the deadline for citizens, the Ministry has extended the operating hours for fingerprinting centers to operate daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Individuals are required to book their appointments in advance using the Sahel application before visiting the centers.

The biometric fingerprinting process is a vital initiative for ensuring national security and streamlining identification processes in Kuwait. The Ministry of Interior urges citizens and residents to comply before the deadlines to avoid suspension of transactions in various government and private sectors.