Kuwait mandates biometric fingerprinting for citizens, residents

The Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) has implemented a mandatory fingerprinting policy for all citizens and residents from Friday, March 1.

This comes within the framework of Kuwait’s efforts to modernize its security infrastructure by linking all transactions to the central biometric database system.

The individuals have a period of three months until June 1, 2024, to undergo this process.

Failure to register fingerprints within the specified timeframe will restrict access to ministry services, including renewals of residency permits and driver’s licenses.

The ministry has established fingerprinting centres at border crossings, Kuwait International Airport, and designated commercial complexes for Kuwaitis, GCC citizens, and residents.

Locations for biometric fingerprinting

• Hawalli security directorate in Hawalli governorate

• Farwaniya security directorate in Farwaniya governorate

• Al Ahmadi security directorate in Al-Ahmadi governorate

• Mubarak Al Kabeer security directorate in Mubarak Al-Kabeer governorate

• Al Jahra security directorate in Al-Jahra governorate

• Personality investigation department, corporate fingerprinting, in the Ali Sabah Al Salem area

• Identity investigation department fingerprints companies in the Jahra area

• Designated commercial complexes: Avenues mall, 360 mall, Al Kout mall, Capital mall, and ministries complex

The ministry stated that travellers are permitted to leave Kuwait and are not required to undergo immediate fingerprinting upon their return.

The General Department of Criminal Evidence has recorded 1.78 million citizens and residents who have undergone fingerprinting at various border crossings and designated centers since the inception of biometric fingerprint project last year. Among them, roughly 900,000 are citizens, while 880,000 are expats.

Around 670,000 individuals, primarily expatriates, are yet to complete their biometric registration, Arabic daily Al-Rai reported.

Kuwaitis and expatriates can now book fingerprinting appointments via the Sahel application, with individuals under 18 not required to undergo fingerprinting.