Foreign-born women stripped of Kuwaiti citizenship to retain benefits, ministry says

Move aims to 'preserve the stability' of those who acquired status through marriage

More than half of those who had their citizenship revoked were women who had been naturalised through marriage. AP

Kuwait’s Ministry of Social Affairs said foreign-born women who acquired citizenship through marriage and recently had it revoked will retain access to benefits.

The ministry said that the women would be treated “as Kuwaiti citizens in all benefits and services” if they have “regularised their status”. This means they must comply with authorities during the citizenship revocation process.

“All social and service-related benefits will continue without any change in line with government directives, to preserve the stability of the women concerned and their families,” it said.

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The pledge comes amid Kuwait’s sweeping year-long review, which has seen almost 50,000 people stripped of their citizenship.

The process is led by the Supreme Committee for Kuwaiti Nationality, chaired by First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al Sabah, and including other senior ministers.

A large proportion of those affected, nearly 29,000, are women who had been naturalised under the country's nationality law through marriage to Kuwaiti men. In some cases, revocation came decades after naturalisation.

While the loss of citizenship formally removes eligibility for state benefits, the government has granted a temporary period for this group to adjust their status and maintain access to services during the appeal process.

Kuwait has stripped the citizenship of 50,000 people. Reuters

With just more than 1.5 million citizens out of about 4.5 million residents, Kuwaitis are a minority in their own country. Citizenship is highly prized.

The status grants access to generous state benefits including health care and education, public-sector employment, subsidised housing and utilities, interest-free marriage loans and monthly food rations.

The country holds about seven per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves, which underpins a per capita income among the highest in the world, making Kuwaiti nationality an economic advantage.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior’s General Department of Residency Affairs has announced the arrest of a foreign national accused of residency permit fraud.

Investigations revealed the suspect was officially sponsored by one company but acted as a representative for 19 others and managed nine of them under power of attorney, with 150 workers registered.

Several other suspects were also detained for paying thousands of dinars to renew or transfer their residency permits illegally. “They admitted they did not work for the companies involved and knew the transactions were unlawful,” said the ministry.