Kuwait’s cabinet has approved a draft law amending the country’s citizenship regulations to strip naturalised citizens of the right to vote, run for office or be appointed to any elected body, the state-run news agency reported on Tuesday.
Under the amendments, citizenship may be revoked if a person deliberately adds to their citizenship file, or to that of another person, someone who is not their child or descendant, if this is established by the Supreme Committee for Kuwaiti Citizenship Investigation or a final court ruling.
In such cases, the citizenship of the person's children or descendants may also be revoked if it is established that they knew about the addition.
The cabinet approved a draft decree-law amending provisions of the 1959 Kuwaiti Citizenship Law at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al Sabah.
The latest measures are part of Kuwait's review of citizenship files, a campaign that has led to the revocation of thousands of people's nationality over the past two years. In June, Kuwait revoked the citizenship of 2,192 people.
The draft law would also introduce an electronic Kuwaiti citizenship certificate. The Interior Minister would issue the certificate, which would have same legal validity and effect as the paper citizenship.
The cabinet referred the draft decree-law to Emir Sheikh Meshal.
Kuwait revoked the citizenship of almost 50,000 people in 2025 in a sweeping review of nationality files that officials say leaves “no one exempt”.
Kuwaitis are a minority in their own country. There are about 1.5 million citizens in a population of about 4.5 million residents. Citizenship is highly prized.
