Kuwait’s mass citizenship revocations explained – and why they matter

Nearly have 50,000 lost citizenship in year-long review

A Kuwaiti woman consults electoral lists before casting her vote in parliamentary elections in 2024. AFP

Kuwait has revoked the citizenship of almost 50,000 people over the past year in a sweeping review of nationality files that officials say leaves “no one exempt”.

With a citizen population of a little more than 1.5 million out of about 4.5 million residents, Kuwaitis are a minority in their own country. Yet citizenship is highly prized.

Below are key questions and answers explaining the campaign:

What is the process?

The drive is led by the Supreme Committee for Kuwaiti Nationality, established by a decree in 2024 and led by First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Al Sabah.

It has the authority to review all nationality files, identify cases where citizenship was obtained unlawfully, and recommend revocation. Its mandate covers all Kuwaitis, regardless of status or position.

Senior ministers and the Cabinet Secretary General also sit on the panel, which is charged with reviewing every nationality file to ensure compliance with Kuwait’s Nationality Law.

The process is systematic: the committee examines files, verifies lineage claims, and checks for irregularities using new biometric tools such as DNA and iris scans. Its recommendations go to the Cabinet, which ratifies revocations before they are published in the official state gazette.

The scale has been unprecedented. More than 35,000 people had been stripped of nationality by the end of 2024, rising to about 42,000 by March 2025 and around 50,000 by August.

What are the legal grounds?

Kuwait’s nationality law allows for revocation on several grounds: obtaining nationality through fraud, forgery or false statements; holding dual nationality without authorisation; actions deemed against the “supreme interests” of the state; or benefiting from dependency-based or “services rendered” naturalisations that may no longer be considered valid.

Kuwaitis wait outside a polling station during parliamentary elections. EPA

In some cases, state media has listed the reason for revocation simply as being in the “higher interest” of the state, a broad category not always accompanied by a detailed public explanation.

Authorities say the campaign is about safeguarding the integrity of Kuwaiti identity. Critics warn that retroactive revocations, particularly against long-settled women, risk creating cases of statelessness. With thousands of files still under review, the total number of revocations is expected to rise further.

Who is under review?

According to Sheikh Fahad, “all nationality files in Kuwait are under review,” including those of current and former MPs, ministers, celebrities, and ordinary citizens.

Officials emphasise there are no exceptions, and the process will continue until every file has been examined.

High-profile figures have been affected. In late 2024, actor Dawood Hussein, singer Nawal Al Kuwaitia, and influencer Noha Nabil had their citizenship revoked, along with dependants who gained nationality through them.

What happens to women naturalised through marriage?

A large proportion of those affected are foreign-born women who acquired citizenship through marriage to Kuwaiti men under Article 8 of the nationality law.

Official figures reported in local media indicate nearly 29,000 women have lost their nationality under the review, in some cases decades after naturalisation.

Kuwaiti Minister of Interior and First Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Al Sabah in Beirut. EPA

However, the Interior Ministry has been allowing a temporary period, particularly for women and dependants, to regularise residency, settle employment status, and file appeals.

Marriage cases had until August 2025 to appeal or adjust their legal status; during that window, they could still access some services and maintain a valid civil ID until the case was finalised.

Can affected people appeal?

In May 2025, the government launched an electronic grievance portal to allow those stripped of nationality to challenge the decision.

Appeals must be filed within set deadlines, with the cut-off for marriage cases in August 2025. A separate Cabinet-appointed committee oversees the appeal process.

Why does citizenship matter?

Kuwaiti citizenship grants access to generous state benefits, including healthcare and education, public-sector employment, subsidised housing and utilities, interest-free marriage loans, and monthly food rations.

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

Citizenship rights have been at the centre of a long-standing debate in Kuwait, including the issue of about 120,000 stateless people in the country known as “bidoon”.