Kuwait: Knowledge Base profile
Published 1 May 2024
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About: Kuwait
This document contains useful information about Kuwait which will assist HM Passport Office staff process passport applications.
Contacts
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Publication
Below is information on when this version of the document was published:
- version 2.0
- published for Home Office staff on 26 April 2024
Changes from last version of this document
This document has been updated with minor formatting changes.
Kuwait: names
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Kuwait.
Naming conventions exist in Kuwait.
Names in Kuwait consist of:
- a personal forename
- ‘Al- ‘[father’s forename]
- ‘Al- ‘[grandfather’s forename]
- ‘Al- ‘[family surname]
Change of name
Names changes are allowed in Kuwait.
Women do not take the husband’s name upon marriage.
For a child’s change of name, the child must have a Kuwait birth certificate.
Kuwait: nationality
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Kuwait.
Dual nationality is not recognised in Kuwait.
Children with dual nationality have two years after reaching the age of 18 to decide whether to retain Kuwait nationality or keep their other nationality.
Kuwait: legitimacy
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy in Kuwait.
Legitimacy
Kuwait recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births.
A child will be considered:
- legitimate if born to parents who married at least 6 months before the date of birth
- illegitimate if born to:
- unmarried parents
- parents who married less than 6 months before the date of birth
- parents who married after the date of birth
Kuwait: adoption
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Kuwait.
Adoption is illegal in Kuwait.
Kuwait: surrogacy
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in Kuwait.
Surrogacy is illegal in Kuwait.
Kuwait: civil partnerships and marriage
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriages in Kuwait.
Civil partnerships and same sex relationships are not recognised in Kuwait.
Both religious and civil marriages are legal in Kuwait.
Kuwait: documents
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents in Kuwait.
Birth certificates
Birth certificates are not issued to every child born in Kuwait. A hospital notification (showing both parents’ details) is the only document issued to parents if a child:
- has a stateless parent
- is born less than 6 months after their parents marry
A birth must be registered with the Central Record for Birth and Death, Department of the Ministry of Health within 60 days. Late registrations are allowed.
A local Kuwait birth certificate has no middle name column, all forenames are shown in the one column.
If an error is found on a certificate, the Central Record Office will issue a new certificate showing the correct details.
Marriage certificates
All marriages are registered at the Ministry of Justice, marriages department.
When a couple are married, they are given 2 marriage certificates written in Arabic.
Death certificates
Deaths in Kuwait must be registered with the Central Record for Birth and Death, Department of the Ministry of Health. There is no time limit to register a death.
Identity documents
There are 2 identity cards in Kuwait, one for Kuwait citizens and one for foreign nationals. Identity cards must be applied for in person.
Kuwait issues an article 17 passport. The article 17 passport is issued to the Bedouin and it does not give them Kuwait nationality. An article 17 passport is valid for 5 years.