Kuwait’s General Administration of Security Relations and Media has announced mandatory fingerprinting for all citizens and residents following a crucial update from the Ministry of Interior.

Starting from March 1, 2024, individuals have a period of three months until June 1, 2024, to undergo this process, Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior said in a social media post.

Failure to comply will result in the suspension of all transactions with the Ministry of Interior.

The authority said that the ministry continues to take the biometric fingerprint of citizens, citizens of GCC countries, and residents at the country’s border crossings including Kuwait International Airport, and the centres prepared for this.

The ministry said biometric fingerprinting can be performed at various centres across the country for fingerprinting. The designated biometric fingerprinting locations include:

• 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 (for citizens and citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council countries)
• Personality Investigation Department, Corporate Fingerprinting, in the Ali Sabah Al Salem area
• Identity Investigation Department fingerprints companies in the Jahra area (for residents)
• Designated commercial complexes: Avenues Mall, 360 Mall, Al Kout Mall, Capital Mall, and Ministries Complex

The ministry clarified that travellers are allowed to leave Kuwait and exempted from immediate fingerprinting, but the process is mandatory upon their return.

Residents are urged to comply with the directive to avoid any inconvenience or disruption of transactions in the Ministry of Interior.

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