Stripped of nationality: What Kuwait's new circular means for citizens

The Kuwaiti Cabinet has issued a new circular outlining the rights, privileges, and obligations of individuals whose citizenship has been revoked, particularly those granted nationality under Article 5/Third of the 1965 Census or by dependency. The circular defines what affected citizens may retain, including travel, employment, education, housing, and investment rights, while setting strict conditions, timeframes, and limitations to ensure compliance with the state’s legal and administrative framework.

Framework and scope of the circular

The government’s circular, based on Cabinet Resolution No. 1355 of 2025, establishes the framework governing benefits and restrictions for individuals whose Kuwaiti nationality has been withdrawn. It applies specifically to those who previously obtained citizenship under Article 5/Third of the Nationality Law, a provision that includes members of the 1965 Census category and those who gained nationality through dependency.

The measures seek to regulate their temporary rights and obligations during a one-year grace period beginning from the publication of the revocation decree in the Official Gazette , allowing them to regularise their legal status within the country.

Key provisions and retained privileges

The circular preserves nine principal entitlements designed to mitigate the immediate impact of nationality withdrawal while maintaining legal oversight.

1. Temporary travel permission

Affected individuals may travel using a Kuwaiti passport for four months from the date the decree appears in the Official Gazette. This concession falls within a one-year grace period granted for them to adjust their status. They must begin regularisation procedures within the first three months, providing evidence of intent. Failure to demonstrate genuine progress results in forfeiture of all associated benefits and the requirement to obtain travel documents from their embassy.

2. Continued employment

They may continue working in public institutions or state-owned companies under valid contracts issued by the Civil Service Commission or relevant government entities. However, they are barred from supervisory or leadership roles.

3. Education rights maintained

Those affected retain the right to continue studies at every level, from primary through university and postgraduate education. Scholarships granted prior to citizenship withdrawal, whether domestic or abroad, remain valid for the duration of ongoing programmes.

4. Ownership of private residence

Each individual may keep one private residence in Kuwait. In cases where multiple residences were held for legitimate family reasons, more than one may be retained, provided all are used solely for private residential purposes.

5. Retention of housing benefits

Those who received housing benefits or Credit Bank financing before citizenship withdrawal may retain them under strict repayment terms:

• If construction is complete, all funds must be repaid within one year of the decree’s publication.
• If construction is in progress, it must be finished at the individual’s expense, with loan repayment within two years.
• If only a building permit was issued, the land may be retained provided it is developed into a residence within two years.

6. Sponsorship and personal assets

They may continue to sponsor domestic workers and own private vehicles, in accordance with existing Kuwaiti regulations.

7. Investment and trading rights

Those affected remain eligible to trade in shares, bonds, and securities on the Kuwait Stock Exchange or other approved markets, either personally or through companies under their ownership.

8. Small and Medium Enterprise ( SME ) loans

Individuals with outstanding financing from the National Fund for SME Development must continue repaying loans under the same terms. They remain entitled to existing incentives under Law No. 98 of 2013 and its amendments, though no new loans will be issued.

9. Housing welfare benefits

The Public Authority for Housing Welfare will maintain certain rights for those naturalised under Article 5/Third:

• Continued participation in ownership documents for alternative housing units.
• Continued residence in government-rented housing for up to five years, though existing applications will be cancelled and new ones barred.
• Continuation of joint housing applications registered with their only Kuwaiti son, in accordance with Article 2/7 of the Housing Welfare Regulations .

Restrictions and legal conditions

Despite these concessions, the circular draws a firm line on privileges no longer available to former citizens.

They will not be treated as Kuwaiti nationals in matters involving public state property, including chalets, livestock pens, and agricultural, industrial, or commercial plots. These rights must be transferred within five years, without fees, to first-degree Kuwaiti relatives.

Similarly, holders of commercial, investment, or industrial properties, as well as vacant land, are given a five-year window to sell, transfer, or otherwise regularise ownership in accordance with legal requirements.

The immediate suspension of all privileges will occur in two circumstances:

If a final court judgment is issued for crimes involving felonies, moral turpitude, dishonesty, state security, religion, or offences against the Emir.

If the individual fails to regularise their status or secure valid residency within one year of the decree’s publication.

Right to appeal and oversight mechanisms

The circular explicitly upholds the right to appeal through the Committee for the Withdrawal, Revocation, and Loss of Kuwaiti Citizenship , established under Cabinet Resolution No. 207 of 2025, and amended by Resolution No. 493 of 2025.

Affected individuals may file grievances before the committee to seek reconsideration or correction of their legal status. This provision reinforces procedural fairness within Kuwait’s broader framework of nationality governance.

Balancing state authority and social continuity

Through this directive, Kuwait’s Cabinet has sought to draw a distinction between citizenship as a legal status and the social and economic realities of those who once held it. By allowing continued access to employment, education, and property, albeit with defined limits, the government aims to preserve social order and mitigate disruption, while asserting its sovereign authority to regulate nationality.

The policy’s measured tone underscores an intent to manage a delicate balance, maintaining state control over citizenship while ensuring that those affected retain dignity and basic stability during the transition to a new legal status.