Kuwaiti nationality law

The Kuwaiti nationality law restricts expats from easily becoming citizens of the State of Kuwait. The Kuwaiti nationality law is old and a decree was first passed in 1920, then in 1959. An Emir's decree was passed later in 1960 and from the 1970s the nationality law became restrictive. A number of amendments were made in 1980, 1982, 1994,1998, 2000. Amendments were made in 1987 but were rejected by the assembly. There were also proposals in 2006 but the parliament which proposed it dissolved.

Kuwait has more than 300 non-Muslim citizens, mostly Christians and Bahais. In 1982, the parliament amended the constitution to bar non-Muslims from naturalization. Kuwait plans to change their nationality law to allow non-Muslims to become citizens.

The late MP Nabeel al-Fadhel submitted an inquiry to the Constitutional Court questioning the constitutionality of barring non-Muslims from obtaining the Kuwaiti nationality. The most recent proposal was made by MP Saleh Ashour who suggested to cancel item 5 of article 4 of the constitution.

An original Kuwaiti is a person who settled in Kuwait before 1920. A person who believes that he has maintained his normal residence in Kuwait even though he is living in another country if he has intended to go back to Kuwait is also an original Kuwaiti.

Children born to unknown parents in Kuwait are Kuwaiti citizens by birth.

A child born to a Kuwaiti father irrespective of the place of birth is a Kuwaiti citizen.

Kuwaiti citizenship may be granted by the Minister of the Interior to, if he or she must satisfy all of the following:

Citizenship may be granted by the Minister of Interior, if he or she also must satisfy one of the following:

The wife may be granted citizenship only if she declares her wish to be Kuwaiti. She may be granted citizenship only after 15 years from the date of her wish to become a Kuwaiti. The Minister of Interior has the right to reduce the number of years. The Kuwaiti husband has to be a Muslim in order to pass his citizenship to his wife. A wife whose husband was naturalized as a Kuwaiti may be granted citizenship only if she declares her wish to be a Kuwaiti within one year of her husband's naturalization. The children of the naturalization are considered to be Kuwaiti. They can decide whether they want to be Kuwaiti or attain the nationality of the parent's previous citizenship. Termination of marriage will not normally lead to revoking of citizenship. The wife of a husband who takes up the nationality of another country may not lose her nationality unless she wishes to do so. The children of their father who is a naturalized citizen of another nation may not get to keep their Kuwaiti citizenship and have to attain the citizenship of the father. The children may keep their nationality if the law of that country allows it. The children can get back their Kuwaiti citizenship upon attaining the age of majority.

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Wikipedia