Kuwait extends deadline for mandatory biometrics registration

Kuwait has extended the deadline for submitting fingerprint data for the country’s central biometric database.

Kuwaitis will be able to give their fingerprints until September 30th while expats will receive an even longer deadline – until December 30, 2024, according to the Ministry of Interior. The initial deadline to finalize the collection of fingerprints was June.

The Ministry also reminded residents to book appointments through the Meta platform or the Sahel application before heading to the designated centers, The Kuwaiti Times reports.

Authorities have been urging Kuwaitis to complete the registration under the threat of suspending all transactions with Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior. To speed up the process, the government has been installing biometric scanners at malls and opening new registration centers.

According to data from April, two million citizens and expatriates submitted their fingerprints with 400,000 more to go. To ensure each citizen is enrolled, the country is introducing an at-home fingerprinting service for the ill and the elderly.

The fingerprint collection will allow the Gulf state to enhance security measures and tackle dual nationalities. The delays may be related to Kuwait’s demographics: Kuwait’s population of 4.8 million has around 3.2 million foreigners, many of whom may hold dual citizenship or are residing in the country on temporary work visas.

Article Topics

biometric database  |  biometric identification  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  identity management  |  Kuwait