Kuwait suspends electronic banking for 60K with biometrics unregistered

Following the September 30 deadline for Kuwaiti citizens to undergo biometric fingerprinting, the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) has provided the list of unregistered individuals to the Kuwait Banking Association. In response, banks have accelerated the process of freezing accounts, in line with a new directive that sets a final deadline of November 1.

There were almost 60,000 Kuwaitis unregistered when the deadline passed, Arab Times reports. As of last week, Zawya reported that approximately 110,000 Kuwaitis and 790,000 expatriates have yet to complete the procedure. However, expatriates, who make up over 65 percent of the country’s population, have until December 31, 2024, to fulfill the requirement.

The number of individuals visiting fingerprinting centers has significantly increased, with an average of 6,000 Kuwaitis per day, compared to the previously reported 600 daily.

The Ministry of Interior has announced that citizens who are abroad, such as students on scholarships, patients receiving treatment abroad, diplomats, and workers in foreign offices, are temporarily exempt from the deadline. However, as reported by Al-Seyassah Daily, they will need to complete the biometrics at the airport upon their return.

Individuals who have not completed the biometric process are subjected to immediate account freezing and banking transaction suspension. By mid-October, bank cards issued by Knet, Visa, and MasterCard will be deactivated. By November 1, non-compliant individuals will no longer be able to withdraw funds even through in-person visits to the banks.

Tens of thousands of individuals are on the affected list, Times Kuwait reports. Banks have begun notifying customers impacted by these measures of the impending freeze on their accounts. Furthermore, the government will also suspend civil cards.

Article Topics

biometric enrollment  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  financial services  |  government services  |  Kuwait