Why Kuwait is stopping granting automatic citizenship to foreign spouses

Kuwait has announced sweeping reforms to Kuwait’s nationality law, aimed at addressing concerns about misuse and fraud in granting citizenship. Key changes include the cancellation of Article 8 and the introduction of a mandatory 15-year residency requirement for foreign wives of Kuwaiti nationals before they can apply for citizenship.

Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, the first deputy prime minister who holds the charges of ministries of defence and interior, said the new laws were aimed at preventing the historical misuse of Article 8, which he claimed had often been exploited for "purchasing loyalties". He revealed that many individuals hold forged Kuwaiti citizenships and assured that those stripped of nationality under Article 8 would retain their basic rights but would not have an option for re-naturalisation. Since last August, Kuwait has revoked the citizenship of more than 12,000 people. 

The revised laws, published officially on Monday, amend several provisions of Decree Law No. 15 of 1959, introducing new criteria for granting and revoking citizenship. Foreign spouses of naturalised Kuwaiti citizens will no longer automatically gain Kuwaiti nationality. Foreign children of naturalised Kuwaiti citizens can choose between retaining Kuwaiti nationality or their original nationality within a year of reaching adulthood.

Under Article 13, nationality can be revoked if it was obtained through fraud, forgery or false statements, or if the individual is convicted of serious crimes such as offences against the state or defamation of religious figures or the emir. A new provision allows children born to Kuwaiti mothers and foreign fathers to be treated as Kuwaiti citizens if the father is deceased, imprisoned or has divorced the mother. 

This ensures these children have access to essential services like education and health care until they reach adulthood. The Ministry of interior will adopt modern scientific methods for granting and revoking citizenship, streamlining processes and ensuring compliance with technological advancements.

The law also addresses controversial cases, such as the revocation of citizenship for a Filipina who had gained nationality through marriage to an elderly Kuwaiti man. Her citizenship, granted shortly before her husband’s death, was revoked after she remarried an Asian man. Officials raised concerns about her potential efforts to secure Kuwaiti nationality for her children from the second marriage, citing risks to Kuwait’s national identity.

Sheikh Fahad emphasised that the new law aims to balance family stability with the need to preserve Kuwait’s identity. While nationalities granted in the 1970s will not be re-evaluated, cases involving forged documents remain a priority for scrutiny.

The reforms mark a significant shift in Kuwait’s approach to nationality, addressing long-standing issues of fraud while ensuring fair treatment for individuals with legitimate claims.