Submitting biometrics is mandatory to live and access a range of services in Kuwait. Foreign nationals who failed to disclose their biometrics by the deadline on December 30, 2024 will not only be dismissed for a residency permit, but will also be restricted to conduct banking transactions or change jobs.
Biometric collection in Kuwait is carried out during face-to-face appointments which can be booked via the Sahel app. Facilities set up by the Ministry of Interior are located around Kuwait.
The deadline was already delayed to September 2024 for Kuwaiti citizens and to December 2024 for Kuwaiti residents, including other Gulf Cooperative Council countries, aged 18 and above. During a 3-month timeframe which ended on June 1 2024, individuals could leave Kuwait freely whilst completing the mandatory requirements for the country’s central biometric database.
The locations of biometric facilities included at land borders, the Kuwait International Airport, security directorates at governates and designated commercial complexes. The Ministry of Interior, which has powers to suspend all citizens’ transactions if they fail to meet this requirement, has definitely acted after this latest December date passed.
