KUWAIT: First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah affirmed on Sunday that decree law no. 158 of 2024, amending article 16 of Amiri decree no. 15 of 1959 concerning the Kuwait Nationality Law, ensures a dignified life for foreign wives of Kuwaiti citizens under article 8 of the Kuwait Nationality Law whose citizenship has been withdrawn. The law guarantees all the privileges they previously enjoyed before the issuance of the decrees withdrawing their citizenship.

This statement came during a speech by Sheikh Fahad while presiding over a meeting at Seif Palace on Sunday with heads and officials of relevant government agencies. The meeting focused on monitoring the measures taken by these agencies to address the files of foreign wives of Kuwaiti citizens under article 8 of the Kuwait Nationality Law whose citizenship has been revoked and discussing proposals to ensure their dignified living conditions.

Sheikh Fahad noted that decree law no. 158 of 2024, which was issued following the decrees withdrawing citizenship from foreign wives of Kuwaitis under article 8 of the Kuwait Nationality

Law, authorizes the Cabinet to maintain the rights and benefits of this group as deemed appropriate to serve the public interest. This reflects Kuwait’s humanitarian and civilized approach.

During the meeting, Acting Deputy Director General for Insurance Affairs at the Public Institution for Social Security Salama bin Salama announced that “the institution will resume payment of pensions and contributions to foreign wives under article 8 whose citizenship was revoked, effective January 9, retroactively from the date the pensions and contributions were suspended”.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Ziad Al-Najem added “the disbursement of ration supplies to foreign wives under article 8 whose citizenship was revoked will continue without cancellation”. He clarified that “their commercial licenses and company ownerships will remain unaffected, although new businesses established by this group will have a maximum ownership limit of 49 percent”.

Meanwhile, Acting Director General of the Public Authority for Civil Information Jaber Al-Kandari explained that the authority will activate the Kuwait Mobile ID app for foreign wives under article 8 whose citizenship was revoked within the coming days. He noted that their new civil ID cards will be issued by the end of this month without requiring them to visit the authority.

The meeting also discussed the legal framework for government agencies in handling the status of foreign wives of Kuwaiti citizens under article 8 of the Kuwait Nationality Law whose citizenship has been revoked. – KUNA