The Central Agency for Addressing the Status of Illegal Residents launched a digital platform on Monday to handle cases involving the withdrawal of Kuwaiti nationality under Article 5. The system is intended for those who previously held the status of illegal residents before any citizenship grant and now seek to complete procedures to demonstrate seriousness in adjusting their situation, the agency said in a statement distributed on its social media channels. Article 5 cases typically encompass grants for distinguished services, offspring of Kuwaiti women and individuals documented in the 1965 census. Applicants are directed to submit only the civil ID copy of the person named in the withdrawal decree or a death certificate if the principal is deceased.
According to the Central Agency announcement, applications must reference solely the individual specified in the relevant decision, precluding separate submissions by or for dependents. For deceased persons, family members should utilize the name and personal details of the original holder when filing through the platform. The process involves downloading a certificate from the agency’s official website before manual upload to the Sahel application, as no direct integration is available. Users facing technical challenges can seek support at the agency’s East Al-Sawaber headquarters.
A statement issued by the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls in June 2026 reported that nationality withdrawals have affected more than 70,000 individuals in Kuwait since the policy intensified in 2025. The Central Agency for Addressing the Status of Illegal Residents has played a key role in managing the consequences of these decisions for the affected population. The introduction of the digital platform is part of efforts to organize and expedite case processing for this category of applicants.
Kuwait’s government has expanded digital services in recent years to facilitate public transactions and reduce paperwork. A PwC Middle East review of GCC digital transformation projects identified the Sahel platform as a significant component in modernizing residency and civil affairs procedures. The new system for withdrawn nationality cases extends this approach to a specialized area of administrative review. Such tools allow for more efficient handling of complex files that often require detailed verification.
The agency did not provide specific figures on the number of potential applicants for the new platform in its announcement. Eligible individuals are instructed to prepare the necessary documentation in line with the outlined requirements. Additional information regarding the initiative can be obtained through the Central Agency’s official online resources.
