The Public Authority for Civil Information introduced a new mechanism that lets Kuwaiti citizens activate their electronic signatures straight from the Hawiyti app, removing the prior obligation to use one of the authority’s kiosks. This update forms part of PACI’s broader push to expand digital offerings and simplify procedures for users seeking secure authentication for both government and private transactions. The authority’s announcement specified that the service launches in an initial phase restricted to Kuwaitis, with subsequent stages expected to include additional resident categories. PACI data indicates the change will allow faster processing while maintaining required security standards tied to users’ existing civil identification documents.
Citizens must hold a valid Civil ID and passport in addition to having the Hawiyti app installed and accessible to complete the activation, according to the authority. The Public Authority for Civil Information noted that the feature builds directly on the app’s existing capabilities for digital identity verification and document management. Previous PACI guidelines had directed users to register the digital signature function exclusively at kiosks using a smart Civil ID card. The authority has yet to release a detailed step-by-step guide for the in-app process but confirmed its availability as of Wednesday.
The Hawiyti application, developed and maintained by the Public Authority for Civil Information, functions as an official digital civil ID accepted across government entities and many private businesses. PACI’s website had long listed kiosk visits as mandatory for enabling the digital signature component prior to this update. A SAMENA Council assessment from December 2025 highlighted the authority’s parallel work on a unified data platform and artificial intelligence projects aimed at accelerating overall digital transformation in civil information services.
A 2025 study published in Administrative Sciences found that despite an internet penetration rate near 99 percent, only about 53 percent of Kuwaiti citizens had used digital government services at that time. The journal’s survey of 378 users showed the Sahel platform as the most accessed application at nearly 62 percent, followed by health and mobile ID tools. Public Authority for Civil Information initiatives align with national efforts to raise these adoption figures through streamlined mobile options.
Kuwait’s information and communications technology market stood at $20.4 billion in 2025 and is projected to expand to $32.18 billion within five years, according to a U.S. Department of Commerce assessment. The Central Agency for Information Technology has set a target to digitize more than 90 percent of government services in the near term as part of Vision 2035 priorities. The Public Authority for Civil Information’s latest Hawiyti enhancement contributes to that goal by reducing physical service center visits for routine authentication tasks.
Electronic signatures activated through the app enable legally binding approval of documents and transactions without paper forms, the authority’s documentation states. This capability supports sectors ranging from financial services to real estate and public administration where secure remote verification is increasingly standard. The Public Authority for Civil Information continues to update its digital infrastructure in response to user feedback and technological advances observed across the Gulf region.
