PACI resumed full working hours across its Kuwait branches on May 3, 2026, following a Civil Service Commission circular, according to Arab Times. The schedule includes card collection from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at South Surra, Ahmadi and Jahra offices, with varying public reception times by location and nationality.
According to the Arab Times report on the PACI announcement, the resumption applies to the main branch in South Surra along with the Ahmadi South Sabahiyah and Jahra facilities. The Civil Service Commission circular directed the return to standard operations after earlier adjustments. Card collection follows the split daily window while public reception alternates by branch with Kuwaitis served mornings at Jahra and non-Kuwaitis in the evenings. This restores full service capacity for civil identification processes.
PACI data from June 2025 placed Kuwait’s total population at 5,098,539 with 3,547,992 non-Kuwaitis according to statements the authority posted on its official X account. The same PACI figures showed a national workforce of 3.065 million including 2.56 million expatriate workers. These statistics reflect sustained demand for civil ID and residency documentation that PACI manages for both citizens and residents across the country.
The Civil Service Commission issued circulars in March 2026 that reduced daily hours to six and limited on-site staffing to 30 percent of employees amid regional circumstances Kuwait Times reported. Commission statements at the time emphasized rotation systems to maintain essential government functions during the period. The May resumption for PACI branches aligns with the conclusion of certain adjusted measures outlined in those directives. Later summer circulars addressed separate seasonal reductions from June through August.
In the announcement carried by Arab Times, PACI stated, “The Public Authority for Civil Information has announced the resumption of work under its full official schedule starting Sunday, May 3, 2026, in line with a circular issued by the Civil Service Commission.” The authority instructed all departments to apply the updated timings without delay. Branch-specific reception rules were included to manage daily visitor flow effectively.
Public reception schedules differ among the three branches to balance morning and evening demand according to the PACI directive reported by Arab Times. The South Surra main office functions as the primary hub for many transaction types. Residents requiring civil ID services can now access the full range of counter operations during designated periods. The standardized hours also cover record updates and permit-related inquiries at each location.
PACI operates under the Ministry of Interior and maintains civil registration records for the entire resident population according to official government overviews. The authority coordinates with embassies and other entities to verify documentation for expatriates who constitute the majority of residents per PACI statistics. Annual transaction volumes have grown in line with population increases recorded in successive PACI reports since 2020.
