The Ministry of Interior has announced that biometric fingerprint centers located in shopping malls will cease operations starting October 1, as the deadline for Kuwaiti citizens approaches. Lieutenant Colonel Hamad Jassim Al-Shammari from the Personal Investigation and Automated Search Department reported a significant surge in visitors to the fingerprint centers due to this upcoming deadline, which is set for the end of this month for Kuwaitis and the end of the year for expatriates. He mentioned that around 6,000 people are being served daily.

In an interview with Al-Akhbar Channel, Al-Shammari revealed that approximately 100,000 Kuwaiti citizens, out of around 900,000, still need to complete their biometric fingerprinting. Similarly, about 790,000 expatriates, from a total of 2.6 million, have not yet finished their biometric registration.

He also cautioned that individuals who do not complete the fingerprinting process will have all their government and banking transactions suspended until they comply. Once they complete the process, the suspension will be lifted. Banks have started sending warning messages to customers, urging them to complete the biometric fingerprint procedure before the deadline to update their civil ID cards and ensure the smooth processing of banking services. Those who do not comply will face the suspension of their civil ID cards, which will subsequently lead to the suspension of their bank accounts, in accordance with the Ministry of Interior’s directive.