MoI to update DNA

Ministry of Interior will next month embark on an extensive process of updating data in the citizenship files of Kuwaitis prior to the end of this year and before starting the DNA testing process due early 2017, reports Al-Shahed daily quoting official sources.

They said the General Department for Citizenship and Passport Affairs is working on selecting members for a dedicated team that will be committed in carrying out this mission with complete confidentiality and in a thorough manner in order to prevent leak of any information related to those who obtained nationality through fraudulent ways.

The sources revealed that the team will consist of only Kuwaiti professionals and will not include any expatriates, especially since previous investigations have proven the complicity of expatriate staff in committing fraud and adding children of GCC nationals to the files of their Kuwaiti relatives.

They indicated that updating data of citizenship files will be carried out in coordination with the General Department for Citizenship and Passport Affairs, Information Systems Department, Public Ports Authority, Public Authority for Civil Information and Birth Certificates Registration Department at Ministry of Health.

The sources affirmed that the tasks assigned to the team will include inquiring about Kuwaitis residing in neighboring countries, checking their entry and exit dates, and finding out the occasions for which they come to the country such as elections.

The team will also investigate the transactions of those Kuwaitis with the Public Authority for Housing Welfare and Public Institution for Social Security.

They added that the DNA testing procedure, which will precede the issuance of e-passport for Kuwaiti citizens, will not disclose any family-related information but will only focus on whether the citizenship was obtained through fraudulent ways.