Kuwait has implemented an official amendment to the fees charged for a specific passport-related government service, following a ministerial decision issued by the Ministry of Interior and published in the country’s official gazette. The amendment establishes a new charge for obtaining a replacement when an original Kuwaiti passport has been lost.

The measure was introduced under Ministerial Decision No. 1769 of 2026, issued on October 5, 2026, by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah. The decision was subsequently published in Issue No. 1812 of the Kuwait Al Youm Official Gazette on October 11, 2026.

Under Article One, the third item of Article Two of Ministerial Decision No. 20 of 1971 was amended to establish a fee of KD 100 for issuing a replacement for a lost Kuwaiti passport. The provision concerns a specific transaction handled by the General Department of Nationality and Kuwaiti Travel Documents.

The amendment is particularly relevant to Kuwaiti citizens who lose their original passports and need replacement travel documents. Applicants should familiarize themselves with the applicable procedures and determine whether any legally established exemption may apply to their individual circumstances.

An important distinction is that the KD 100 charge applies specifically to replacing a lost Kuwaiti passport. The published decision does not establish the same amount for ordinary passport renewal, first-time passport issuance or every other transaction performed by the passport authorities.

Likewise, the amendment does not apply to foreign passports held by expatriate residents of Kuwait. Those documents are issued by the relevant foreign authorities, while the ministerial decision concerns the specific Kuwaiti travel document service identified in its text.

According to Kuwait’s official government services portal, the lost-passport replacement procedure includes attending the relevant nationality and travel documents authority in person so that the circumstances and location of the loss can be examined. Applicants must also provide a written statement reporting the loss.

The government portal further explains that the loss must be announced in the Kuwait Al Youm Official Gazette. Its published procedural guidance refers to a legally prescribed waiting period of five months before the replacement document can be issued, subject to the applicable rules.

Additional requirements published by the government include identity verification, passport photograph specifications and submission through designated service centers. The portal also contains information concerning exemptions for certain eligible categories, which applicants should confirm with the competent authority.

However, applicants should be aware that older government service pages may display fee information that predates the October 2026 amendment. The newly published ministerial decision is therefore the relevant legal reference for the updated charge, while procedural requirements and exemptions should be confirmed through official channels.

Article Two directs the Ministry of Interior’s undersecretary to implement the decision and states that it enters into force upon publication in the official gazette. Accordingly, the amended fee has been effective since October 11, 2026, rather than becoming effective on the date of this report.

The decision forms part of the regulatory framework governing government charges and the administrative services provided by Kuwait’s nationality and travel document authorities. Its legal references include legislation concerning fees for the use of public facilities and services.

Citizens who lose their passports should avoid assuming that a replacement can be issued immediately or that standard renewal charges will apply. The process may involve additional documentary and administrative requirements specific to lost travel documents.

Applicants are encouraged to consult Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior and the official government portal to verify the documents required, the relevant service center, processing arrangements, applicable fee and any exemptions available in their circumstances.

The confirmed outcome is that Ministerial Decision No. 1769 of 2026 establishes a KD 100 charge for replacing a lost Kuwaiti passport, with the amended provision in force from October 11, 2026, following its publication in the Kuwait Al Youm Official Gazette.

Source: Kuwait Ministry of Interior – Kuwait Al Youm Official Gazette