If you are planning to relocate to Kuwait, whether as a worker or on a family visa, you may be curious about the process and timeline for obtaining your Kuwait Civil ID. Once your visa application and medical fitness test have been successfully completed, the next crucial step is to receive your Kuwait Civil ID.
To assist you in this process, we have prepared a comprehensive guide on how to track the status of your ID and collect it once it is ready.
What is the Kuwait Civil ID?
The Kuwait Civil ID is issued to both citizens and residents of Kuwait by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI). This identification card encompasses essential information, including:
- Civil ID number
• Your name
• Nationality
• Sex
• Birth date
• Card expiry date
What is your Civil ID number?
Once you have initiated the residency process in Kuwait and successfully completed the visa and medical fitness test stages, you will be assigned a significant Civil ID number. This number holds utmost importance as it enables you to track the progress of your Civil ID and determine when you can collect it from PACI.
If you are currently employed under a work visa, you can also approach your company’s human resources (HR) department to inquire about your Civil ID number. Once you have obtained this number, here is a step-by-step guide on how you can effortlessly check the status of your card.
1. Civil ID status check through PACI website
To check the status of your Kuwait Civil ID online, you can visit the PACI website – https://services.paci.gov.kw/card/inquiry?lang=en and follow these steps:
- Click on ‘Card Status’.
• Enter the Civil ID number.
• Click submit.
Once you access the website, you will be able to check the status of your card. If it is still being processed, the website will display a message indicating this. Conversely, if your card is ready for collection, you will receive a notification specifying the location of the center where you can retrieve it.
2. Civil ID status check through Kuwait government website
- Visit the website – https://e.gov.kw/sites/kgoenglish/Pages/eServices/PACI/CivilIDStatus.aspx
• Enter your Civil ID number
• Click on ‘query’.
Once you access the website, you will be able to check the status of your card. If it is still being processed, the website will display a message indicating this. Conversely, if your card is ready for collection, you will receive a notification specifying the location of the center where you can retrieve it.
3. Civil ID status check through PACI hotline – 188988
You can also call the PACI helpline – 188988 – to get an update on your card’s status.
Digital option – Kuwait Mobile ID
Even as you eagerly await the delivery of your Civil ID card, there is a way to access a digital version of it through the convenient ‘Kuwait Mobile ID’ app. This app is compatible with Apple, Android, and Huawei devices, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
The mobile ID serves as a valuable tool for accessing both government and non-government services. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set it up:
- Begin by downloading the app from either the Apple App Store, Google Play, or Huawei AppGallery.
- Upon opening the app, you will be prompted to select your preferred language – Arabic or English.
- Tap on ‘Get started’ and then proceed to the ‘registration’ section.
- The app will request you to place your Civil ID card behind your phone, allowing it to retrieve necessary data through near-field communication (NFC). However, if you prefer not to use this method, you can choose the option to ‘enter data manually’.
- You will then be prompted to enter your Civil ID number and passport number.
- Next, provide your email address and mobile number, and click on ‘next’.
- The app will then guide you to take a photograph of your face using the front-facing camera of your phone. It is recommended by PACI to simply look at the camera until the app captures the picture.
- The app will verify the image, and once successfully verified, you will receive a one-time password (OTP) on your registered mobile number. Enter this number and press ‘continue’.
- As an added security measure, you will be asked to set a PIN. Remember that the PIN must consist of four to twelve digits, and should not be a sequential or duplicated series of numbers.
- Confirm your chosen PIN by entering it once more, and then tap on ‘confirm’.
Upon completing these steps, you will receive a message confirming the successful registration of your mobile ID.