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As a means to stem the use of fraudulent passports to gain entry into Kuwait, the authorities there are planning to fingerprint foreign workers at some of their embassies rather than in Kuwait to ensure that people who shouldn’t be allowed in the country are blocked from even landing at the airport:

According to the new plan, fingerprint machines will be placed in 10 Kuwaiti embassies abroad namely those from which labourers are hired and brought in to Kuwait. The machines will be also connected to a data base system which include those who are not allowed in for either security cases or violating the laws.

Although there is no complete list of the 10 countries that will have the system in place, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are said to be the first countries to receive the system. As for Arab states, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria are also to have the system but due to “the situation on the ground in these countries”, the plan has been delayed.

Interesting to see that Lebanon has been considered which adds another roadblock to Kuwaiti work permit applications. Coincidentally, Henley and Partners’ annual report on visa-free travel will be issued next month – we will have to wait and see how the Lebanese passport has held up (or held down as it currently languishes at the bottom of the list) against other passports.

Kuwait Int. airport

Kuwait Int. airport
–By Q8y_dream via flickr–