Kuwait Civil ID Data Update 2026: Name, Passport, Job and Phone
Civil ID Data Update Finder
Pick what you need to change to see where the change starts, what to bring and whether you need a new card.
Nothing you enter leaves this page. This is a guide only; the MOI, PAM and PACI decide each request.
A wrong letter in your English name, an old passport number or a job title that no longer fits can stop you at the airport, block a bank transfer or delay a residency renewal. The fix is a Civil ID data update, but the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) is usually not the place where the change starts. PACI prints what other authorities send it, so you first fix the record at the right ministry, then get a new card.
I compared PACI’s e-services list, the Kuwait Mobile ID help pages, Kuwait Government Online service pages and the news and guides people in Kuwait use, then sorted each change by where it starts. If you only want to know whether your reprinted card is ready, use our Civil ID status checker instead. This guide covers name, passport number, job title, nationality and marital status, mobile number and address, the online and in-person routes, documents, fees and the card reprint.
Table of Contents
Popular Civil ID guides
Quick answers to the most common Kuwait Civil ID and PACI questions.
What Is a Civil ID Data Update?
A Civil ID data update is any change to the personal details PACI holds against your civil number. Your civil number never changes, even when you change sponsor, passport or address. What changes is the data linked to it and, often, the printed card.
The Kuwait Mobile ID help page puts the rule plainly: if you see wrong data, you must first correct it with the Ministry of Interior (MOI). Then you need a new Civil ID, which costs 5 KD, and finally you press Update in the app. Most corrections follow that three-part path.
Who Changes What: PACI, MOI, PAM or MOJ
The hardest part is knowing where to go. Each type of data belongs to one authority.
| Data | Where the change starts | New card needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Passport number (expats) | MOI Residency Affairs, online or in Sahel | Yes |
| English name (expats) | MOI, matching your passport | Yes |
| Latin name (Kuwaitis) | PACI Latin name update service | Yes |
| Job title (expats) | Public Authority for Manpower (PAM), through your employer | Usually, after residency is updated |
| Nationality or marital status | MOI or the court and MOJ records | Yes |
| Photo | PACI, Sahel photo update | Yes |
| Address | PACI, Sahel or a PACI centre | Yes |
| Mobile number | PACI, Sahel | No |
PACI’s own e-services list today includes photo updates, a Latin name update for Kuwaitis, newborn data, status changes under Article 7 and Article 8, and fee payment. It does not list a general data correction form for expats.
How to Check the Data on Your Civil ID
Before you change anything, check exactly what PACI holds:
- Kuwait Mobile ID: open My ID and tap Details to see your name in Arabic and English and your card details.
- The card itself: the printed card shows your civil number, full name, date of birth, address, blood group, sponsor and expiry date.
- Your passport: compare the English spelling, passport number and dates letter by letter.
A mismatch between the Civil ID and the passport is the problem to fix first, because airlines and border officers compare the two.
Updating Your Passport Number After a New Passport
When an expat gets a new passport, the residency stays on the old passport number until you move it. Since March 2019 Kuwait no longer stamps residence stickers in passports, so the Civil ID carries your residency and must show the new passport number.
The official Kuwait Government Online page for Transfer Residence to New Passport sets these conditions:
- Your residence permit must be valid.
- You submit the old and new passports with copies, plus a signed application form.
- The government fee for the transfer is 0 KD.
- The in-person route is the General Department of Nationality and Travel Documents in your governorate.
One 2025 guide says you should apply within two months of the new passport’s issue date and that the transfer takes about 5 to 7 working days. Treat the timing as a guide, not an official rule.
How to Update Passport Data Online (Step by Step)
In February 2026, the MOI added a passport details update service for expats to the Sahel app, so you do not need a visit or an appointment. Guides describe the same service on the MOI individual e-services platform:
Prefer to watch? This short video shows how to update your passport in Sahel:
- Step 1 Log in to Sahel or the MOI individual e-services with your civil number and Kuwait Mobile ID.
- Step 2 Open Modify Data and choose Transfer and Update Passport Data for Residents.
- Step 3 Enter your old passport number, new passport number, nationality, issue date and expiry date.
- Step 4 Upload your Civil ID (front and back), the old passport copy and the new passport copy.
- Step 5 Submit and track it under Inquire on Status, then Passport Details Change.
- Step 6 After approval, pay the new card fee through the PACI link sent by SMS and collect the card.
Menu names in Sahel may differ slightly from the MOI website. The February 2026 news reports did not list steps or fees.
Correcting Your Name (English and Arabic)
Expats: your English name on the Civil ID must match your passport. In June 2019, after more than 250000 people queued at PACI over name mismatches, PACI stopped fixing these at its counters and the MOI took them over through the immigration computer section in each governorate. In practice, the name follows the passport data held by the MOI, so updating your passport data usually fixes the spelling too. A 2019 online form for expats to correct Latin names is no longer on PACI’s current services list.
Kuwaitis: PACI’s e-services list includes a Latin name update service for a Kuwaiti individual. Use it when the English spelling on your card is wrong.
Arabic name: a change to your legal Arabic name is not a PACI form. It has to be changed in the source record first, then PACI prints a new card.
Changing Your Job Title (Profession)
The job title in your residency record comes from your work permit with the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM). You cannot edit it in Sahel or at PACI. Your employer has to request the change.
Rules changed twice recently:
- May 2025: PAM suspended changes to academic qualifications and job titles under Ministerial Circular No. 1 of 2025.
- June 2026: under Ministerial Circular No. 1 of 2026, effective 2 June 2026, workers can again amend their qualification or profession, but only when it matches the work they actually do.
Ask your employer to file the request through the PAM e-portal or a PAM office, and call the PAM hotline 103 to confirm the current rules. Once PAM and the MOI update your residency, PACI can print a card with the new data.
Nationality, Marital Status and Blood Type
Nationality: PACI prints nationality from MOI records. In January 2025, PACI began issuing five-year cards to expat wives of Kuwaitis whose nationality was revoked under Article 8; the nationality field is left blank and the card says “Treated as a Kuwaiti”. PACI’s services list also has a status change service under Article 8.
Marital status: a marriage or divorce is registered with the MOJ and, for expats, reflected in residency records. Bring the registered contract or court document when PACI asks.
Blood type: the photo update forms ask for your blood group. Guides say a change of blood type needs a lab report.
Updating Your Mobile Number in Sahel
Your mobile number is the one change you make directly with PACI, and it does not need a new card:
- Step 1 Log in to Sahel with Kuwait Mobile ID.
- Step 2 Tap Services, then Public Authority for Civil Information.
- Step 3 Open Individual Services and tap Update Phone Number.
- Step 4 Enter the new number and tap Send.
Keep the old SIM working until the change is done. The number matters because every PACI form sends its verification code by SMS.
Updating Your Address Link
Your address is linked to the PACI unit number of your home, and a move means a new card. Most residents can now change it in Sahel, with owner approval of the request. PACI expects the change within 30 days, and Article 33 of Law No. 32 of 1982 allows a fine of up to KD 100. Our Civil ID address change guide covers every step.
Online vs In Person: Which Route to Use
| Change | Online | In person |
|---|---|---|
| Passport number | Sahel or MOI e-services | Nationality and Travel Documents department |
| Mobile number | Sahel | Not needed |
| Photo | Sahel or PACI website | PACI centre if refused online |
| Address | Sahel | PACI centre with a Meta appointment |
| Job title | Employer via PAM e-portal | PAM office |
| Name or nationality | Limited | MOI office, then PACI |
Expats usually visit the PACI building in South Surra; Kuwaiti citizens use the citizens office. Book on Meta before you go.
Documents You Need
| Change | Documents |
|---|---|
| Passport number | Civil ID, old and new passports with copies, extra passport pages |
| English or Latin name | Passport and Civil ID |
| Job title | Employer request, attested qualification certificate |
| Marital status | The registered marriage or divorce document |
| Blood type | Lab report |
| Anyone not applying in person | MOJ power of attorney |
Fees and New Card Printing
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Updating the data itself | Free (guides) |
| Passport transfer at the MOI | 0 KD (official page) |
| New Civil ID card | 5 KD (Kuwait Mobile ID help page) |
| Envelope on some requests | 0.250 KD |
| SMS updates | 50 fils per message received |
After approval, PACI sends an SMS from 1889988 with a payment link. Pay by K-Net, then collect the card from a PACI self-service machine or counter. Finally, open Kuwait Mobile ID, tap Manage, then Check for Updates so the app shows the new data.
Common Civil ID Data Problems and Fixes
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Name on Civil ID differs from passport | Update passport data with the MOI, then get a new card |
| Old passport number on the card | Use the passport update service in Sahel |
| Mobile ID shows old data | Tap Manage, then Check for Updates |
| No SMS code | Update your phone number in Sahel first |
| Job title change refused | Check the June 2026 PAM rules with your employer |
| No new card request in the system | Wait for the MOI or PAM change to reach PACI |
| Wrong blood type | Submit a lab report with the update |
| Card status says no new request | Recheck in a few days or call 1889988 |
Tips Before You Update Your Civil ID Data
- Fix the source record first, then the card.
- Compare every letter with your passport.
- Update your mobile number before other changes.
- Keep scans of both passports ready.
- Pay only through Sahel or the PACI SMS link.
- Save every application number.
- Refresh Kuwait Mobile ID after the new card.
- Avoid paid agents for simple online changes.
Employer changes often need an update after a residency transfer. Address data is tied to your PACI address number.
More Civil ID and PACI guides
Every guide on the site, in one place.
FAQs About Kuwait Civil ID Data Update
Can I update my Civil ID data online?
Yes, for many changes. Passport details, mobile number, photo and address can be updated in Sahel; name and nationality changes usually need the MOI.
How do I update my passport number on my Civil ID?
Use the passport update service in Sahel or the MOI e-services, then pay for the new card PACI prints.
Do I need a new Civil ID after getting a new passport?
Yes. The card carries your residency and passport number, so it must be reprinted after the transfer.
How do I correct my name on my Civil ID?
Expats correct it through the MOI so it matches the passport. Kuwaitis can use PACI’s Latin name update service.
Can I change my job title on my Civil ID?
Only through your employer and PAM. Since June 2026 changes are allowed again if they match your actual work.
How do I change the mobile number linked to my Civil ID?
In Sahel: Public Authority for Civil Information, then Individual Services, then Update Phone Number.
How much does a Civil ID data update cost?
The update itself is free in most cases. The reprinted card costs about 5 KD.
How long does a Civil ID data correction take?
One guide says 5 to 7 working days for a passport transfer, plus a few days to print the card.
Can someone else update my Civil ID data for me?
Yes, with an MOJ power of attorney for in-person requests. Online changes use your own Kuwait Mobile ID.
Why does Kuwait Mobile ID still show my old data?
The app reads your card data. Collect the new card, then tap Manage and Check for Updates.
What happens if my Civil ID name does not match my passport?
Airlines and border staff may stop you. Fix the name before you travel.
Does updating my mobile number need a new card?
No. The change in Sahel takes effect without a new card.
Conclusion
Most Civil ID corrections start at the authority that owns the data, and PACI then prints a new card. Here is the short version:
| If you want to | Do this |
|---|---|
| Update your passport number | Use the passport update service in Sahel |
| Fix your English name | Correct it with the MOI, then reprint |
| Change your job title | Ask your employer to apply through PAM |
| Change your mobile number | Sahel: Update Phone Number |
- Fix the source first, then pay about 5 KD for the new card.
- Match your passport exactly before you travel.
- Refresh Kuwait Mobile ID after you collect the card.
Services move between the MOI, PAM and PACI often, so check the current option in Sahel before you start. I based this guide on PACI and Kuwait Government Online service pages plus news references, last checked in October 2026.
Find where your change starts
Pick the detail you need to fix to see the right authority, the documents to bring and whether you need a new card.
