Dubai: Kuwait has introduced penalties of up to one year in prison and a KD1,000 fine for notaries and marriage officials who authenticate marriage contracts without verifying that both parties have completed a mandatory premarital qualification programme.
The penalties are stipulated under Decree-Law No. 122 of 2026, which amends provisions of the country's Notarisation Law to strengthen legal safeguards, streamline procedures and improve the reliability of official documentation.
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Under the new amendments, marriage contracts cannot be authenticated unless both prospective spouses have completed the required premarital programme.
Notaries and marriage officials who fail to verify compliance before authenticating a contract face imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to KD1,000, or either penalty.
The legislation places responsibility on officials handling marriage contracts to ensure that both parties have fulfilled the requirement before proceeding with authentication.
The amendments also introduce provisions governing the electronic and remote processing of personal status matters, with safeguards designed to protect the integrity of official procedures.
These measures aim to prevent the use of insecure electronic systems or applications that could expose transactions to manipulation, identity impersonation or disputes over whether individuals were present and had freely expressed their consent.
The changes are also intended to facilitate official procedures, strengthen electronic coordination between relevant government authorities and enhance confidence in the authenticity and legal validity of official records and documents.