Having a Baby in Kuwait

A marriage certificate is needed before an expectant mother can be admitted to all hospitals. It is a criminal offense for an unwed couple to have a baby in Kuwait.

Expats must register the baby once born. The hospital will provide the notification of birth in Arabic that needs to be submitted to the governorate (municipal) office of the area, along with the application form, copies of parent's passports, marriage certificate and Civil ID cards.

The infant must be issued a passport, or added to the parent's passport before applying for a residency permit. 

In Kuwait, there is a fine of KWD$200.00 (approximately USD$343.00) if the baby has no residency permit 60 days from the date of birth. Parents must obtain a residency permit for the infant by submitting original and copies of the father's passport, civil ID for parents, marriage certificate, work permit, and certificate of employment to the Ministry of Interior. The process is the just same when applying for dependents except infants do not undergo any medical tests or fingerprinting.

One of the best maternity hospitals in the world is Al-Sabah Maternity Hospital, a public hospital equipped with the state of the art technology which offers a comprehensive range of antenatal, delivery and postnatal care.

Today, most private hospitals offer delivery packages on a fixed fee for either normal or caesarean delivery. An average normal delivery in a private hospital costs KWD$350.00 (approximately USD$1,203.00) for a minimum two day stay in hospitals. Caesarean costs KWD$600.00 (approximately USD$2,063.00) for a minimum stay of four days in hospitals. Check your international health coverage if childbirth expenses are covered. 

London Hospital in Fintas is a private hospital that specializes in maternity care.

Kuwaiti citizenship cannot be given to any children born in Kuwait nor will the infant hold dual passports. The baby will automatically assume his/her father's citizenship.