Kuwait has issued Decree-Law No. 122/2026, which introduces amendments to Law No. 10/2020 governing notarization procedures. The changes aim to streamline processes, improve electronic coordination among government authorities, and enhance the reliability of official records, while maintaining existing legal statuses.
The decree modifies five articles of the original law, reflecting practical needs observed during its implementation. According to the accompanying explanatory memorandum, revisions focus on two primary objectives. The first seeks to simplify the authentication of corporate contracts and related documents by reducing procedural overlap between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The second addresses personal status matters, including marriage, divorce, reconciliation, and breastfeeding-related prohibitions, by establishing more detailed procedural safeguards to protect rights and regulate evidentiary requirements without altering the substantive personal status laws.
A notable change appears in Article 1 of the Decree-Law, which replaces Article 9 bis of the prior legislation. It mandates that individuals involved, or their authorized representatives, must appear before the notary either in person, via an approved automated electronic system, or through video link using secure communication platforms authorized by the Ministry of Justice. This requirement is intended to prevent the use of unsecured applications that could lead to tampering, identity theft, or disputes regarding the authenticity of a party’s presence or expressed intent.
The amendments mark a step toward modernizing Kuwait’s notarization framework by incorporating electronic tools and enhancing inter-agency coordination, reflecting ongoing efforts to improve administrative efficiency and legal certainty.