Kuwait is moving to implement reforms which will see that all financial institution customers, whether banks or those with investment accounts in companies, portfolios or funds, have their other nationalities revealed according to a report in Al-Rai.

The reforms are to implement the requirements of the International Joint Reporting as determined in the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), and will, according to the Arab daily, open a new window for the disclosure of the names of those who hold dual nationality.

Many Kuwaitis hold other nationalities, and a high number of citizens have purchased the Maltese passport as part of the Individual Investor Programme that the country runs. 

Sources speaking to Al-Rai said that "the high proportion of countries which have signed the joint reporting agreement, including Gulf countries increases the expectations that many of the Kuwaitis will be under pressure to disclose their other nationality (if they hold one) whether European or Arab or even Asian."

The same sources pointed out that "banks or investment companies are not responsible for the data recorded by the client in his tax returns", and explained that "a citizen who provides false information will be subjected to the laws of the concerned country, in relation to its procedures with tax evaders".

Kuwait's Ministry of Finance told the daily that dealing legally with citizens who carry additional citizenship is not within its remit.  As a country, Kuwait does not recognise dual-nationality.  Article 11 of Kuwaiti law stipulates that "a Kuwaiti national shall lose his Kuwaiti nationality if he becomes voluntarily naturalized according to the law of another state."